Kennedy Fights Surge and Democrats Plan Symbolic Vote

Changed graphic from earlier graphic.

Kennedy said he will propose legislation requiring US President George W. Bush to get congressional approval before deploying any additional troops to Iraq.

Kennedy fights ‘immense new mistake’ of troop surge
WASHINGTON Sen. Edward Kennedy launched a pre-emptive strike on Tuesday against President Bush’s anticipated plans to send more troops to Iraq.
The Massachusetts Democrat introduced legislation to require congressional approval before force levels can be increased.
Kennedy, a leading opponent of the war and senior member of the Armed Services Committee, said any troop surge would be “an immense new mistake.”
“Today, I am introducing legislation to reclaim the rightful role of Congress and the people’s right to a full voice in the president’s plan to send more troops to Iraq,” Kennedy will say, according to advance excerpts of comments he is scheduled to deliver Tuesday afternoon at the National Press Club.
“My bill will say that no additional troops can be sent and no additional dollars can be spent on such an escalation unless and until Congress approves the president’s plan.”
Kennedy was among 23 senators, 22 of them Democrats, who voted against the March 2003 invasion of Iraq. Kennedy called it “the best vote I’ve cast in my 44 years in the United States Senate.”
Kennedy said in January 2005 that the United States should begin withdrawing its troops. He also has invited intense White House criticism for drawing parallels between the war in Iraq and the Vietnam War.

Democrats Plan Symbolic Votes Against Bush’s Iraq Troop Plan
NYT

Democratic leaders said Tuesday that they intended to hold symbolic votes in the House and Senate on President Bush’s plan to send more troops to Baghdad, forcing Republicans to take a stand on the proposal and seeking to isolate the president politically over his handling of the war.
Senate Democrats decided to schedule a vote on the resolution after a closed-door meeting on a day when Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts introduced legislation to require Mr. Bush to gain Congressional approval before sending more troops to Iraq. The Senate vote is expected as early as next week, after an initial round of committee hearings on the plan Mr. Bush will lay out for the nation Wednesday night
The office of Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the House, followed with an announcement that the House would also take up a resolution in opposition to a troop increase.

Wild Thing’s comment…..
I watched Kennedy’s speech. It was a barf-o-matic. Instead of waiting till after Bush speaks tonight. NO, that would be too much to ask from these people. Instead they are determined once again to demoralize the troops!
Kennedy’s most erroneous assumption is that only a political solution can be effective and not a military one.
Sure, it is preferable to use diplomacy and tact IF, and only if, it can actually succeed. In Iraq, it will not, against the terrorists it will not, not in any country.
The Shiites hate the Sunni and the Baathists, both from years of Saddam’s tortures and from a religious feud. The Sunni hate the Shiites because they consider them practically infidels from the true Muslim faith, and because they want to resume absolute power over Iraq. The Kurds’ fondest wish is for both the Muslim clans to cease to exist, along with much of Turkey. All of them, ALL OF THEM, want us not to meddle in their affairs and the Sunni and Shia want us dead, praise Allah. All of them have been desensitized to horrible violence and are eager to wreak destruction on one another. It is the substance of a sick adult comic book, yet it is real.
So Teddy, just how do you propose to come to a political solution in Iraq? Should we invite Ahmanutjob and Syria and the other Prophet players in for tea? Should we promise them endless entitlements and handouts if they will just stop killing each other? Should we put the UN in charge of the Political Police and trust that they all lived happily ever after?
No Ted, you fat manslaughtering schmuck. Politics are for rich Massachusetts gentry, not for tribal feuds. Saddam had the “political solution” all figured out. No, we either need to kick ass and take names or cut and run with disastrous consequences. We know what you would do. Now step out of the way and let Uncle Sam show these murderous delinquents what Authority looks like. They wish for death. We have that available.
Let’s do it. Then we can leave like men, not like vanquished infidels. BUT let’s do it right! STOP HINDERING OUR TROOPS! Stop making them serve with their hands tired behind their backs! Stop allowing the Media, the politicians to run this war. It is NOT their job, it is our awesome military’s job and they ROCK at doing what they do best.
If we send more troops then do it with the purpose of turning this around and giving them the key to the city so to speak of Military power and strength and NO more PC allowed!
Tell the Kennedy’s of this world to STFU, stand aside your opinion drowned! And start taking names of the traitors in our country and lock them up to start with in their punishment. Close the borders and take this war on Islam seriously because I can bet the farm that the terrorists sure as hell do.