Senate Democrats to Join Veterans in Demanding Debate on Iraq Escalation

[kerrygoddess]

It appears there will be a press conference on Wednesday with Senators John Kerry, Patty Murray, Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Jon Soltz and Andrew Horne, of VoteVets.org:

http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=5252

[MH1]

1. Excellent. 11 AM. Any live coverage known of?

[beachmom]

2. Kicking. Anywhere to watch this? n/t

[beachmom]

3. Nothing on CNN, MSNBC, Fox, C-SPAN 1 & 2 in live sessions

Sigh -- is there a website somewhere?

[beachmom]

4. Just thought you should know what's more important than the press

conference:

Weirdo astronaut lady, the Snickers commercial, and ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS (Fox News)!!!

Not surprised, of course, but completely frustrated.

[MarjorieG]

5. Didn't see anything.

Now we rely on press interpretation. :grr: (my first emoticon)

[Mass]

6. Press release here

Democrats and Veterans Demand Accountability on Iraq Escalation

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With Republicans in the
Senate blocking a debate on President Bush's plan to escalate the war,
Senate Democrats today joined veterans of the war in Iraq to demand the
Senate be allowed to vote up or down on the single most important issue
facing America today. Democratic Conference Secretary Patty Murray, Senator
John Kerry, Senator Jack Reed, and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, along with
Jon Soltz and Andrew Horne of VoteVets.org, called on Senate Republicans to
put the safety of America's troops ahead of providing political cover for
the White House.
Over 3,000 have been killed and over 20,000 wounded carrying out
President Bush's misguided policies in Iraq, and the time has come for a
real debate before sending as many as 48,000 more young Americans into the
middle of a civil war. Unfortunately, Senate Republicans are hiding behind
process in an effort to avoid discussing the war. By voting against
debating it, they have voted to endorse President Bush's plan for
escalation.
"We've got a lot of work to do to meet the needs of the veterans this
war has created and a surge would only make it worse," said Senator Murray.
"It is time to have a real debate on how to move this country forward."
"This administration wants to ship another 21,000 troops into the
middle of Iraq's bloody civil war even though they've never properly
equipped the troops that are already over there," said Senator Kerry. "Our
military deserves more."
"We are in a difficult situation with threats across the globe, with an
Army and Marine Corps that is heavily committed in Iraq and Afghanistan,
and we are in a situation now in which our readiness is the worst it has
been in three decades. This is a situation which requires not only the
remedy of money, but it requires accountability. We have to ask serious
questions about an administration that would allow this situation to
develop, that would tell commanders that they were not going to get the
money they needed to provide for the equipment and troops in the field,"
said Senator Reed. "This administration has tried to run a serious war on
the cheap. They have tried gimmicks. They have hidden costs. Republicans
should end their filibuster and engage in a meaningful debate about this
administration's Iraq policy."
"Let's be clear: the President's plan to escalate the war in Iraqis
wrong for Iraq and wrong for America," said Senator Whitehouse. "I'm here
with my colleagues and these brave veterans today to say that we will not
be silenced. If the President refuses to offer the new direction in Iraq
that Rhode Islanders and millions of Americans have called for, we must
step forward and lead where he will not."
"On Monday, the minority of the United States Senate came out
forcefully for an escalation of the war in Iraq, clearly ignoring the will
of the American people and those of us who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan,"
said Jon Soltz, Co-Founder and Chairman of VoteVets.org. "Many of those
Senators in recent weeks said they were against escalation. Well, talk is
cheap, and you don't support our troops with lip service. In the debate on
the Iraq war and an escalation, there are only two sides -- with the troops
or with the President. You cannot have it both ways. Those Senators who
have voted against the troops are now on official warning -- vote in line
with the will of the troops and the will of the people, or pay the price."
Said Andrew Horne, Senior Advisor to VoteVets.org, "Monday's vote to
support escalation of the war in Iraq by the minority was a 'Profile in
Cowardice.' A lot of Senators have puffed out there chests and spoken
boldly about opposing an escalation of the war in Iraq, but when faced with
pressure from their leader, buckled and wilted in fear. We Iraq veterans
risked our very lives in service to this country, marching head-up into a
field of bullets, IEDs, and rockets. These Senators ran scared because of
political pressure from their party. It's clear who the true patriots are
in this debate."
Last November, the American people voted for dramatic change in Iraq,
and it's time for Republicans in Congress to listen. The American people
deserve to know where every member of Congress stands on the President's
plan to escalate the war, and Democrats are committed to holding President
Bush accountable for changing course.

[TayTay]

7. OMG, this deserves to be it's own post

Look at this from the VoteVets guys. No wonder Sen. Kerry stands with them. They are amazing. (They remind me of someone, LOL!)

"On Monday, the minority of the United States Senate came out
forcefully for an escalation of the war in Iraq, clearly ignoring the will
of the American people and those of us who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan,"
said Jon Soltz, Co-Founder and Chairman of VoteVets.org. "Many of those
Senators in recent weeks said they were against escalation. Well, talk is
cheap, and you don't support our troops with lip service. In the debate on
the Iraq war and an escalation, there are only two sides -- with the troops
or with the President. You cannot have it both ways. Those Senators who
have voted against the troops are now on official warning -- vote in line
with the will of the troops and the will of the people, or pay the price."

Said Andrew Horne, Senior Advisor to VoteVets.org, "Monday's vote to
support escalation of the war in Iraq by the minority was a 'Profile in
Cowardice.' A lot of Senators have puffed out there chests and spoken
boldly about opposing an escalation of the war in Iraq, but when faced with
pressure from their leader, buckled and wilted in fear. We Iraq veterans
risked our very lives in service to this country, marching head-up into a
field of bullets, IEDs, and rockets. These Senators ran scared because of
political pressure from their party. It's clear who the true patriots are
in this debate."

Oh wow! These guys are pulling no punches. I am so, so, so happy to see Sen. Kerry standing with them. Not surprised mind you, but so happy. This is great, great work.

[wisteria]

8. I like there honest and straight forward approach too. n/t