Dems Attempt To Pull Troops Out Of Iraq By The Back Door Defeated

I can feel the rage and frustration from here...

Senate Democrats made an attempt to legislate what amounts to a de facto troop withdrawal today, and as always, it was done under the guise of `supporting the troops.'

Jim Webb ( d-VA) and Chuck Hagel (r-NE) were the co-sponsors of a bill that seems innocuous on the face of it, one that would have legislated troops as much time at home as they are deployed overseas, and in the case of National Guard or Reserve units, a three year moratorium on any deployment overseas after their return.

Sounds good, until you actually look at the number of troops it would effect and the havoc it would play with military necessity...and realize that the net effect would be a substantial withdrawal of US troops from Iraq and elsewhere.

Fortunately, a majority in the Senate realized that, and shut it down, by four votes.

The next funding battle will come in October, and at that time or before, Carl Levin (d-MI) has a bill he wants to present to the Senate that would order combat troops home in nine months. And of course, Senate Majority leader Harry Reid (d-NV)an dRuss Feingold (d-WI) are sponsoring a bill that would cut off funding for combat next year.

To quote John McCain, the top Republican on the Armed Services Committee a Webb's bill was just a 'backdoor method' by Democrats to force troop withdrawals.

"We have a new strategy. We have success on the ground..pulling out troops would spark chaos and genocide in the region, and we will be back," he said.