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Congress and Iraq

Started by R McCartney; Last updated Feb 27, 08 7:34 AM CST by D Lim | View history

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Congress and Iraq

The Democratic Congress swooped back into power on an anti-Iraq platform. But with little concrete progress on withdrawal, is it too little, too late?

When the Dems took control of both houses of Congress in January of 2007, they vowed to bring the fight to Bush on Iraq. They've gotten benchmarks into the budget, but have rejected toothier measures, such as timetables for withdrawal and funding cuts. Critics say the Dems have failed to take decisive action; others argue they've done the best they could without a two-thirds majority. Meanwhile, GOP reps have had to decide whether to stick with Bush on Iraq, or to defect and join the growing anti-war mainstream. Or, if they're John McCain, both.

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May 2008
- Pelosi Becomes a Believer on Baghdad Trip
  
  Associated Press | May 17, 08 12:12 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Nancy Pelosi visited Iraq today, and the staunch war critic said she liked what she heard. After meeting with several top Iraqi and US officials, including Nouri al-Maliki and David Petraeus, Pelosi emerged optimistic about the upcoming provincial elections. She also praised Baghdad for passing a budget and oil legislation, the AP reports. More »
- House Rejects $162.5B Bill to Fund Wars
  
  Washington Post | May 15, 08 5:10 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - The House today shot down a $162.5 billion bill to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan into next year after a surprise tactic by angry Republicans, the Washington Post reports. The bill failed by a vote of 148-141 after 132 members of the GOP abstained. By doing so, they formed an unusual coalition with a group of anti-war Democrats. The vote doesn't mean the wars won't be funded, however—the bill will be revived in the Senate next week. More »
- Rumsfeld Dodged Early Iraq Failures: Sanchez
  
  Time | May 4, 08 11:34 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Early mistakes in Iraq—and the extent of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's involvement in them—are the subject of a Time excerpt from a book by the former commander of US forces in Iraq, Gen. Ricardo Sanchez. Sanchez details an effort by Rumsfeld to get him to agree, on paper, that Rumsfeld had been out of the loop on the premature drawdown of strategic command forces that led to disarray—a claim Sanchez vehemently denies. More »
- Dems Jeer 'Iraq Victory' Anniversary
  
  Politico | May 1, 08 3:15 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Five years ago today, President Bush bounded out of a fighter jet onto a deck of an aircraft carrier and, under a huge "Mission Accomplished" banner, boasted to cheering troops that major combat operations in Iraq had ended. As the war drags on into its sixth year, congressional Democrats are using the anniversary to highlight the administration's "arrogant" mishandling of Iraq, Politico reports. More »
April 2008
- Iraq to Net Record $70B Oil Windfall
  
  Wall Street Journal | Apr 30, 08 2:58 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - US analysts estimate that record-breaking oil prices and a fall in insurgent attacks on pipelines will boost Iraq oil revenue this year to $70 billion—double earlier estimates, the Wall Street Journal reports. The latest figure has sparked a call among US lawmakers to demand that Iraq pay more of its reconstruction costs. But the White House has warned that slashing aid could prolong the war. More »
- Armed Forces Enlist More Criminals
  
  Associated Press | Apr 21, 08 8:29 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - The US Army and Marines are signing up more felons in an effort to overcome flagging enlistment, the AP reports. The Army doubled its recruitment of felons last year and the Marines upped theirs from 208 to 350—including conscripts with sex crime and manslaughter convictions. The rise in felon recruits "may be undermining military readiness," said Rep. Henry Waxman, who revealed the data. More »
- 'Too Old' Byrd to Critics: Shut Up!
  
  The Hill | Apr 17, 08 2:40 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - History's longest-serving senator has two words for people who think he's no longer up to the job of chairing the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee: "Shut up." Democrat Robert Byrd, 90, has been hospitalized twice this year but his management of a two-hour hearing on Iraq war spending yesterday apparently silenced his critics, the Hill reports. More »
- War Killing Economy, Democrat Says
  
  Chicago Tribune | Apr 12, 08 4:42 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - While President Bush touted a "turnaround" in Iraq today, one lawmaker called the war "a leading cause" of America's economic woes, the Swamp blog reports. Test-driving the Democrat’s new anti-war argument, Kentucky Representative John Yarmuth blasted General Petraeus for advocating “more of the same, with U.S. troops and taxpayers paying the price.” More »
- Petraeus Sees No New Troop Buildup in Iraq
  
  Washington Post | Apr 9, 08 8:44 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Gen. David H. Petraeus told the House Armed Forces Committee today that he does not foresee another buildup of US armed forces in Iraq, calling the possibility of a new surge "a pretty remote thought in my mind." If violences escalates again, the Army will make do with American and Iraqi troops already there, the Washington Post reports. His testimony comes a day before President Bush will lay out his troop strategy. More »
- Petraeus Grilling Moves to House
  
  New York Times | Apr 9, 08 2:12 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Gen. David Petraeus' visit to Capitol Hill continues today, with House members getting their chance to grill the top US commander in Iraq and Ambassador Ryan Crocker. Democrats on the Armed Service Committee were vocal in their frustration about the war’s progress, even as Petraeus and Crocker were unyielding about a potential withdrawal timetable, the New York Times reports. More »
- Petraeus Foils Senators Seeking Exit
  
  Washington Post | Apr 9, 08 7:09 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - David Petraeus and Ryan Crocker head back to Capitol Hill this morning after a grueling day of testimony that was short on substance and clear goals, writes the Washington Post . Pressed repeatedly yesterday to describe what "conditions" they would like to see before recommending a troop withdrawal, the general and ambassador parried for 8 straight hours, offering bromides like "battlefield geometry" and "political-military calculus." More »
- Senate Grills Petraeus on Basra
  
  Associated Press | Apr 8, 08 11:42 AM CDT
  
  (Newser) - The campaign trail ran through a scheduled Senate Armed Service Committee appearance by David Petraeus and Ryan Crocker today, as John McCain and Hillary Clinton helped grill the general and ambassador on Iraq. McCain zeroed in on the the widespread Iraqi defections in Basra last week, saying, “It was a disappointment.” "It was, although it is not over yet, Senator," Petraeus countered. More »
- US-Backed Militias Curb Iraqi Women's Rights
  
  Newsweek | Apr 6, 08 1:43 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Women's rights in Iraq are devolving under the rule of US-backed militias, Newsweek reports. These Sahwa or "Awakening" groups have stabilized regions, but rule with medieval laws and customs: In some areas, women are commonly kept at home, forced to wear headscarves, or are married into polygamous relationships, Newsweek reports.