Because Senator Feingold just re introduced the Feingold-Reid amendment again after the cloture vote failed. The Senate is working on the huge spending bill HR 2764, trying to get it finalized before they go on their extended December Holidays break. You may follow the list of Senate Roll Call votes here:
http://www.senate.gov/...
I had it on mute, and noticed he was speaking, brought up the volume, and heard the phrase "and we'll bring it up again, and again, and again..." and perked up up and started listening.
He spoke at length about our policy in the Middle East and why we must not continue to do the same thing.
Now Senator Byrd is speaking, he speaks slowly but with great clarity and conviction. "the Iraqi government has not passed any of the benchmarks which would indicate re conciliation."
"Oil production is faltering, shortages of water and electricity continue, despite the private contractors, sectarian violence and ethnic cleansing continue, .... while US forces remain in Iraq, there is little evidence of progress (I'm paraphrasing a bit) ... the important question... is whether those tactical successes somehow add up to progress so there is a solution... it is time for a change in Iraq, it is time to bring the bulk of the troops home, it is time to engage our allies in the Mideast, time to restore the US as a (good example of leadership) in the world. It is time to shed our image of America as occupiers and invaders, time to irrovacalby reject the notion that America accepts torture. For most of my lifetime, and it's been a long one, America was looked to when help was needed, now it's which country we are going to invade next. HOW FAR WE HAVE FALLEN. .... Our national guard sits in the sand, the hot sands of the middle east, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote for this amendment... to vote for this amend ment is to vote for the troops and a new policy in Iraq, ...using the most powerful tool there ever will be in our arsenal... THE POWER OF THE PURSE to show our people we are listening to them.... we must not role the dice again, risking american lives and the treasury, time, time, for a change."
Thank you, Senator Byrd.
Now Senator McCain is up and speaking against this. What a contrast. This is the Republican Candidate for President that Lieberman just endorsed. He just mentioned Lieberman. He wants to continue the occupation. Go listen.
Facts are stubborn things? Yes, Senator McCain, they are. Stop talking about Al Queda in Iraq. It was never about that.
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update 1The Feingold amendment, which would have had a troop withdrawal timeline, the vote failed by 24 to 71, it would have need 60 yes votes to pass. So to the Senate, we dedicate the holiday carol "And I'll be Home for Christmas, If Only in my Dreams."
update 2The Reed amendment, which would have been a "sense of the Senate, non binding sort of sentiment of how we sorta feel maybe ending the war someday might be a good idea if it doesn't upset anyone too much," is also going down in flames in the Senate. Because McConnel said Bush said he'd veto the whole spending bill if he saw it. 60 needed to pass, the vote tally went 50 to 45, so ten votes short but still got a majority of Senators to say, someday the war should maybe end.
Okay, we are making some progress, baby steps.
update 3The McConnell amendment passes. This one gave the Dept. of Defense more money for the Iraq War by yet another "emergency supplementation."