Kucinich Forces Congress to Debate Afghanistan

[babylonsister]

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/03/05-3

Kucinich Forces Congress to Debate Afghanistan

by Robert Naiman


On Thursday, Ohio Representative Dennis Kucinich introduced H. Con Res. 248, a privileged resolution with 16 original cosponsors that will require the House of Representatives to debate whether to continue the war in Afghanistan. Debate on the resolution is expected early next week.

Original cosponsors of the Kucinich resolution include John Conyers, Ron Paul, José Serrano, Bob Filner, Lynn Woolsey, Walter Jones, Danny Davis, Barbara Lee, Michael Capuano, Raúl Grijalva, Tammy Baldwin, Tim Johnson, Yvette Clarke, Eric Massa, Alan Grayson, and Chellie Pingree.

The Pentagon doesn't want Congress to debate Afghanistan. The Pentagon wants Congress to fork over $33 billion more to pay for the current military escalation, no questions asked, no restrictions imposed for a withdrawal timetable or an exit strategy.

Ideally, from the point of view of the Pentagon, Congress would fork over that money right away, before the coming Kandahar offensive that the $33 billion is supposed to pay for, because you can expect a lot of bad news out of Afghanistan in the form of deaths of American soldiers and Afghan civilians once the Kandahar offensive starts, and it would sure be awkward if all that bad news reached Washington while the $33 billion was hanging fire.

So it's a great thing that Rep. Kucinich and his 16 allies are forcing Congress to debate the issue, and it would be even better if more Members of Congress would be urged by their constituents to support Kucinich's resolution. That would be a signal to the House leadership that continuation of the open-ended war and occupation is controversial in the House, and the House leadership should not try to ram through $33 billion more for the war on a fast-track without ample opportunity for debate and amendment.

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[LWolf]

1. Good. nt

[Solly Mack]

2. k/r

[negativenihil]

3. GOOD!

Let's get the hell out of there ASAP.

Same with Iraq.

[upi402]

4. Preparing for DLCers to spray their Napalm

:popcorn:

Why is this guy viewed as a whackjob and warmongers/ war-profiteers as rational actors?

[Soylent Brice]

5. K&R

[FiveGoodMen]

6. Somebody clone this guy

[tekisui]

7. knr!~

[flvegan]

8. Yeah, but he's short.

And odd looking. And saw a UFO. And married some young, hot chick. And he's a vegan so he must be a terrorist.

What am I forgetting? Just want to get the usual bullshit mentioned and out of the way.

[liberal_at_heart]

9. one of the only true anti-war legislators we have

Thank goodness we have Kucinich to keep putting pressure on the administration over these never ending wars.

[slipslidingaway]

10. knr nt

[El Supremo]

11. Why aren't there more cosponsors?

[Echo In Light]

12. k/r

[leftstreet]

13. K&R

[azul]

14. The pentagon can piss-off.

Having the military intelligence doctor shit for congress and the public is like firefighters turning to arson to keep busy and get paid more.

[slipslidingaway]

15. kick n/t

[slipslidingaway]

16. kick n/t