Senate rejects Democratic deadlines for quitting Iraq
Jun 22 2:17 PM US/Eastern
The US Senate easily defeated two Democratic measures that would set deadlines for withdrawing US troops from Iraq as the war becomes a key election year issue.
The Republican-controlled Senate rejected one resolution, proposed by former presidential candidate Senator John Kerry, calling for combat troops to be withdrawn from Iraq by July 1 next year, by a vote of 13 to 86.
The second bill, calling for troops to begin moving out of Iraq this year but without setting a hard timetable for final withdrawal, was dismissed 60 votes to 39.
The legislation came as amendments to a Defense Department spending bill being debated in the Senate.
The Democratic leader in the Senate, Harry Reid, who supported the bill favoring a gradual US troop draw-down, said the United States has to begin reducing its military presence in Iraq.
"I believe it is long past time to change course in Iraq and start to end the presidents open-ended commitment," he said.
"After four long years, more than 2,500 American lives, thousands grievously wounded, hundreds of billions of dollars spent, and threats ignored around the globe, Congress needs to choose a new direction," he said.
Neither bill had been given much chance of passing the Republican-controlled Senate, but lawmakers said they nevertheless reflect the deepening public disaffection with the US military engagement in Iraq.
Republicans, for their part, welcomed the chance to make the case, just a few months ahead of critical midterm elections, that they are the party with strong, coherent view on issues related to defense and security.
With the Iraq war increasingly unpopular with the US public, Democrats hope to take control of the Senate or House of Representatives in the November elections.
Republicans had dismissed both bills as "cut and run" proposals which they said would ultimately make the United States more vulnerable to terrorism.
President George W. Bush has said that a complete US withdrawal "will be decided by future presidents and future governments of Iraq," but Reid said Americans must now begin to look to its own interests and allow the Iraqis to take care of theirs.
"We need to say to President Bush you need a plan for Iraqis to take responsibility for their own security and government," the Democratic leader said.
The Republican Majority leader in the Senate, Bill Frist, insisted that withdrawal would be tantamount to surrender, leaving America more vulnerable to terrorism and Iraq in anarchy.
"Withdrawal is not an option, surrender is not a solution," Frist said.
"The time to leave Irakis when we reach our objectives. Our objectives are achievable and we are achieving them," said Frist.
"Brave men and women of our armed forces are fighting daily to win in Iraq, and it would dishonor them -- to say nothing of their fallen camarades -- to cut and run at a time as promising as now," he said, saying that both Democratic amendments engender a "spirit of defeatism and surrender."
"This is not the spirit that made America the great nation it is today," he said.
Jun 22 2:17 PM US/Eastern
The US Senate easily defeated two Democratic measures that would set deadlines for withdrawing US troops from Iraq as the war becomes a key election year issue.
The Republican-controlled Senate rejected one resolution, proposed by former presidential candidate Senator John Kerry, calling for combat troops to be withdrawn from Iraq by July 1 next year, by a vote of 13 to 86.
The second bill, calling for troops to begin moving out of Iraq this year but without setting a hard timetable for final withdrawal, was dismissed 60 votes to 39.
The legislation came as amendments to a Defense Department spending bill being debated in the Senate.
The Democratic leader in the Senate, Harry Reid, who supported the bill favoring a gradual US troop draw-down, said the United States has to begin reducing its military presence in Iraq.
"I believe it is long past time to change course in Iraq and start to end the presidents open-ended commitment," he said.
"After four long years, more than 2,500 American lives, thousands grievously wounded, hundreds of billions of dollars spent, and threats ignored around the globe, Congress needs to choose a new direction," he said.
Neither bill had been given much chance of passing the Republican-controlled Senate, but lawmakers said they nevertheless reflect the deepening public disaffection with the US military engagement in Iraq.
Republicans, for their part, welcomed the chance to make the case, just a few months ahead of critical midterm elections, that they are the party with strong, coherent view on issues related to defense and security.
With the Iraq war increasingly unpopular with the US public, Democrats hope to take control of the Senate or House of Representatives in the November elections.
Republicans had dismissed both bills as "cut and run" proposals which they said would ultimately make the United States more vulnerable to terrorism.
President George W. Bush has said that a complete US withdrawal "will be decided by future presidents and future governments of Iraq," but Reid said Americans must now begin to look to its own interests and allow the Iraqis to take care of theirs.
"We need to say to President Bush you need a plan for Iraqis to take responsibility for their own security and government," the Democratic leader said.
The Republican Majority leader in the Senate, Bill Frist, insisted that withdrawal would be tantamount to surrender, leaving America more vulnerable to terrorism and Iraq in anarchy.
"Withdrawal is not an option, surrender is not a solution," Frist said.
"The time to leave Irakis when we reach our objectives. Our objectives are achievable and we are achieving them," said Frist.
"Brave men and women of our armed forces are fighting daily to win in Iraq, and it would dishonor them -- to say nothing of their fallen camarades -- to cut and run at a time as promising as now," he said, saying that both Democratic amendments engender a "spirit of defeatism and surrender."
"This is not the spirit that made America the great nation it is today," he said.
