"I've hd enough of non-binding resolutions." Kerry in WaPo 2/23/07

[TayTay]

Democrats Seek to Revise 2002 War Authorization

By Shailagh Murray and Jonathan Weisman
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, February 23, 2007; Page A01

Senate Democratic leaders intend to unveil a plan next week to repeal the 2002 resolution authorizing the war in Iraq in favor of narrower authority that restricts the military's role and begins withdrawals of combat troops.

SNIP

Last week, the House approved a nonbinding resolution that criticized President Bush's decision to deploy an additional 21,500 troops, but the measure was blocked in the Senate by Republicans during a rare Saturday session. It is highly possible that Senate Democrats will encounter the same procedural roadblock in attempting to push through another resolution, in particular one with real teeth.

"I've had enough of 'nonbinding,' " said Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.), who is helping to draft the new Democratic proposal. The 2002 war resolution, he said, is an obvious target.

"The authorization that we gave the president back in 2002 is completely, completely outdated, inappropriate to what we're engaged in today," he said.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D-Del.) began calling for a reauthorization of the war early last month and raised it again last week, during a gathering in the office of Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.). Participants included Kerry, Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl M. Levin (Mich.), Charles E. Schumer (N.Y.), Jack Reed (R.I.) and Russell Feingold (Wis.). Those Democratic senators have emerged as an unofficial war council representing the caucus's wide range of views.

Thank you Senator!
:toast:
:loveya:
:applause: :applause: :applause:

Let the real debate begin.

[globalvillage]

1. Woo Hoo!!!

Thank you, Sen Kerry.

:patriot:

[TayTay]

2. Thank you Senator Reid

for forming a Democratic Senatorial 'war council' to get together and propose real legislative solutions to the problems in Iraq. I haven't always given Reid praise, and he deserves some for doing this.

Oh, and that should be one hum-dinger of a Senate Dem Caucus next Tuesday. I wonder if Sen. Lieberman will attend?

[fedupinBushcountry]

3. I just had this feeling

when this story came out that Senator Kerry was involved. I applaud all the Senators involved demanding and saying enough is enough, this has got to end.

:applause: :applause: :applause:

[ginnyinWI]

9. me too!

KO announced it during his show and I said, "Kerry!" :party:

[beachmom]

15. Me, three! I also was watching KO when the news broke.

When they mentioned the three areas where troops could be involved -- fighting al Qaeda, training, and the border integrity of the country this all screamed KERRY. It is obvious that Harry Reid, now released from Hillary's wrath of "destroy Kerry for '08", can openly pull in Kerry as, quite frankly, part of the leadership on foreign policy issues. Before this, all of those above names would be invited EXCEPT Kerry. Now he truly is liberated and acknowledged (not just lip service, but for real) as one of the top foreign policy experts in the Senate.

I agree, good for Harry Reid. And, heck, good for this country.

[ProSense]

4. Awesome! n/t

[wisteria]

5. Interesting development and I am thrilled Senator Kerry is helping to draft the proposal.

I will withhold any praise for Reid until I see what comes of all of this.

[wisteria]

6. How did you dig this up. Do you have a link? I can not link to any

WP info for Friday, nor do I find this information anywhere else.

[ProSense]

7. More

here

[wisteria]

8. I found the article from the WP - thanks for the other links.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/22/AR2007022201743.html?sub=AR

[ginnyinWI]

11. look what else I found linked to that site--

I clicked on JK's name, and went to a bio page: http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/k000148/

On that page you can find a link to a PDF file containing his 79-page financial disclosure for last year. Interesting to people who want to see what stocks and investments he holds. But at the very end, on page 76--something non-financial and a bit catnippy. It lists non-government orgs he's a member of. I like that he's still a member of the Vietnam Veterans of America. :patriot:

[wisteria]

21. Good fine- very interesting information! Thanxs! n/t

[MarjorieG]

10. Is Set a Deadline folded into this?

Reid promised a flurry of legislation, meaning more than one piece.

Same one year combat forces out, although there are details more urgent and encompassing of S.A.D. (horrible acronym), like diplomacy, immediate training, over the horizon troops out of harm's way, etc.

[ginnyinWI]

12. well I understand set a deadline to be

more of a grassroots effort for us, to register our passionate feelings on the subject. It provides back-up to any legislation JK and others propose. He can cite how many people signed the petition.

[sandnsea]

13. This is very exciting news

Best thing I've heard since November. I think this particular group has a real chance.

[Island Blue]

14. Excellent!

:woohoo:

[MBS]

16. Fantastic!

Way to go.:thumbsup::woohoo:
Glad also to see he's on that "war councill" leading the Senate . Oh, bravo.
Go John go.

As you said so well, let the real debate begin.

Wonderful to know something is going on besides presidential-wannabe-sniping (given the depth and seriousness and number of our problems, the horse race s___ seems more stupid than ever).

[whometense]

17. It's wonderful,

but I have this nagging voice in my head that's saying, "Won't they just filibuster this one too?"

Sorry - don't want to be a wet blanket. :spank:

[beachmom]

18. Yes, they probably will. But . . . eventually, as we approach the

2008 elections (congressional), many Republicans will talk to constituents and realize they need to go on record in opposition to this war. The filibustering is merely procrastination. Thing is, the non-binding stuff wasn't worth a whole lot -- voters aren't stupid and they know that even if it passed, it wouldn't change anything. This proposal is real, so that many voters will think -- hey, I like that idea, so why are the Republicans filibustering it? So this is a long term thing, and it doesn't involve cutting off funding (which makes the American people squeamish -- the idea that the troops don't have what they need), but changing the mission there. It's a very good tactic in my view, and a correct one, too.

[TayTay]

20. Yes. But this moves the argument forward again

It is progress. This is a definitive action, not a non-binding resolution and it puts the Republicans on the public record as opposing what amounts to the Baker-Hamilton commission recommendations. The noose around those who refuse to take any action at all to reign in the Bush White House is ever so slowly tightening. This is another measure that moves in that direction.

Always keep moving, always keep the action going on your side. This is how progress is made.

[Blaukraut]

24. you're right

Even if nothing else comes from this that Republicans are finally going to be on record as obstructionists, it will be an important victory and step forward.

[whometense]

25. Of course.

I have a tendency to forget how far Kerry's proposal from last summer moved the debate.

[TayTay]

27. Kerry and Feingold own that end of the debate

They have to have a place at the table on this issue because they have credibility on this issue. THe Baker-Hamilton Iraq Study Group was a validation of what Kerry has been saying since, ahm, forever on this. Yeah, he has the gravitas to get a spot at this exclusive table.

It will be interestingt to see how Sen. Biden, no slouch in the ego department, manages to share credit. (I think I'll plotz if Biden goes on TV and claims all the credit for this. It would be a Biden like thing to do. I'm glad Kerry got that killer quote out front and center on this before Biden could take all the credit.)

Now, who goes on the Sunday talk shows this weekend to explain this Democratic position on the war?

[wisteria]

28. IMO, we need to promote Senator Kerry's participation in this. Biden will be on taking credit and

naming names. I would bet on it.

[TayTay]

29. Maybe. This has to go to the floor of the Senate

on Monday, maybe. This is what the official Senate calendar says is going on on Monday:

Monday, Feb 26, 2007

2:00 p.m.: Convene and begin a period of morning business.

Bupkis. Nothing. Nada. Thumb twiddling time. Gee, I think I know a very strong and passionate speaker on Iraq who could really begin this debate. Don't you?

[wisteria]

30. Oh, I hope so. No one could present this like Senator Kerry could. n/t

[beachmom]

19. Awesome -- a diary on the Rec List that includes Kerry's quote

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/2/22/203728/525

Give it a rec to keep it up there. EZ Writer has done favorable diaries that include Kerry before. Glad he did this one.

[MBS]

22. this has been flagged "Today's Must Read" by TPM Daily Digest

and the article STARTS with JK's quote! :woohoo:
See http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/002614.php

It's also being spread around on Truthout:
Democrats Seek to Repeal 2002 War Authorization
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/022307Q.shtml

[ProSense]

23. Awesome! Thanks for the links. Here is more

from Carpetbagger:

As John Kerry said yesterday, “I’ve had enough of ‘nonbinding.’” What does he have in mind? Kerry and some other top Senate Dems, including Biden and Levin, are targeting the original 2002 resolution that gave Bush a green light to pursue a war in the first place.

Snip...

So, is it a good plan? I guess so, though it seems to be an entirely defensive exercise, designed to rebut inevitable charges. It doesn’t affect funding, so Republicans can’t attack and Lieberman shouldn’t jump. It doesn’t “micromanage,” so that takes another far-right talking point off the table. It’s not a “precipitous” withdrawal, so it should maintain strong public support. What’s more, since Dems will no doubt be looking for some kind of cover, they can point to the Iraq Study Group to bolster support, since it was the ISG that targeted March 2008 in its report.

This is about setting a deadline, which many of us have been advocating for a longtime. Can it garner some GOP votes? Will Dems stick together on this? Stay tuned.

.

Emphasis added: Wow, where were all these people in June last year? In any case, I wish they would all register a setadeadline.com.

[MBS]

26. let's all try to follow your good example, and remind people to

sign up at www.setadeadline.com whenever we post elsewhere, send things to friends, etc. The timing for the setadeadline petition is perfect for this new initiative; given the strong reaction to the initiative, and the way in which Sen. Kerry's remarks and contributions are being highlighted, it seems to me that THIS is the time to be sure as many people as possible sign that petition NOW. It would be great if Sen. Kerry could bring a petition with 100,000's of signatures to the Senate floor. . The rate of increase in signatures seems to have slowed a lot in the last week; it would be good to get the momentum going again. .