For all the "escalating" dialog between Obama, Hillary, Edwards, Dodd, and their ilk, not one of them has done anything to end the war, and each fo them are very careful not to mention a very simple fact which Kucinich keeps throwing in their face.
All the talk of "not having the votes", needing a "veto-proof" majority, and attempting to craft an acceptable "compromise" is just crap.
It only takes one Senator to stop this war.
<more after the fold>
The current funding for the war will run out unless a new bill is passed through the Senate which allows for further funding.
Each of the Senators in the U.S. Senate has the ability to place holds on bills, to make motions to send bills back to committee, or in a worst case scenario to filibuster on the floor of the Senate.
One Senator could act, with or without the support of his political party to place holds, make motions, and filibuster any funding bill which did not contain specific dates for redeployment of all U.S. troops currently serving in Iraq (or at least dates by which they will no longer be serving in combat roles.)
If no legislation passes through the Senate, there is no funding for the war. No emergency funding, no general funds assigned to other purposes which can be transferred, NO FUNDING.
It's like a one man nuclear option. A cloture vote would have to be taken and 60 Senators would need to approve cloture to end the filibuster.
The Senate Democrats would then be faced with an actual vote, either allow the one brave martyr to sacrifice his political career (and possibly end funding for the war if other Senators rally around him/her) by letting the filibuster continue, or vote specifically to end the debate and allow the bill which lets George W. Bush to continue the war unchecked by any of the checks and balances which kept this country functioning for the last 225 years move forward to a vote.
If we could just find one Senator willing to take such a stand, then our voices could be heard, and we would know once and for all where each of our representatives really stand on the issue of Democracy.
Anybody know a Senator brave enough?
****ED NOTE- It has been pointed out below that their may be a Senate Rule against filibustering on budget bills. I will research this, and delete the diary if that is the case.