Webb Slams McCain’s Opposition To His Pro-Troop Amendment: He ‘Needs To Read The Constitution’

[babylonsister]

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/09/19/webb-amendment/

Webb Slams McCain’s Opposition To His Pro-Troop Amendment: He ‘Needs To Read The Constitution’

The Senate is set to consider Sen. Jim Webb’s amendment “requiring that active-duty troops and units have at least equal time at home as the length of their previous tour overseas.” Under the current Pentagon policy, troops are deployed for 15 months, but receive just 12 months at home.

Yesterday, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), an adamant opponent of Webb’s pro-troop amendment, urged Congress to reject the measure:

The Constitution of the United States gives no authority for the Congress of the United States to set lengths of tour or lengths of duty in the military and I hope we will steadfastly reject this kind of micromanagement, which would create chaos.

This morning on CNN, Webb rebutted McCain’s assertion that the Senate has no role in troop deployments:

Well, first of all, Sen. McCain, who I’ve known for 30 years, needs to read the Constitution. There is a provision in Article I, Section 8, which clearly gives the Congress the authority to make rules with respect to the ground and naval forces. There’s precedent for this.

He also urged the President to “think twice” about vetoing the bill if it passes, since it would be “an expression of the Congress that basically said you can’t keep people in Iraq longer than you’re allowing them to be at home.”

Watch it/read transcript at link~

In July, Webb’s amendment received approval from the majority of the Senate — 56 votes — but was filibustered by the Republican leadership. Sen. John Warner (R-VA), who supported the bill in July, has now said that is appeased by the administration’s token withdrawal and may vote against it.

Contact your senators and urge them to vote for Webb’s pro-troop amendment.

UPDATE: OpenLeft, Firedoglake, Digby, Working Assets, Taylor Marsh, Huffington Post, DailyKos, and TPM have more.

Transcript:

[walldude]

1. Wow... Deja Vu n/t

[Tyler Durden]

2. Nobody said the senile old bastard was SMART.

Which he isn't.

[TwilightGardener]

3. Go Jim Webb!

[BOSSHOG]

4. Its right there in the constitution, congress can't fuck with bush

[babylonsister]

5. You'd think McCain might show some basic human compassion towards

soldiers stuck in this morass, having been so affected by VN himself. His failure to support the troops is disgusting; I hope his future 'constituents' get a load of him in action today.

[TaraWatchUSA]

6. Sad to see McCain holding this position...

...in some ways he has done more to make the war as humane as possible by fighting so hard against torture. This anti-troop view is sad and seems out of character. I must admit that McCain has been pulling far right lately, no doubt to garner voter support. Very upsetting!