| The two main strategies that the Democratic congress is using to oppose the occupation in Iraq are both mistakes. |
| The two resolutions proposed by the new Democratic majority in the House are (1) to formally declare opposition to the troop escalation or (2) to cap the number of troops in Iraq to Jan 07 levels.
The resolution to oppose the escalation is non-binding and will have no effect on the escalation. Bush already knows what the congress and the nation think of his idea. On the other hand, this resolution will force each Republican congressman to choose a side on the occupation. This puts them in the uncomfortable position of rejecting the president, or (for those that are up for re-election in 2008) committing political suicide. The Constitution broadly defines the duties of the congress as the entity that makes laws, and the president as the entity that executes, or carries out a law. In the case of a military endeavor, the congress decides whether or not to engage in that endeavor, and the president then decides how to carry it out. In fact, the Constitution specifically gives congress the power to declare war. An attempt by the congress to dictate the process in which a military occupation is conducted oversteps its authority Once congress directs the president to engage in a military task, the president has the authority to decide how to conduct it. Congress may ultimately have to rescind Bushes authority to conduct the military occupation of Iraq. The funds should be cut off immediately, with an appropriation made specifically to allow immediate withdrawal of our forces in a way that will provide force protection as the troops withdraw. The downside of either of the last two strategies is that it leaves Democratic fingerprints on the occupation. The Democrats have the advantage entering into the 2007-2008 period with the ability to claim that this debacle is 100% Bush. Forcing a modification in the conduct of the occupation in any way transfers some responsibility for its inevitable failure to the Democrats. The best strategy for the Democrats at this point is to leave Bush alone with his occupation and let it run its disastrous course, and in the meantime begin a series of high visibility congressional hearings. Democratic committee leaders should subpoena and parade a series of incompetent intelligence officials and war profiteers before the congress and the public and expose this occupation for what it is…a trumped up excuse for creating an eight billion dollar a month trough for Cheney’s cronies to stick their snouts in. |
|
Read what others have said about this statement here.
Use the section at the bottom of the screen to submit your own comment. | ||
| Comments | Contributor | Date Submitted |
| I agree. Congress should start NOW holding hearings. There's no reason to wait. Let the cronies try to explain themselves. | Linda Denton |
2/6/2007 |
Submit your comment below | ||