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House GOP Bill Rejects Iraq Withdrawal NewsMax.com Wires WASHINGTON -- House Republican leaders drafted legislation on Thursday that rejects calls for withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq as "fundamentally inconsistent with achieving victory" and said they would force a vote on Friday. It would be the second time in five weeks that GOP leaders maneuvered for a vote on the war in the face of Democratic calls for a timetable for withdrawal. Some Democrats accused Republicans of playing politics with the war while a group of their colleagues sent President Bush a letter describing what they believe should be the U.S. position in Iraq. The GOP resolution expresses the commitment of the House "to achieving victory in Iraq." It honors the sacrifices of U.S. forces and praises Iraqis for voting in parliamentary elections Thursday. The election is "a crucial victory for the Iraqi people and Iraq's new democracy, and a defeat for the terrorists who seek to destroy that democracy," the resolution says. Story Continues Below
U.S. forces, the measure said, would be required in Iraq "only until Iraqi forces can stand up so our forces can stand down, and no longer than is required for that purpose." The resolution seeks to put the House again on record as rejecting an immediate troop pull out. Some House Democrats, including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California, have lined up behind calls by Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., for U.S. troops to start coming home. In the Senate, several Democrats have said forces need to begin withdrawing after Thursday's elections, provided they are successful. The House GOP resolution says, "Setting an artificial timetable for the withdrawal of United States Armed Forces from Iraq, or immediately terminating their deployment in Iraq and redeploying them elsewhere in the region, is fundamentally inconsistent with achieving victory in Iraq." That is a veiled reference to the proposal Murtha put forth last month to withdraw the nearly 160,000 troops in Iraq "at the earliest practicable date" and establish a quick-reaction force and a nearby presence of Marines in the region. Seeking to kill momentum that was building behind Murtha's call for withdrawal, House Republicans forced a vote rejecting the immediate pullout of U.S. forces just before adjourning for Thanksgiving break. Democrats called the quick vote a political ploy that prevented thoughtful debate on Murtha's proposal Ron Bonjean, a spokesman for House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., said House Republicans hope Democrats will stand with them in backing the fresh GOP resolution. But Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, called the resolution a cheap political stunt. "Once again, the Republicans in the House are playing politics with the war and demeaning those who are serving our nation," the longtime war opponent said. A Pelosi spokeswoman, Jennifer Crider, said Democrats sought changes "that would reflect the bipartisan spirit that a resolution like that should be offered with" but they were rebuffed. House Democrats have been voicing disparate positions on Iraq in the weeks since Murtha announced his proposal, and some members have been taking steps aimed at building a consensus position. On Thursday, a group of 26 party members - led by Rep. Ellen Tauscher of California - sent a letter to President Bush urging him to follow four principles they say should guide future policy in Iraq. "Over the next twelve months the United States should stand down its military personnel and participation in Iraq as the Iraqi government takes increased responsibility for its political and security needs," the letter said. Signatories included Democratic whip Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland and the senior Democrats on the Armed Services and Intelligence committees, Reps. Ike Skelton of Missouri and Jane Harman of California, respectively.
© 2005 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Editor's note: Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:
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