The Words Of The Wise Before the House Vote On Friday

   More comments before the debate in the House on Friday.

Majority Leader Hoyer:
“Others assert that inclusion of a timeline for responsible deployment is tantamount to capitulation. Mr. Hobson spoke on this floor just a few minutes ago. He voted to set a timeline in Bosnia. Mr. Lewis sits as the ranking member of this committee, he voted on June 24, 1997, to set a timeline. Mr. Hastert, Speaker of the House, set a timeline. Mr. Delay voted for a timeline. Mr. Blunt, voted for a timeline. Mr. Boehner, voted for a timeline. Every one of them voted for a timeline. What were the circumstances? We hadn’t lost a single troop. Not one.”

Rep. Van Hollen (MD-08):
“The American people know well that when you ignore failure and bad decisions you simply get more of them. Today we are demanding accountability for a change - accountability for a change, accountability to be sure that our troops get the equipment and training they need. Accountability to be sure that the wounded soldiers returning home are treated with the dignity they deserve.”

Rep. Rahm Emanuel (IL-05):
“Let us review the cost America has beared in four years. Beared in four years. 3,000 lives have been lost. 25,000 of our citizens have been injured, and nearly half a trillion dollars have been spent, and America’s reputation around the world has been sullied. And under the President’s leadership, his Iraqi policy comes down to something very simple. More troops, more money, more time, more the same.”

Chairman Obey on Checks & Balances:
“For the last four years, we have had a Congress that did whatever George Bush wanted it to do, rubber stamp, lock-step all the way — today is different. Today, we have a congress that is responding to what the public asked for in the last election. What you’re seeing today is the new world of checks and balances. Get used to it, it’s what the public asked for and it’s what they’re going to get out of this Congress.”

Rep. Murtha:
“Let me say to the Members what hurts our troops. I found our troops, 44,000, without body armor. I found our troops with a shortage of jammers. I found our troops with a shortage of up-armored humvees. I find our troops now, because of the policy, having to go back to Iraq before they have a year at home. I find our troops now because of the policy of this White House having to extend troops that have been there 13 months. And I find our troops having to go into combat untrained or not as trained as well as they should, not going to the desert, where we have this tremendous training area, going right into Iraq. That’s what hurts our troops.”         Source

 

Technorati tags: The House, Iraq, troop withdrawal

The Congress Strikes Back With The U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans’ Health and Iraq Accountability Act

   A few remarks by Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Rep. John Murtha, and Rep. Patrick Murphy before the vote on Friday

 Speaker Nancy Pelosi:

“Rather than sending more troops into the chaos that is the Iraqi civil war, we must be focused on bringing the war to an end. We can do that by passing this bill that transforms the performance benchmarks that have already been endorsed by President Bush and the Iraqi government, into requirements…Benchmarks without deadlines are just words. Four years of this war, words are not enough.”

Rep. John Murtha:

“My grandmother lived to be 96. I was 6 years old when she died. She said you’re on this earth to make a difference. We’re gonna make a difference with this bill, we’re gonna bring those troops home, and we’re gonna start changing the direction of this great country.”

Rep. Patrick Murphy

“To those on the other side of the aisle who are opposed, I want to ask you the same questions that my gunner asked me when I was leading a convoy up and down Ambush Alley one day. He said, ‘Sir, what are we doing over here? What’s our mission? When are these Iraqis going to come off the sidelines and fight for their own country?’ So to my colleagues across the aisle - - - your taunts about supporting our troops ring hollow if you are still unable to answer those questions now four years later.”       The Gave

  You can click here to watch them make these statements along with the comments of more House members.

 

Technorati tags: Congress, troop readiness, Nancy Pelosi, John Murtha, Bush Administration, troop withdrawal