Next week one of the DoD authorization amendments we're likely to see is Salazar and Alexander's "Iraq Study Group Recommendations Implementation Act" (S 1545). It's drawn such daring and maverick cosponsoring senators as Bob Bennett (R-UT), Mark Pryor (D-AR), Judd Gregg (R-NH), Robert Casey (D-PA), John Sununu (R-NH), Susan Collins (R-ME), Pete Domenici (R-NM), Bill Nelson (D-FL), and Blanche Lincoln (D-AR).
The bill really is little more than a sense of the Senate resolution that things are bad in Iraq, and the president had darned well better listen, this time. But there's just a little bit more to it, as Aravosis finds in this analysis:
Specifically, the legislation buries a little nugget on page 18 of the bill. In a section entitled "Sense of Congress on Redeployment of United States Forces from Iraq," the legislation spells out the following preconditions to withdrawing US troops:
- A massive list of suggested policies need to first be accomplished before the US withdraws. These include transferring the Iraqi National Police to the Ministry of Defense, reorganizing the Iraqi security forces, upgrading Iraq's police communications equipment, establishing courts, training judges, prosecutors and investigators, drafting oil legislation, implementing metering at the oil pipelines, reorganizing the entire Iraqi oil industry, and more. But that's not all that has to happen before our troops are permitted to withdraw from Iraq. Oh no. Read on.
- Additional Iraqi brigades need to deployed. Meaning, the exact same policy we have now under George Bush. No withdraw until the Iraqi security forces are up to par. And our military people on the ground in Iraq say this could take 40 to 50 years, if ever.
- The eventual withdrawal of US forces is "subject to unexpected development in the security situation on the ground." Meaning, if things don't get better, we don't leave. That's the current policy. And things aren't getting better.
The legislation then says that if ALL of those things I listed above are met, THEN we can possibly consider to maybe redeploy some of the troops next spring, 2008.
Are they kidding?
Oh but that's not all. The legislation also says that the Iraq Study Group never ever said that we should actually withdraw from Iraq by next year.
No, unfortunately they're not kidding. This bill's supporters say that are committed to having American troops staying in Iraq for gawd knows how long. Note that this is the alternative that Pete Domenici, the latest to "break rank" with the President, has chosen. Here's notice to all those "rebelling" GOP Senators and recalcitrant Dems: support for this bill isn't going to cut it. The voting public is going to demand a hell of a lot more.