Kucinich votes against troop withdrawal

[MonkeyFunk]

Because the bill today, starting troop withdrawal within 120 days, wasn't good enough. So joined 9 conservative democrats in voting AGAINST this.

Here's his statement.

We’ve lost over 3,600 of our brave service men and women. An estimated one million innocent Iraqis have perished in the war. We’re now telling Iraqis, whose country the U.S. destroyed, whose reconstruction funds the U.S. mishandled, whose social networks have been shredded: Stand on your own feet! We try to steal their oil under the cover of occupation,” Kucinich said in a debate on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives today.

“This bill will not end the war. This bill will not end the occupation. It doesn’t take a vote to end this war. We must inform the Administration that the $97 billion appropriated last month is the end of the financing for the war.

“Use the money that’s in the pipeline through October 1 to bring the troops home. Compel the President to put together an international peacekeeping and security force which would move in as our troops leave.

“We could have our troops home by October 1. The question is whether we are ready to take a stand to do that, or whether we are going to vote on resolutions that give the American people the appearance that we want to end the war, without actually addressing the central issue that will end the war. Stop the funding.

I find stuff like this infuriating. It's petulant, childish and shows an absolutely corrupted sense of reality. He can't get what he wants, so he opposes the next-best thing? That's not leadership - it's demagoguery.

[Taverner]

1. Wow - not good

[LeFleur1]

2. Killing Us

This is what kills the Democrats.

[aquart]

6. The Democrats aren't dying. The soldiers are dying.

The Democrats are fine and dandy and full of democratic dissent. However, soldiers are dying.

[snowbear]

33. LeFluer, why do you post and RUN??

You post a comment like that, and then flee the scene?

Why?????

[Lost-in-FL]

3. Cindy should move to his district and run against him n/t

[aquart]

4. I was about to say, he had a Cindy moment.

[Always AskWhy]

8. For goodness sake you

took the words right out of my mouth.
A Cindy moment indeed!

[MonkeyFunk]

5. LOL

good idea!

[jefferson_dem]

7. Maybe he'll show up tonight on FauxNews tonight to explain his vote...

:shrug:

[polichick]

9. Maybe getting media attention is the idea...

At this point, it could be his goal.

[penguin7]

10. My guess is that the bill today is BS.

A feel good bill designed for cover for those that want to pretend that they want to end the war.

I don't know anything about the bill, but that seems like a pretty good guess.

[jefferson_dem]

12. So to use the legislative process to call for an end of the Iraq clusterfuck...

is all about "feeling good"? Really?

I've heard that exact meme offered up by more than a few rw talking heads today. That, my friend, is the real BS.

Welcome to DU, by the way. :hi:

[MonkeyFunk]

13. The bill was a bill that did what it says

begin a troop withdrawal in 120 days.

That wasn't good enough for St. Dennis, so he voted against it.

Now what would happen 14 more 12 more Dems thought like he did? The bill would've failed.

And Republicans would say, rightly, that even Dems don't want troop withdrawal.

Kucinich is acting like a little bitch.

[penguin7]

14. The bill was leaving an occupation force.

There is the rub.

[MonkeyFunk]

15. so better to leave 'em all there

then remove the vast majority.

Like I said, a little bitch.

[penguin7]

17. The issue is a little deeper than you suggest.

I don't think Kucinich thinks that the USA can leave Iraq unless the USA leaves Iraq.

Leaving troops there is a huge huge issue.

[MonkeyFunk]

18. so he'd rather leave them all there

than remove most of them. I get it.

I just disagree vehemently.

[LittleClarkie]

11. Unless I can have them out RIGHT NOW I won't work to get them out at all.

Take your ball and go home Dennis.

[Colobo]

16. Ain't Kucinich the "real" anti-war candidate?

[AndyA]

19. We all know they can't just yank all the troops out at once.

It has to be organized, orderly, and done in a manner that the last troops to leave are as protected and safe as the first ones to leave. This may not have been the ideal scenario, but this attitude reminds me of a spoiled child taking its toys home when his playmates don't agree with him.

C'mon, we're willing to risk that the bill fails just because of a few votes because it's not the fast time frame you want?

Not good Presidential material, reminds me too much of "it's my way or the highway" Bush.

One thing for sure, our Dem candidates are revealing themselves in ways I never thought they would, and that includes Edwards and his "no impeachment" deal. I don't like that at all, and I'm working on him to change his mind.

[goodgd_yall]

20. I generally agree with Kucinich, but this was the wrong call

Mostly because it looks bad for him. All those who voted for it must know it's going to be vetoed, so it has no practical value. It seems more of a show of how the House is not going to back down.

[IndyOp]

21. Sounds like Dennis KNEW the bill would pass so he strategically chose to vote against it to

make an important point.

I disagree strongly with you that he has a corrupted sense of reality.

[GreenPartyVoter]

22. Agreed

[goodgd_yall]

24. I also agree

but I don't think it does his campaign much good. It sends a confusing message and can be used to show he's inconsistent.

[bamacrat]

23. While I am pleased with the vote today I can understand why he voted no.

He is for an IMMEDIATE end to the war not a deadline to withdraw. But, this is something so I think we should be happy with what we can get.

[rucky]

25. eesh. n/t

[penguin7]

26. Is the bill trying to keep the Iraqi oil?

I have not read the bill, but is the bill trying to keep Iraqi oil?

I think in that case, I would not want my representative voting for it.

[kas125]

32. the bill doesn't address the Iraq Hyrdocarbons Act

and that is what keeps the oil. It's one of Bush's benchmarks. Under the guise of distributing the oil among the Iraqis, they neglect to mention that it gives something like 80% of the oil revenues to the top three oil companies. Sadly, my congressman voted for it because he thought it was a good thing... Here's what Kucinich has to say about it - http://kucinich.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=65965

[IndianaGreen]

27. Kucinich: Troop Redeployment Bill Will Not End The War

I don't know why the DLCers get in such a frantic state whenever progressives like Dennis Kucinich refuse to play the Washington game and decide to take a resolute stand against the war, or for impeachment. Too bad!

Kucinich: Troop Redeployment Bill Will Not End The War

The Only Way To End The War Is To Say NO To Any Additional Funding

Washington, Jul 12 - Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) issued the following statement following his vote against HR 2956, the Responsible Redeployment from Iraq Act.

“We’ve lost over 3,600 of our brave service men and women. An estimated one million innocent Iraqis have perished in the war. We’re now telling Iraqis, whose country the U.S. destroyed, whose reconstruction funds the U.S. mishandled, whose social networks have been shredded: Stand on your own feet! We try to steal their oil under the cover of occupation,” Kucinich said in a debate on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives today.

“This bill will not end the war. This bill will not end the occupation. It doesn’t take a vote to end this war. We must inform the Administration that the $97 billion appropriated last month is the end of the financing for the war.

“Use the money that’s in the pipeline through October 1 to bring the troops home. Compel the President to put together an international peacekeeping and security force which would move in as our troops leave.

“We could have our troops home by October 1. The question is whether we are ready to take a stand to do that, or whether we are going to vote on resolutions that give the American people the appearance that we want to end the war, without actually addressing the central issue that will end the war. Stop the funding.”

http://kucinich.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=69245

[bigwillq]

28. At least DK is being consistent

He voted against the last bill too. He believes in immediate withdrawal and he voted accordingly. Props to him.

[fed-up]

29. how much clearer does it need to be spelled out-STOP the $$$$$$$$ and the WAR will STOP

The son of a friend of mine is home on leave from Afghanistan after his 6 month first tour. He is with the 82nd Airborne.

His mother described him as TRAUMATIZED and she is a right wing pro war psycho.



Bring our troops home NOW.

Thank-you Dennis for being the only clear headed dem on this clusterf*ck.

[MadHound]

30. Because the "next best thing" will cost thousands of lives and untold damage

Because the "next big thing" will allow Bushco an extra six months to figure out some way to weasel out of it and keep his war going.

Because the "next best thing" isn't necessary, since the best thing, defunding the war, is well within the power and the perogative of the Democratically controlled House.

Besides, the "next best thing" will simply be vetoed by Bush thus becoming one more meaningless gesture in an ever growing litany of meaningless gestures.

You want the war to end? Defunding is the surest, most certain, and quickest way to do so.

[MonkeyFunk]

31. and he's not gonna get that

not this week, at least.

[The Sushi Bandit]

34. YOUR COMPLETELY OFF BASE

DENNIS IS A MAN OF INTEGRITY. Come out from behind that cloud of smoke and realize he has PRINCIPALS and lies by them.

[MonkeyFunk]

35. LOL

I thought you were being sarcastic. Saw some of your other posts... and wow.

How many principals does he have?

[calteacherguy]

36. O.K., I think Kucinich has established himself as a joke. Let's get him off the debate stage. nt

[goodgd_yall]

37. He's not a joke.

You don't agree with him? Fine. But his views and perspective have value and need to be heard. He speaks on behalf of many at DU apparently.

[Vanje]

39. From your own poll,it lookslike DUers favor OPEN DEBATE

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=3373940

[last_texas_dem]

38. He seems to have used his vote as a protest

I really can't fault him for this, as his vote wouldn't have changed the outcome either way, and it allows him to speak out about his strategy on getting us out of Iraq.

The main problem would be that it makes his voting record on Iraq look inconsistent to those not looking for the reasons behind the votes he has cast. In that way, it's similar to the Iraq funding bill (in early '04, I believe) that Kerry (and I believe, Edwards) opposed out of protest of Bush's policy; this vote was later distorted by the 'pugs (it passed by a strong margin that wouldn't have been effected at all by Kerry's vote) to attack Kerry. However, it seems less likely that this line of attack would be used on Kucinich, since anyone attacking him on this Iraq vote would presumably be attacking him from the left and I don't believe there is a Democratic Presidential candidate who could credibly claim to be to Kucinich's left.