Cross-posted from The Word Smiths:
Earlier, my brother wrote this:
I’m calling on Congressional Democrats to send this same bill to the president’s desk over and over and over and over. Make him know this is the only option. The Congress must not stand idly by and allow a failed policy to continue. And it is time that Congressional Republicans and the administration go on record, repeatedly, as taking responsibility for their war.
However, I believe there is another option. More on that later.
Earlier this week, nine Soldiers from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, that installation I am based out of, were killed in a single attack and 20 others wounded. This occurred during a period in Iraq known as "the surge" in which over 20,000 additional American Soldiers have been sent to the country as part of a "security crackdown." All totaled, 101 coalition Soldiers have died this month thus far in Iraq.
Also this week in a fundraiser for Senator James Inhofe of Oklahoma (perpetrator of intellectual gems such as this), Vice President Dick Cheney had this to say:
"It’s impossible to argue that an unconditional timetable for retreat could serve the security interests of the United States or those of our friends in the region. Instead, it sends a message to our enemies that the calendar is their friend, that all they have to do is wait us out. Wait for the date certain, and claim victory the day after."
What I’m getting at is this. The war in Iraq is, to use Jon Stewarts’ terminology, a clusterfuck. The military battle was won long ago, and any other progress that can be made will only be made through diplomatic channels. Every day we spend at war in Iraq, is another day of distraction from the real battle against terrorism. Every Soldier who dies in Iraq is another brave life lost to a lie. Yet, we continue to be bogged down in an endless civil war in which we have nothing to lose or gain. The administration and Repugs in congress continue to spout their talking points, and say that if we set a deadline, the enemy will simply wait us out. Release this to the DC press corps, who seems to have adopted "ignorance is bliss" as their motto: ITS THEIR COUNTRY! We could stay a hundred years and they could still wait us out.
Honestly, the Repugs do have a point. From a military perspective it is silly to set a withdrawal date and let your enemy know what it is. However, it is even more silly to remain in a country you have invaded when all of your military objectives are complete to quell a civil war in which you have no interest. This is why the Democrats must set a silly withdrawal date to counter the irresponsible silliness of this administration.
Sending the same bill back to the President is a viable option. However, I do not put the President above holding the troops hostage in a war zone without funding so that he can save himself face. Hell, he’s kept us in a war zone for four years just to save face. So this is what I propose: Give the President a "clean" bill with no strings. No deadlines. Exactly what he wants. But the bill should only authorize funding for 45 days. This way, Republicans (usually from rural districts who provide most military recruits, and are most personally affected by the war) who are facing reelection in the other election next Fall will have to go on the record supporting the President and his failed policy. We continue the cycle. Every 45 days we pass a withdrawal bill, and if the President vetoes it, we send a "clean" 45 day bill. Repugs will grow tired of the President dragging their names through the mud. I assure you, we will only need to this twice before we have enough votes to override a veto.
UPDATE II The Word Smiths is back up. There is a preview of the diary I will be posting in the morning there. Please check it out.
UPDATE: SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION: It sucks, but my diary is the first one linked on the main page, just when my personal blog is experienceing technical problems. The Word Smiths is a blog my brother and I just started a week ago or so, and I personally think it is materializing into something really great. Please, when possible go check it out: https://www.wordsmithsblog.com