by Karoun Demirjian
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) met with his Democratic colleagues Tuesday to discuss the Iraq war and planned elements of the $648 billion defense authorization bill for 2008, which Reid says he intends to bring to a floor debate by June 27.
It was the Democrats’ first official Iraq meeting since returning from the Memorial Day recess, and senators appeared to anticipate the bill – and the political sparring that will likely accompany it – with a renewed sense of vigor.
"We’re going to hold the President’s feet to the fire," Reid said.
The bill would be broken into four parts and address several issues that were controversial during Congress's consideration of a war spending bill earlier this year.
One section would deal with timing of a pullout, likely through reintroducing an amendment proposed by Sens. Reid and Carl Levin (D-Mich.) that would mandate a reduction in troop levels in Iraq within 120 days.
A second section, to be drawn up by Virginia senator and former Marine Jim Webb (D-Va.), deals with readiness. Reid said the language was still in flux but would likely say soldiers could not be re-deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan unless they had been given a period of home leave equivalent to the time already served in the war zones. "Fifteen months in, fifteen months out," Reid said.
The third part, likely a reiteration of an amendment proposed by Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wisc.), will deal with stopping funding for the war entirely. The final section will tackle the question of reauthorizing the war – "the reauthorization the president thinks he has," Reid said.
Democrats ultimately capitulated to the president on several of these points, including a troop withdrawal date, in order to pass an emergency appropriations bill last month after a political stalemate.
Several other proposals are also up for consideration, including one by Sens. Ken Salazar (D-Colo.) and Lamar Alexander (R-Texas) to adopt the recommendations of the bipartisan Iraq Study Group as official U.S. policy.
The authorization bill must be completed in time for the start of fiscal year 2008, which nearly coincides with the expected date of a report on the troop surge from Gen. David Petraeus, the lead military commander in Iraq.
When Petraeus visited Washington, D.C. in April he indicated that though American mortality rates were high, several important initiatives to improve security conditions were well underway. Republicans are expecting signs of progress in the forthcoming report, expected in September.
• 
• 
• 
Comments
The blame for this stupid civil war in Iraq being allowed to continue sits squarely on the Republicans shoulders.
They continue to back W.'s "surge" into an ongoing civil war and they refuse to vote against W.'s AG (Gonzo) who is useing the DOJ for pure partisan political purposes.
I don't care what trumped up poll numbers Republican clown Bruce comes up with, the lockstep Republicans are going to pay dearly for playing partisan politics in 08 just like they did in 06.
Unfortunatly, American soldiers are getting killed at a record pace because of their selfishness.
Posted by: John E | June 12, 2007 10:26 PM
It's about time,because it's obvious that Bush played on our fears and we now know Bush lied.
http://www.breitbart.tv/html/1602.html
Posted by: Gore Suppoter | June 13, 2007 12:54 AM
Turn up the heat Dems!
That's what America wants, that's what the troops need!
Posted by: geterdone | June 13, 2007 7:55 AM
The Democrats battle cry: "Fight Republicans, not terrorists."
Posted by: JFK Democrat | June 13, 2007 9:34 AM
I think that one by one, sadly enough, the leaders of this country are going to rue the day that we deposed Saddam and opened the door to another kind of hell. There is no way anyone can say that Iraq is better off without Saddam. One day, one by one, they are going to realize that and retreat from that statement.
Posted by: GW | June 13, 2007 9:54 AM
JFK served in the military for his country.
How 'bout you Bruce?
If you're under the age of 42 you're eligible.
Posted by: chickenhawkalert | June 13, 2007 12:48 PM
Be calm. The situation in Iraq is going as planned. The Iraq government is coming apart. American casualties are going up. By September Bush will be able to say " we tried but Iraq and the Democrats failed". What the heck the "surge" only caused a few hundred more dead soldiers and let Bush save face. Fair enough.
Posted by: c. perry | June 13, 2007 6:00 PM
Just sit back and wait until the left completly loses thier will. Then we shall win, just like we predicted. Soon the socialist witch will be big leader and will run from Iraq.
Posted by: Al queda guy | June 13, 2007 11:43 PM
John E said:
"The blame for this stupid civil war in Iraq being allowed to continue sits squarely on the Republicans shoulders."
You're wrong, John.
If the Democrats did absolutely nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing, the war would end all by itself.
The Democrats simply have to introduce NO bills. Then the Republicans would have to submit the bill. Then the Democrats would only have to vote against it. The Democrats could kill the bill in either House of Congress by a simple majority. No overrides, nothing. Att that point, there would be no funding. Period.
And what's more, Democratic members of the House and Senate could have done this before. If all the Democrats had simply opposed funding the war in the first place, our troops would have all been "redeployed" by now.
Since it was well within the Power of the Democrat dominated Congress to do this, you cannot lay the blame at the feet of the Republicans. The continuation of the war is largely the result of an inexplicable lack of political will on the part of the Democrats.
If I'm wrong, tell me how.
Posted by: John W. | June 14, 2007 12:11 AM