Former Bush Chief of Staff Andy Card was on MSNBC this morning. Reflecting on the problems in Iraq, he blamed bad intelligence and presented what is, presumably, the centerpiece of the "Bush Plan" in Iraq. I quote....
"Pray for success"
O goody....Faith Based War!
But are the Democrats in Congress engaging in the same wishful thinking?
Does the watered down House proposal....declawed by the Blue Dogs.....actually DO anything to end the war? Even if it does make it through The Senate AND Bush signs it?
Only one thing can end the war, a clear and simple statement by the Congressional Democrats, submitted to the American Public and George Bush:
We will not fund the Occupation, We will fund the Withdrawal.
Here is Dennis Kucinich's take on the Bill....
"This isn't why Democrats were voted into power," said Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Cleveland, who will vote against the spending bill. "If we had told the American people last October that if you vote Democratic, we'll give President Bush the money to keep the war going until the end of his term, we'll open the door for him to invade Iran and we'll insist on the privatization of Iraq's oil, do you think we would have won?
"Not a chance. This is bait and switch."
I agree.
From an editorial in The Nation
The House and Senate have the authority to end the war in Iraq quickly, efficiently and honorably. Claims to the contrary by George W. Bush and his apologists are at odds with every intention of the authors of the Constitution. Which part of "Congress shall have the power to declare war... to make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces...to make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers" does the White House fail to understand? Unfortunately, it may be the same part that cautious Congressional leaders have trouble comprehending.
Howard Dean said recently with no hemming or hawing that the Democrats were elected to end the war. This bill does NOT end the war....it merely puts off and wiggles out of the decision to end the war by THE ONLY MEANS POSSIBLE ....not funding it. This bill accomplishes one thing and one thing only, delaying the end of the war. It puts off any real decision until not just the end of Bush's term....but until right before the '08 Presidential election. What will the Dems be willing to do to end the war two months before the voters go to the booths? If the level of spinelessness and internal obstruction we are seeing now is any indication.....the answer is clear. Nothing.
The American Public, the Voters, the Iraqis...want this war over. This bill, to be voted on as early as Thursday, does not end the war. It merely prolongs the decision on funding, while giving Bush the money to continue until the end of his term. Passing the buck and the disaster to the next President.
IF it makes it through the House...IF it makes it through Senate....IF it gets to Bush's desk....IF he signs it....This bill is a disaster for Democrats.
Brace Yourself: The scariest and worse case scenario right now is this: The Dems give Bush his money, the war continues for two more years. The Voters see that once again the Dems have let them down. Once again, the Dems have been spineless, ineffective, hand wringing liberals who can DO NOTHING. Are the Voters going to embrace that? Are they going to forgive and forget the lives and treasure we spend in the meantime? Are they going to have any reason too? We don't have the votes (my favorite phrase!) to get ANY meaningful legislation through the Senate and through Bush's veto. The result? Two years of Democratic majority that the Republican Noise Machine can EASILY spin into....the Democrats did nothing.
Then MAYBE, if the Voters have not turned on the Do Nothing Democrats....this Bill dumps the whole mess into the lap of the next President (a Democrat??? MAYBE) In the meantime...more soldiers and Iraqis die and hundreds of billions are spent.
We don't have the votes. Fine. Then that leaves us exactly two powers. The power to investigate....and the power to defund. If we are going to do something to impress the Voters....we have NO CHOICE but to stop the funding. Anything else is a disaster...for the Troops, the Iraqis, for Iran, for the entire Middle East. Not to mention the Budget.....and The Democrats electoral chances in 08.
So.....After this Bill fizzles and dies......
There is only ONE real way to end this war. There is only ONE power that the Democrats have to end it. Giving Bush another $100 billion to continue the killing is NOT it.
Spending months on internal wrangling and deal making....only to send up another bill for Bush to veto is not it.
The ONLY way for Democrats to fulfill their mandate is to NOT fund it.
We will not fund the Occupation, We will fund the Withdrawal.
There are NO votes needed.
There is NO Bush signature needed.
There is nothing for The Republicans to derail.
There is nothing for the Blue Dogs to water down.
There Are NO votes needed.
.
Bush has money to run the occupation through the summer...if he wants more, this is what he needs to face.
We will not fund the Occupation, We will fund the Withdrawal.
If George wants money....he has to come to us. By forcing him to come to us, we get to dictate the terms...the terms?
Simple:
We will not fund the Occupation, We will fund the Withdrawal.
There is one key component to this plan. Informing the American Public in clear and certain terms what the clear and certain plan is.
Winning the Spin.
To reiterate, because this is important:
There is one key component to this plan. Informing the American Public in clear and certain terms what the clear and certain plan is.
Leadership needs to attain a BIT of unity....not to get the votes of the obstreperous Blue Dogs...but JUST to be united on the spin. To get the message out to the Voters in no uncertain terms....
We will not fund the Occupation, We will fund the Withdrawal.
All we need from the Blue Dogs is silence...to not undercut the effort.
We need nothing from Bush.
We need nothing from the Republicans.
Our best hope to end the war....and ensure electoral victory in 08.... is one clear and simple statement, shouted to the rafters, preached to the choir, blasted on the airwaves, printed in every newspaper, posted on every blog.
The clear and unequivocal message and intent of the Democratic Party is....We will not fund the Occupation, We will fund the Withdrawal.
If you are so inclined, send this diary....or your own words, to your Congressmember
Or the Blue Dogs
Or the Out of Iraq Caucus