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Can Congress Defund the War?

Opponents of the president's desire to keep a substantial number of troops in harm's way in Iraq (much less to increase their numbers) have differed in their proposals to bring the troops home. Sen. Russ Feingold began a hearing today before the Senate Judiciary Committee, entitled "Exercising Congress’s Constitutional Power to End a War," with this statement, in which he calls upon the legislature to exercise its power to defund the war.

Excerts:

Tomorrow, I will introduce legislation that will prohibit the use of funds to continue the deployment of U.S. forces in Iraq six months after enactment. By prohibiting funds after a specific deadline, Congress can force the President to bring our forces out of Iraq and out of harm’s way. ...

We are here to find out from [expert witnesses] not what Congress should do, but what Congress can do. Ultimately, it rests with Congress to decide whether to use its constitutional powers to end the war.

The answer should be clear. Since the President is adamant about pursuing his failed policies in Iraq, Congress has the duty to stand up and use its power to stop him. If Congress doesn’t stop this war, it’s not because it doesn’t have the power. It’s because it doesn’t have the will.

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  • Display: Sort:
    bring troops home (none / 0) (#1)
    by Buck Roberts on Tue Jan 30, 2007 at 12:35:14 PM EST
    I think we ought to get our people home. We should only be consult with the new Iraqi government on training its police and millitary and helping them with intelligence at this point.

    I think that US issues have been ignored for too long. Civil rights issues and immigration are my main concerns at this point.

    I hope (none / 0) (#2)
    by HeadScratcher on Tue Jan 30, 2007 at 01:18:59 PM EST
    This gets introduced and we can see what a 'real' vote by the House looks like on the Iraq War.

    You know Hillary will be against this, Obama for it! How about Biden, Richardson (my personal choice so far for Pres), Vilsack, etc...?

    RE: (none / 0) (#3)
    by Edger on Tue Jan 30, 2007 at 01:51:50 PM EST
    Feingold's proposal...
    legislation that will prohibit the use of funds to continue the deployment of U.S. forces in Iraq six months after enactment. By prohibiting funds after a specific deadline, Congress can force the President to bring our forces out of Iraq and out of harm's way. ...

    ...also has the advantage of being perfectly in line with Bush's past statements on the subject...

    George W. Bush, 4/9/99:"Victory means exit strategy, and it's important for the president to explain to us what the exit strategy is."

    George W. Bush, 6/5/99:"I think it's also important for the president to lay out a timetable as to how long they will be involved and when they will be withdrawn."

    ...that is, until Bush got turned into a sock puppet by Cheney and PNAC:

    No timetable for pullout from Iraq: Bush

    Washington, Jan 22: US President George W Bush distanced himself from predictions US troops could begin leaving Iraq by late summer, stating bluntly there would be no timetable, in an interview published today.

    "We don't set timetables in this administration because an enemy will adjust their tactics based upon perceived action by the United States," Bush told the USA today newspaper.