Finally. Nancy Pelosi says she’s going to support Rep. Murthra’s resolution to end the war.
WASHINGTON, Nov 30 (Reuters) – House of Representatives Minority leader Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday backed a call by Democratic Rep. John Murtha to quickly start the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.
“I will be supporting the Murtha resolution,” Pelosi said of Murtha’s resolution calling for withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq at the earliest practicable date.
Pelosi, of California, said she believed a majority of House Democrats “clearly supports Mr. Murtha,” but she said she would not press for a united Democratic position on the issue.
Pelosi was speaking in response to george’s address to his friends this morning. Murtha’s plan is not, of course, as simple-minded as repugs would like to think. She says “she would not press for a united Democratic position on the issue,” but I think it’s high time we stand in solidarity with Murtha, who is concerned about the well-being of the troops. If you missed it, here’s the full text of Rep. Murtha’s resolution, courtesy of Steve Clemons:
RESOLUTION
Whereas Congress and the American People have not been shown clear, measurable progress toward establishment of stable and improving security in Iraq or of a stable and improving economy in Iraq, both of which are essential to “promote the emergence of a democratic government”;
Whereas additional stabilization in Iraq by U, S. military forces cannot be achieved without the deployment of hundreds of thousands of additional U S. troops, which in turn cannot be achieved without a military draft;
Whereas more than $277 billion has been appropriated by the United States Congress to prosecute U.S. military action in Iraq and Afghanistan;
Whereas, as of the drafting of this resolution, 2,079 U.S. troops have been killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom;
Whereas U.S. forces have become the target of the insurgency,
Whereas, according to recent polls, over 80% of the Iraqi people want U.S. forces out of Iraq;
Whereas polls also indicate that 45% of the Iraqi people feel that the attacks on U.S. forces are justified;
Whereas, due to the foregoing, Congress finds it evident that continuing U.S. military action in Iraq is not in the best interests of the United States of America, the people of Iraq, or the Persian Gulf Region, which were cited in Public Law 107-243 as justification for undertaking such action;
Therefore be it resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,That:
Section 1. The deployment of United States forces in Iraq, by direction of Congress, is hereby terminated and the forces involved are to be redeployed at the earliest practicable date.
Section 2. A quick-reaction U.S. force and an over-the-horizon presence of U.S Marines shall be deployed in the region.
Section 3 The United States of America shall pursue security and stability in Iraq through diplomacy.
Surely more Democrats will come forward to support this measure, but I’m taking no chances. I’ve asked my representative to support Mr. Murtha, but it’s much more impressive coming from the Democratic leader. Go, Nancy!
(Cross-posted at the big orange)
Pelosi is the rep for my neighboring district here in CA…
I called her office and my rep’s office several times during the height of the hearings / vote.
My request “Stand with Murtha”
It’s nice to know she listens to all the hundreds, if not thousands, of calls and letters that she got.
She must have been struggling with the decision, after all the ridicule heaped on Murtha. Makes me admire her. My rep is a conservative (“blue dog”) Dem, and I called him, too, that night they were whooping it up in the House. Said the same thing you did, “Stand with Murtha.”
Now if enough people will do it, maybe there will be less bloodshed and suffering for oil!
Emailed Senators Levin, Stabenow, my wingnut congresscritter, Mike Rogers (R-MI 8th) and John Conyers office. Figured why not?
It could be the beginning of the end of this nasty, illegal war. For sure, they don’t know what you think if you don’t tell them! I have a friend who used to work for a representative, and she said they always kept a tally of opinions on controversial issues.
Gonna call Carl Levin’s office re: this!
Your congress folks are also mine, guess that makes us neighbors? I’ll follow your lead and contact them as well.
Rogers wins an election and there goes the neighborhood!
I heard this announced on the radio this afternoon. My first thought was this was a planned response to Bush’s latest PR assault. What is it, four more empty speeches about 9/11 and al Quaida before Christmas?
I’ll give the democrats this, there are finally beginnig to think ahead a little and are becoming more successful at countering Bush’s increasingly desperate attempts to regain his favorability.
What a useless yet dangerous ass.