Senate GOP Drafts Proposal for Iraq Bill

[Ghost in the Machine]

"Published: 5/16/07, 8:05 AM EDT
By ANNE FLAHERTY
WASHINGTON (AP) - A small group of Republican senators, led by Virginia's John Warner, is coalescing around legislation that would threaten billions of dollars in U.S. aid to Iraq and make clear American troops will stay only as long as Baghdad lives up to its promises.

"The United States strategy in Iraq, hereafter, shall be conditioned on the Iraqi government meeting benchmarks," a draft of the proposal says.

The Senate was to vote on the proposal Wednesday, along with two Democratic anti-war measures.

The GOP legislation does not go as far as many Democrats want, but it offers a sharp challenge to Bush's Iraq policy by members of his own political party. It also indicates the thinning patience of many GOP members on a deeply unpopular and costly war in its fifth year.

"I think the reconstruction money has shown to have been mishandled and a large part of it has probably been wasted," said Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., who was expected to back the measure. "I think before we send in more money ... we should make sure it's been spent well."

http://home.bellsouth.net/s/editorial.dll?bfromind=7816&eeid=5155420&_sitecat=1504&dcatid=0&eetype=article&render=y&ac=0&ck=&ch=ne

[whistle]

1. Yep, it is so the Senate can have a summer break, no one should go home

...until this is solved

[bullimiami]

2. there is no independent iraqi government.

that which exists is surrogate to bush and the american occupation. there are dissenters but they are there as a show and at the whim of washington.

so for these fools to require the 'iraqi government' to meet benchmarks is an exercise in futility.

[TwilightGardener]

3. The "Stay-Forever" Bill--perfect! What do you want to bet that

Iraqis will be consistently found to meet ALL their "benchmarks"?

[Norquist Nemesis]

4. Perfect...The GOP comes up with a PR bill to with hold funding

and will then blame the Democrat led Congress for cutting off funds. Politics is in play here, folks. When Gregg gets into like this, they're setting up a trap.