The Iraq Non-Debate - by Maxine Waters

[pberq]

http://www.tompaine.com/articles/2006/06/15/the_iraq_nondebate.php

The Iraq Non-Debate
Rep. Maxine Waters
June 15, 2006

<snip>
For months, the 72-member "Out Of Iraq" congressional caucus , which I chair, has called for a full and honest debate on the Bush administration's decision to invade Iraq. Members of our coalition have long pushed for a legitimate opportunity to debate the administration’s misleading and inaccurate pre-war statements, the abysmal way the war has been conducted and the mounting costs in both human lives and scarce federal dollars. Only through an open debate, in which members are permitted adequate time to speak and offer relevant amendments, would the U.S. be able to develop a coherent plan to bring its soldiers home.

Several weeks ago, we were encouraged by news that the Republican leadership in the House had scheduled such a debate. In a press briefing, John Boehner, the Republican Majority Leader said, “We are the people's house, and serious issues of the day ought to be debated here in the House” and announced that the debate would take place today, Thursday, June 15.

Unfortunately, the majority leader had not been completely forthcoming about his true intentions. When the terms of the debate became public, it turned out that what they had planned was anything but a substantive debate that is representative of “the people.” Simply put, HR 861, the legislation offered by the majority for purpose of this debate, is nothing more than a self-aggrandizing, election-year pat on the back for an embattled president and a majority Republican party poised to lose control of the House of Representatives. The script for Thursday's so-called debate has been playing out since the attacks on 9/11. Once again, Republicans will make every attempt to conflate the “global war on terror” and the invasion of Iraq—even after it has been repeatedly proven that there were no direct connections between Iraq and al-Qaida. In fact, all that these issues have in common is how badly the administration has bungled them.

Additionally, Republicans will accuse Democrats of wanting to “cut and run,” essentially abandoning the Iraqi people to bear the brutal insurgent attacks. They will call us unpatriotic and say that we do not support the U.S. troops—men and women whom the Bush administration has unjustifiably sent into harm’s way. All of these accusations are hollow diversions meant to prevent the American public from focusing on the fact that President Bush and congressional Republicans have failed to strengthen our homeland against another terrorist attack. . .

[librechik]

1. THEY SHOULD ALL WALK OUT!!!

rather than vote for that swill