Update [2007-11-15 0:39:38 by BooMan]: I jumped the gun on this. The final vote tally is here. Sestak voted for the bill. I retract my comment about him.
Bruce Baird WA-03, John Barrow GA-12, Dennis Kucinich OH-10, Joe Sestak PA-07, and Gene Taylor MS-04. Those are the five Democrats that just voted against the latest Iraq Supplemental Bill. The bill is essentially toothless, but not without merit.
The spending bill does not preclude the president from spending money to extend the war, but it does make it clear that the money is to be used to “plan and execute a safe and orderly redeployment of [troops] from Iraq.”
It allows Bush to use troops after Dec. 15, 2008, to protect the U.S. embassy and bases in Iraq, train the Iraqi Security Forces and engage in counterterrorism operations.
The bill makes it clear that Congress wants to end the war as “safely and quickly as possible.” It also prohibits the U.S. government from subjecting people in its custody to torture or treatment not authorized by the U.S. Army Field Manual.
“We all view this as a significant statement, a turning point,” Rep. James McGovern (D-Mass.) said. “This is the beginning of the end of the war in Iraq.”
The president is going to veto it anyway.
“Once again, the Democratic leadership is starting this debate with a flawed strategy, including a withdrawal date for Iraq, despite the gains our military has made over the past year, despite having dozens of similar votes in the past that have failed, and despite their pledge to support the troops,” White House spokeswoman Dana Perino told reporters. “And once again, they plan to send the president a bill that they know he will veto. This is for political posturing and to appease radical groups.”
The Democrats dropped any hard withdrawal date, instead opting for goals. It’s a concession without much of a point, as not a single Republican voted for it…not even Republicans like Walter Jones, Bob Iglis, and Wayne Gilchrist, who have voted for a more restrictive bills or amendments in the past.
I’m sure Kucinich voted against it because it lacks a hard withdrawal date. Baird seems to think the surge is working. Taylor and Barrow are hard-core Blue Dogs…essentially wingnuts, when it comes down to it. Joe Sestak? Who knows? He’s quickly losing the trust of the people that helped him win elective office. Perhaps he thinks the surge is working, as well.
Apparently, the leadership convinced progressives to go along with this charade vote with a promise that the Senate will force the Republicans to carry out a real filibuster. Grab your popcorn.
