Hillary Clinton joins Webb's effort to ban funding invasion and control Bush's options in Iran

[BurtWorm]

:wtf:

http://www.thewashingtonnote.com/archives/002387.php


There is breaking news via Taylor Marsh that Hillary Clinton will support Senator Webb's Resolution demanding that the President seek Congressional approval before any military action against Iran and prohibiting the use of funds for military operations in Iran.

This is significant news because while Hillary Clinton did support the Kyl-Lieberman Resolution calling for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard to be formally labeled a terrorist organization -- and thus providing the President with a potential back door Congressional authorization for yet another war in the Middle East -- her opposition to White House military action against Iran without Congress's sign off cuts a different and healthy direction.

It is essential that the Senate pass a resolution that claws back its Congressional prerogatives to declare war (or not) from the White House and not allow the Executive Branch the ability to further expand the current horrific mess in the Middle East.

Hillary Clinton needs to apply her ascending political weight to the passage of the Webb resolution. It is not enough to just support a resolution and watch it languish. This is a measure that needs to be passed and sent to the White House to rob legitimacy from any conflict Cheney and his followers might engineer in the waning days of this administration.

As Clinton works to pass the Webb resolution, she needs to articulate what mix of incentives and disincentives should be on the table in the kind of direct US-Iran negotiations she has called for.

...

[robinlynne]

1. excellent.

[rodeodance]

7. SWEET

[TahitiNut]

29. Kyl-Lieberman passed. Wait for Webb's Resolution to pass before cheering.

This kind of flip-flop kabuki is typical ... toothless posturing.

[CT_Progressive]

2. Hillary was for labeling Iran 'terrorists' and nuking them before she was against it ?

Um, ok.

[Cha]

6. She can always say that,

can't she?

[robinlynne]

9. Anyone who does anything against another war right now is doing something good.

So if it becomes "mainstream" or centrist to be against the new war, I'm all for it!

[Kelly Rupert]

33. For labeling Iran "terrorists," against invading them.

Those are not contradictory positions.

[Cha]

3. Yeah, like a president would.

She's acting now like she would IF she gets in.

At first glance, I'm glad she's on Senator James Webb's team.

[movonne]

4. I really don't know if I believe her...

[AX10]

5. Hillary will make a find President.

[Larkspur]

20. Yes, for the Lazy-Susan club

She keeps turning like a lazy-Susan depending on which way the wind blows

[Windy]

8. Ah yes, Ms. Clinton put up her finger and felt the cold frigid wind

coming from her own party after her disastrous vote on Kyl/Lieberman...
Hmmm...maybe she reads DU?

I welcome this change, but I am concerned because "she was for it before she was against it"... and the lack of decisive leadership on an important issue in the first instance!

We'll see how it truly shakes out however,I think she should retract her vote on Kyl/Lieberman ...

[TwilightGardener]

10. Is Clemons shilling for her now? I used to like him. I can't stand the

way she latches on to whatever legislation will suit her purposes for the moment--now she's deliberately trying to counteract her stupid-ass Lieberman vote last week. She has absolutely NO convictions--total weather vane, NOT a leader.

[Windy]

13. my point exactly!

she's a focus group leader... Don't know if that's what we need right now.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

11. Triangulation thy name is...

Hillary. :eyes:

[rodeodance]

12. Statement of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton on the Kyl-Lieberman Amendment

Forum Name Hillary Clinton Supporters Group
Topic subject Statement of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton on the Kyl-Lieberman Amendment
Topic URL http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=334x330#330
330, Statement of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton on the Kyl-Lieberman Amendment
Posted by rodeodance on Mon Oct-01-07 07:38 AM







Forum Name General Discussion: Politics
Topic subject Statement of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton on the Kyl-Lieberman Amendment
Topic URL http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x3567362#3567362
3567362, Statement of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton on the Kyl-Lieberman Amendment
Posted by Jim4Wes on Mon Oct-01-07 12:21 AM

Washington, DC – “Earlier today, I voted for a non-binding resolution that designates the Iranian Revolution Guard as a terrorist organization. The Revolutionary Guards are deeply involved in Iran's nuclear program and have substantial links with Hezbollah.

“I voted for this resolution in order to apply greater diplomatic pressure on Iran. This resolution in no way authorizes or sanctions military action against Iran and instead seeks to end the Bush Administration's diplomatic inaction in the region.

“Iran has gained expanded influence in Iraq and the region as a result of the Bush Administration's polices which have also rejected diplomacy as a tool for addressing Iranian ambitions. While the United States has spurned talks, Iran has enhanced its nuclear enrichment capabilities, armed Iraqi Shiite militias, funneled arms to Hezbollah and subsidized Hamas, even as the government continues to damage its own citizens by mismanaging the economy and increasing political and social repression.

“I continue to support and advocate for a policy of entering into talks with Iran, because robust diplomacy is a prerequisite to achieving our aims.

“This legislation reaffirms my policy of engagement and refers specifically to the statement of Defense Secretary Gates who said that "diplomatic and economic means" are "by far the preferable approach" for dealing with the threat posed by Iran.

“In February, after troubling reports about the possibility of military action against Iran, I took to the Senate Floor to warn that President Bush needs Congressional Authorization before attacking Iran. Specifically, I said it would be a mistake of historical proportion if the Administration thought that the 2002 resolution authorizing force against Iraq was a blank check for the use of force against Iran without further and explicit Congressional authorization. Nor should the President think that the 2001 resolution authorizing force after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, in any way, authorizes force against Iran. If the Administration believes that any use of force against Iran is necessary, the President must come to Congress to seek that authority.

“Nothing in this resolution changes that.”

http://clinton.senate.gov/news/statements/details.cfm?id=284561&&

[Hell Hath No Fury]

15. And your point is?

Just sounds like more "I didn't vote to give George Bush permission to invade Irag but for him to go back to the UN -- he misused the IWR" bullshit she's spewed in the past. :shrug:

[pocoloco]

19. You mean "he's dumber than a stump but he still tricked me"?

[Hell Hath No Fury]

24. Oops! Forget that one.

Thanks for the reminder. :D

[Windy]

18. I don't care what her statement is.. the resolution provides a back door for bush

She knows this...she is an attorney. If you read the actual language of the resolution (which I have), there are loopholes everywhere...

That is precisely why Biden and Dodd didn't vote for it. That's why Jim Webb opposed it!

Her vote was STRICTLY political because she thought that was what the independents and the repubs wanted the senators to do in this instance. She quickly found out that she caused great doubt among her base and had to move swiftly to fix the mistake in judgment.... hence, supporting Webb's legislation.

Her actions won't fool thinking persons...

[tularetom]

14. Sure she wants bush to come and beg congress for the money

but when he does she'll vote to give it to him. I don't see where she has closed any options for herself by "supporting" this resolution.

[orpupilofnature57]

16. Thats the thing with Retrospect action ,it's always after a lack of

Circumspect and courage, a person that has done the wrong thing ,are looked at as having suspicious reasons for a remedy.

[Hieronymus]

17. My God, can she straddle the fence any more?

[Hell Hath No Fury]

22. Not without getting...

a seriously painful wooden wedgie. :D

[spanone]

21. K&R

[LSK]

23. K&R only because this is an important resolution

[ccpup]

25. Hillary

damned is she does. damned if she doesn't

DU: The Home of Selective Outrage

[orpupilofnature57]

31. I'm totally on her side and will vote for her ,that being...Fuck it

QUIT CON STANLY PANDERING!!!

[superkia]

34. Why would she skip votes on Iraq funding though? Not important?

This is from Thursday. Its a good read for those interested in ending the war, only Dennis Kucinich and Ron Paul voted no out of the 2008 presidential candidates. Dennis Kucinich. voted no in the beginning and still trying to end the war for the people in America that want it ended. Too bad he is what some call unelectable because he has been very presidential in standing on the right side of many important issues while the others stand on the other side or on the political fence...great leaders they are?


Congress Quietly Approves Billions More for Iraq War
http://www.thenation.com/blogs/thebeat?pid=237751

he Senate agreed on Thursday to increase the federal debt limit by $850 billion -- from $8.965 trillion to $9.815 trillion -- and then proceeded to approve a stop-gap spending bill that gives the Bush White House at least $9 billion in new funding for its war in Iraq.

Additionally, the administration has been given emergency authority to tap further into a $70 billion "bridge fund" to provide new infusions of money for the occupation while the Congress works on appropriations bills for the Department of Defense and other agencies.

Translation: Under the guise of a stop-gap spending bill that is simply supposed to keep the government running until a long-delayed appropriations process is completed -- probably in November -- the Congress has just approved a massive increase in war funding.

[orpupilofnature57]

36. Getting back to what I was saying ,missing votes doesn't make up for

THAT ONE ,you know the one that speaks to culpability.But your information is enlightening and appreciated, and is on a positive note ,something I need to work on ,Thanks.

[BootinUp]

26. Not surprising to me, anyways :-)

[BootinUp]

27. Some will claim "wtf?" because they mis-interpret the Kyl

Lieberman resolution in its final form. I tried to explain it as did Hillary but apparently emotions are overriding logic.

[in_cog_ni_to]

28. Right. Durbin DEMANDED Lieberman and Kyl remove the "we can use any means necessary to control Iran

and that includes military force." THAT WAS REMOVED FROM THE NON-BINDING RESOLUTION before any vote could go forward. I watched Durbin demand it and I saw Lieberman say that that WAS REMOVED from the resolution before they started voting on it.

[truedelphi]

30. I'll support anything with Webb's name on it. He is actually my choice for Prez

Except that he is not running.

And although he has made voting decisions about Iraq that I did not like, I assume he did those for the sake of his son who is actually serving in Iraq, as opposed to voting so that a spouse can have monetary gain al a Feinstein, or for campaign contributions like HRC.

[farmbo]

32. Does anyone SERIOUSLY think AIPAC will let this see the light of day?

Anybody remember the House cave-in last Spring?

http://irannuclearwatch.blogspot.com/2007/03/pulling-of-iran-language-not-so.html

Last night, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and the democratic leadership decided to pull language from the Supplemental Appropriations bill which stated that no funds may be authorized for military operations in or related to Iran unless specifically authorized by the Congress.

The move, not so coincidentally, coincides with AIPAC's annual conference, which Ms. Pelosi addressed on March 13, 2007. It also follows Vice President Dick Cheney's address to the AIPAC annual conference on March 12, 2007, during which he pleaded with AIPAC to "reign in anti-war democrats."

Thousands of AIPAC members are in Washington DC for the annual meeting and are lobbying individual lawmakers on the Hill for the rest of today. A priority for the group is to convince Congress to approve tougher sanctions on Iran, which is seen as a growing threat to Israel.<snip>

[Swamp Rat]

35. Bushler needs to be told that he has NO OPTION to attack Iran, NO MATTER WHAT!

[orpupilofnature57]

37. Thats a concrete line!!