I would say that Mr. Arkin is an embarassment to both the journalistic
profession and the Washington Post, but that's not true: he's an exemplar of
both.
Posted by: BC February 1, 2007 06:11 PM
One non-binding measure that appears to be gaining traction is sponsored by a
Republican, John Warner of Virginia, and asserts that while Congress "disagrees
with the 'plan' to augment" U.S. troops, legislators should not cut off or
reduce funding for the military presence in Iraq.
"Two years ago, it seemed pretty lonely. Now every politician wants to be seen on television saying something bad about President Bush's handling of the war," Dr. Rusti Eisenstadt, an activist and professor of U.S. history at Hofstra University, told IPS. "The key now is to get [Congress] to do something instead of hiding behind non-binding resolutions."
Activists are setting their sights on a request President Bush is likely to submit to Congress next week for an estimated 100 billion dollars more for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Peace groups would like to see Congress vote against that measure, a
move they see as more important than any progressive piece of legislation
introduced in Congress this year.
"We are looking at a lot of things that are happening in the Congress right now, from a Senate resolution that opposes an escalation (sending more troops to Iraq) but will allow a war to continue, to other bills out there that talk about bringing the troops home and de-funding the war, but which George Bush can veto," said Nancy Lessing of the group Military Families Speak Out.
"The one thing that we see that can end this war is if Congress votes no money on the appropriation that's going to come before them," she added.
"Legislation is so that Congress has cover," added Michael McPherson, executive director of Veterans for Peace. "The bottom line is that we want the troops to come home and we need it to be defunded. All the other stuff is just a game."
These soldiers should be grateful that the American public, which by all
polls overwhelmingly disapproves of the Iraq war and the President's handling of
it, do still offer their support to them, and their respect.
Through every Abu Ghraib and Haditha, through every rape and murder,
the American public has indulged those in uniform, accepting that the incidents
were the product of bad apples or even of some administration or command
order.
Charlie Rangel, no friend of business, doesn't like tax breaks for business, thus he doesn't like the Senate's MWB. There doesn't seem like there will be a compromise anytime soon.
(Seen here demonstrating solar control for the betterment of all citizens of the earth)
