11-15-07, 12:09 pm

The US House of Representatives passed a bill yesterday (11-14-07) that provided $50 billion in war funding. The bill would also mandate a change of direction in Bush's failed Iraq war policy.

The bill would require a shift in mission from combat to training and fighting terrorists. It would begin to bring US troops home from Iraq within one month of final passage of the bill. It would further emphasize the ban on torture, requiring US intelligence officers to follow the Army Field Manual on treatment of prisoners.

Most importantly, the funding package could only be used to redeploy troops safely out of Iraq.

During debate on the House floor, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) emphasized the harm the failed Iraq war policy has done to US troops, their readiness, and to the reputation of the US in the world.

'The fact is, we can no longer sustain the military deployment in Iraq,' said Pelosi, 'Staying there in the manner that we are there is no longer an option.'

The bill won wide support from a handful of moderate Republicans to liberal Democrats. Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) reminded the House about the mandate of the 2006 election to change the course of the war. 'America has decided that [Bush's] is wrong. Dead wrong. Too many deaths wrong.'

Doggett went on to criticize Bush's supporters in Congress who accused the majority of Americans who want the war to end of 'cutting and running.' 'Retreat?' said Doggett, 'you've had a five-year retreat from political reality.'


Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), who represents portions of Manhattan and who has been long-time opponent of the war, reminded his colleagues about the misleadership that started the war and that now keeps it going. 'There were no weapons of mass destruction, and there was no Iraqi involvement with Al Qaeda or 9/11.'

In addition to the fact that the Al Qaeda organization in Iraq poses no serious threat to Iraq or to the US, said Nadler, 'We have no stake in the Iraqi civil war, and it is time to end the occupation.'

Speaking to staunch opponents of war funding, Nadler said that this bill lives up to the demands of the Out of Iraq Caucus, a group of about 90 members of the House who have stated their refusal to fund the war except for bring the troops home safely and responsibly.

Nadler further stated that if he vetoes the bill, Bush will have to explain why he is refusing to fund the troops.

One Out of Iraq Caucus member, Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) urged support for the bill as well. Lee said the bill ties funding to bringing home the troops who have sacrificed so much.

Lee said that clarity on the number of troops brought home and a closer end date for completing troop redeployment would have strengthened the bill.

But Lee argued, 'This legislation represents a very important step forward to end the combat operations in Iraq, otherwise believe you me, I would never vote for it.'

Lee's antiwar record goes back to 2001 when she courageously stood on the floor of the House alone against the US invasion of Afghanistan and called for a different course of action to bring terrorists and their allies to justice.

Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) talked about the hidden economic costs of the wars. In 2002 and 2003 the Bush administration promised the war would cost taxpayers a mere $50 or $60 billion dollars. One White House economic adviser who dared suggest publicly that it might cost as much as $200 billion was fired.

Cummings pointed out that the Bush administration's requests for funding have so far totaled more than $800 billion. A recent congressional report indicates, however, that real cost through 2008 may be as high as $1.6 trillion, he added. With hidden costs such as interest payments on debt related to war costs, the real price tag could be more than double that figure.

'We have heard the American people,' said Cummings, 'and have chosen to exercise fiscal responsibility by considering this piece of legislation.'

So far more than 3,850 US troops have been killed, more than 28,000 have been wounded, and tens of thousands suffer psychological wounds such as post traumatic stress disorder. Heading toward its fifth year, the war in Iraq has lasted longer than US involvement in World War II.

--Reach Joel Wendland at