Senate Republicans block U.S. troop rest plan

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Reuters

Senate Republicans block U.S. troop rest plan
By Susan Cornwell
37 minutes ago



WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Republicans on Wednesday blocked a proposal to give American troops in Iraq more rest from battle, as Democrats renewed their attempts to change President George W. Bush's Iraq policy

While the White House won this initial skirmish on a military policy bill, it lost support of seven of Bush's fellow Republicans in the Senate's vote on requiring minimum rest times between troop deployments. Six of the Republicans are up for re-election next year.

Trying to calm dissent among a growing number of Republicans over the war, the White House dispatched national security adviser Stephen Hadley to Capitol Hill for the second straight day, while Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice telephoned lawmakers.

Rice and Hadley urged senators to back Bush's determination to wait until September for an evaluation of the mission by Gen. David Petraeus, the U.S. commander in Iraq, instead of embracing some lawmakers' attempts to impose change now.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070711/ts_nm/iraq_usa_dc_9;_ylt=A9G_R3koM5VGgMwAMh.KV9gA

[TwilightGardener]

1. Excellent headline! That's exactly how it should read.

[Robbien]

2. So true. Nice surprise

One can expect AP's headline will have a completely different spin on it.

[Miss Chybil]

3. How deep can they dig their own graves?

No matter... as long as they keep digging. Karl Rove schemed for a permanent Republican majority. His efforts have secured the opposite. Thanks, Karl and Republicans everywhere, for the wonderful gift.

[ck4829]

4. Why do Republicans hate the troops? K&R.

[saigon68]

32. They need them so they can get rich

Imagine if those greedy idiots didn't have Halliburton et al to steal from the public trough

[SKKY]

5. But, here's the kicker to all of this...

...if you poll the military, I guarantee you more than 70% will still say "Republicans are better for the military than Democrats." I have no idea what my fellow vets are thinking, but that's the truth.

[roseBudd]

6. click through & rate it a 5, it had 0 votes just now

[Purveyor]

7. K&R #5... eom

[firefox_fan]

8. They support the troops by working them to death. Literally.

[mzmolly]

9. Hmmm, I wonder if the military will still vote R in heavy numbers after this?

:(

[redacted]

10. HEY CORPORATE MEDIA: STOP SAYING "BLOCK," SAY "FILIBUSTER" INSTEAD

Let's be accurate about this. The Dems had 5 more votes than they needed to WIN. They eventually lost because the Republicans do what Democrats will not: they FILIBUSTERED this bill to shut it down.

Say the word. "Fil-i-bus-ter." And use it. Show everybody how unseemly and disgusting it is for the GOP to talk for hours to defeat a bill that would have provided much needed rest for troops on deployment tracks.

Tune in to Rachel Maddow's show on Air America, in process at posting time, for more about this point.

[Telly Savalas]

11. Democrats shouldn't send any more legislation to the White House until this gets passed.

Threaten to shut the fucking government down if need be.

How can any asshole who claims to support the troops be against this proposal?

[sakabatou]

12. Why does he hate the troops so much?

[wordpix]

13. any repuke who filibustered this bill should be sent to Iraq to let the troops rest while

the repuke senators learn what it's like fighting there year after year.

[Judi Lynn]

14. Kick!

:kick: :kick: :kick:

[deadparrot]

15. More rest for troops defeated in Senate

Source: Seattle Times

WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans on Wednesday defeated an amendment offered by two Vietnam combat veterans, Sens. Jim Webb, D-Va., and Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., that would have increased the time troops have at home before they return to war in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Fifty-six senators — including seven Republicans — voted in favor, but the measure fell short of the 60-vote supermajority Republicans had demanded, exploiting Senate rules.

The measure would have required that active-duty service members have the same amount of time at home as they've served at war before they're sent again to Iraq or Afghanistan. Military reserves and National Guard members would have had three years between deployments.

The Senate also voted 97-0 for an amendment sponsored by Sen. Joseph Lieberman, an independent from Connecticut who votes with the Bush administration on Iraq, that demands Iran stop supporting Iraqis who are killing Americans. It didn't specify consequences.

Read more: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003785458_iraqcong12.html?syndication=rss

[MADem]

16. That draft attitude isn't breathing down their necks, is why

They're thinking they can get out in another onerous rotation or two...

[liberal N proud]

17. You knew it would - the White House sent its' minions to the Capitol

just to insure enough senators didn't vote for it.
This will continue to happen because they have something that they continue to use on congress to get what they want.

I wish I could prove that or had an idea what it was but every time the is a vote like this the support will look like it is going against the regime and wham, suddenly they all change their mind.

[HonorTheConstitution]

18. Support the troops Ha-ha: Repuks = Hypocrites

[ninkasi]

24. Exactly!

I love your user name. Welcome to DU! :hi:

[tblue]

30. And that includes Ho Lieberman nt

[snappyturtle]

19. Unbelievable......supporting the troops again I see.

:sarcasm:

The mojo amendment????????? "demands".....no specification of consequences.....sounds too open ended for my liking.

[KansDem]

20. Whew! Just in time for the the Senate recess...

...August 6-September 3, Labor Day, so our elected officials can go back home to campaign and attend picnics and cookouts, and celebrate American labor while our troops continue to be killed and maimed in a war based on lies for oil.

I hope all you f**king Republicans choke on your barbecue!!!

[niyad]

21. I hereby propose that every single one of the bastards who voted against be immediately sent to iraq

and that they go with bush and cheney and the rest of that worthless lot-- at least they would take the place of some of our people over there.

[nickyt]

22. niyad, may I add the proposal that we send them, and when they get home, we send

them again, and then, when they get home, we send them one. more. time. -

[MidwestTransplant]

23. FILLABUSTER START SAYING IT

[stillcool]

25. I think I get it now...

Elected (?) officials only job is to determine which industry gets tax dollars when. Everything else is filler for the 'news'.

[EFerrari]

27. Bingo!

:(

[RushIsRot]

26. What do these jerks care? Neither they nor their progeny are at

risk. What a gang of losers!

Support The Troops is simply a magnet to stick on one's vehicle. Hell, we don't really mean it!

[IndianaGreen]

28. They voted against the troops, and they voted to lay grounds for US-Iran war.

The GOP chose Bush over the troops. Way to go, fascist pigs!

[tblue]

29. So it's support Lieberman and to hell with the troops, eh? WTF is that?

[mvd]

31. More proof as to who really supports the troops

And this wait for September thing is just a ploy. You know that the report will be doctored in any way needed to support the propaganda that the illegal war must continue.

[Cass]

33. How can they look a troop in the eye after blocking this while cheering on the

war? Heartless phony bastards.

Republicans have been busy filibustering a lot of things lately. How come the dems couldn't do that when they were in the minority?

[lovuian]

34. I have a friend who wrote me he is working 6 12 hour days in war

every week
Its grueling work

they are not getting paid overtime either

Senate Republicans your inhumane bastards

[sutz12]

35. Y'all know that too much rest takes the edge off their combat training.

:sarcasm:

:evilgrin: