The Vote: Should They Stay or Should They Go Now?

Metaphorically speaking, it's high noon in the U.S. House of Representatives.

It's time for a vote on keeping American forces in Iraq.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi decried the Bush administration's "strategic blunders" in Iraq on Friday as the House headed toward a GOP-engineered vote on a resolution that forces lawmakers to take a position on withdrawing American forces.

"Stay the course, I don't think so Mr. President. It's time to face the facts," Pelosi, D-Calif., said, adding that she will vote against a Republican resolution that she called "an affirmation of the president's failed policy in Iraq."

Countered House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill.: "When our freedom is challenged, Americans do not run."

The House resumed an election-year debate Friday on a nonbinding resolution that praises U.S. troops, labels the Iraq war part of the larger global fight against terrorism and says an "arbitrary date for the withdrawal or redeployment" of troops is not in the national interest.

Democrats denounced the debate and vote as a politically motivated sham, and several prominent Democrats joined Pelosi in saying they would vote against the measure even though Republicans could then try to claim that Democrats don't support U.S. troops.

...The House vote comes one day after the Senate soundly rejected a call to withdraw combat troops by year's end by shelving a proposal that would allow "only forces that are critical to completing the mission of standing up Iraqi security forces" to remain in Iraq in 2007.

That vote was 93-6, but Democrats criticized the GOP maneuver that led to the vote as political gamesmanship and promised further debate next week on a proposal to start redeploying troops this year.

Congress erupted in debate on the Iraq war four months before midterm elections that will decide the control of both the House and Senate, and as President Bush was trying to rebuild waning public support for the conflict.

This AP report sounds like it was written by some DNC hack.

Supposedly, the vote is all about an attempt to force Dems to go on the record on the war in Iraq. Imagine that.

The suggestion is that there's something sinister about having elected officials clarify where they stand on an issue.

ABSOLUTELY DIABOLICAL!

Why is it a "sham" to expect some accountability from our representatives?

I think it's a sham to call the vote a sham.

This vote not only serves to inform the American people. It also will send a message to our enemies and our allies.

Exactly where does the American legislative body stand on the Iraq issue?

I want to know.

I think members of Congress have an obligation to go on the record to tell friend and foe alike its intentions regarding the war in Iraq.

It's really quite simple.

The Dems are bitching and moaning about voting because they want to be against keeping American troops in Iraq AND for it.

The Dems are afraid to take a stand.

It's all politics and no principles.


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UPDATE: The votes are in!

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The House on Friday rejected a timetable for pulling U.S. forces out of Iraq, culminating a fiercely partisan debate between Republicans and Democrats feeling the public's apprehension about war and the onrushing midterm campaign season.

In a 256-153 vote, the GOP-led House approved a nonbinding resolution that praises U.S. troops, labels the Iraq war part of the larger global fight against terrorism and says an "arbitrary date for the withdrawal or redeployment" of troops is not in the national interest.