"On whose hands rest the blood of American troops? Ask yourself this question,"

[TwilightGardener]

said McCain."

From Yahoo News:
--snip--
In 1993, Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record) led an effort to cut off funds immediately for military operations in Somalia after a firefight in Mogadishu killed 18 U.S. troops. The former prisoner of war in Vietnam brought a hush to the chamber floor when he asked what would happen if Congress failed to act and more Americans died.

"On whose hands rest the blood of American troops? Ask yourself this question," said McCain, R-Ariz.

Congress ultimately agreed to back President Clinton's request to give him until March 1994 to get troops out, with funding denied after that date. In 1999, Congress passed similar legislation prohibiting money spent to keep U.S. troops in Haiti after May 2000.

"When Americans are imperiled, ultimately the president has to bear that responsibility," Clinton said at the time of the Somalia vote.

Now, McCain — a GOP presidential contender for 2008 — says setting a date certain on the war in Iraq is like sending a "memo to our enemies to let them know when they can operate again."
--snip--

William Howell, a war powers expert and associate professor at the University of Chicago, said whatever the historical significance of last week's vote, Democrats have gained considerable traction in opposing a wartime president because of the war's unpopularity.

"It establishes this marker so that not now, but six months from now ... Democrats can have the momentum to (override) a presidential veto" if the war is still going badly, Howell said. "Just because it doesn't pass doesn't mean it's not of consequence."

--snip--

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070501/ap_on_go_co/congress_wars;_ylt=AteHRqKUIBoELU4FSOoFBUDMWM0F

[TwilightGardener]

1. The difference is oil.

[Bandit]

2. No the difference is this time they are the ones doing it..

They only say those things when it is a Democrat in charge. As soon as they have control all their talking points go right out the window with a shrug and a smirk and an "9-11 changed everything".

[TwilightGardener]

4. I agree with you, when they are in charge, the rules change--

however, what are we doing in Iraq right now? Peacekeeping and nation-building, essentially. That's what we were doing in Somalia and Haiti. We weren't willing to lose DOZENS of soldiers for those missions, but suddenly THOUSANDS, with no end in sight, is A-OK. Yes, supposedly the reasons are "fightin' em' over there so we don't fight them here" bullshit, but everyone knows that's a crock. The difference is oil.

[Rydz777]

3. The question answers itself

Who sent them into harms way? Who put them in the middle of a civil war?Who ordered them to drive up and down streets littered with "improvised explosive devices?" Who failed to provide decent hospital care at home when they were wounded and maimed? Who vetoed the appropriation to support them?

[TwilightGardener]

5. I sincerely hope someone brings this up with McCain at the GOP debates.

[MrPrax]

6. Decent Write up at KOS...

Did McCain Cause 9/11?

DailyKos

Good comments too

[TwilightGardener]

7. Thanks for the link--very good summation of the hypocrisy involved here.