McConnell Claims Congress Can’t Restrict Funds For Iraq, Voted To Restrict Clinton In Somalia
McConnell Claims Congress Can’t Restrict Funds For Iraq, Voted To Restrict Clinton In Somalia
Yesterday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) came out against the Kennedy bill requiring President Bush to gain new congressional authority before escalating the war in Iraq. “I think it is inappropriate for the Congress to try to micromanage, in effect, the tactics in a military conflict,” McConnell said. “I don’t think Congress has the authority to do it.”
But Congress does have the authority to use “several different policy levers to guide U.S. national security policy as it relates to the deployment of American troops.” Congress has done so many times over the last 35 years.
In November 1993, McConnell supported a move by Congress to place limits on military spending for U.S. troop deployments in Somalia. Section 8151 of Public Law 103-139 “limited the use of funding in Somalia for operations of U.S. military personnel only until March 31, 1994″ and permitted “expenditure of funds for the mission thereafter only if the president sought and Congress provided specific authorization.”
The language passed the Senate as an amendment introduced by Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV). McConnell voted for it. He also spoke on the Senate floor about the legislation:
The narrow issue before us tonight is simply how do you leave? We are leaving, we all agree on that. … The only issue here tonight is how we leave and, in my judgment, the Byrd amendment better defines the proper exit for the United States in this most unfortunate experience in Somalia, at least since May. [Congressional Record, S13447, 10/14/93]
It’s one thing for McConnell to support Bush’s escalation plan. It’s another to mislead about what Congress can do to stop it.
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46 Responses to “McConnell Claims Congress Can’t Restrict Funds For Iraq, Voted To Restrict Clinton In Somalia”
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Amazing....how short the memories of these Repukes are.
How do they find their way home at night?
January 10th, 2007 at 2:51 pmI think I heard that the Democrats aren't in favor of rights for the Minority in Congress.
January 10th, 2007 at 2:51 pmYou know, sometimes I wish these Republican liars' pants really would light on fire.
January 10th, 2007 at 2:54 pmThe narrow issue before us tonight is simply how do you leave?
-McConnell, '93
We wish you were talking about your position in Congress, but here's a hint on how to get out of Iraq, Mitch...
BE HONEST WITH THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
There. That wasn't so hard, was it?
Escalation of the Invaders
January 10th, 2007 at 2:55 pmComing to a theatre near you soon
Little Mitchie is such a stoooopid idiot. But, then, just look at who he's following --> http://thumbsnap.com/v/6YvXAPG0.jpg
January 10th, 2007 at 2:56 pmThis guy is a moron. He doesn't remember what he did to Clinton.
January 10th, 2007 at 2:57 pmI'm shocked, Shocked I Tell You!
at the suggestion that some Republicans in congress are hypocrites.
preposterous.
January 10th, 2007 at 3:00 pmI heard the Dems are for the Iraq war. Afterall, they are continuing to vote yes for all its funding.
January 10th, 2007 at 3:04 pmHuh? That's news? Another stinking hypocrite from the party of hypocrites. Stupid is as stupid does.
January 10th, 2007 at 3:06 pmwhat the hell - call him out his office number is Phone: (202) 224-2541
i' going to try to get a comment myself but would be interesting if anyone else did.
January 10th, 2007 at 3:07 pmAre these people for real?
January 10th, 2007 at 3:07 pmWho votes for these guys?!?
Damn!
These righties have a terrible case of selective partisan amnesia.
Maybe their buddies in PhARMA can work up a pill to treat that.
January 10th, 2007 at 3:10 pmI heard RogerRoger is for restoring the Confederacy. After all, he hasn't said anything against it.
January 10th, 2007 at 3:13 pmMandatory lobotomy for all republicans.
January 10th, 2007 at 3:14 pmThis is great. Keep pushing issues in front of the Republicans and they keep showing their hypocrisy and selective attention.
January 10th, 2007 at 3:15 pmNo surprise there from Senator McConnel.
January 10th, 2007 at 3:16 pmThis guy is a moron. He doesn’t remember what he did to Clinton.
Comment by ForTruth
Oh, he remembers. He's just an a**hole. These guys say that Congress can't control military operations even though they did it. Dems should include them in the bill making process even though they didn't. Blah...blah...blah.
January 10th, 2007 at 3:18 pmMandatory lobotomy for all republicans.
Comment by ItsJustKarma — January 10, 2007 @ 3:14 pm
Roger2 already got his.
January 10th, 2007 at 3:24 pmWhy are the Dems still waiting? What is the point? They are in session. They could, at any time, vote to not fund the escalation. Instead, they waste there time on Symbolic votes against the War. Why not vote on something with some teeth?
January 10th, 2007 at 3:25 pm"creating reality"...
...a Repulsivescam CONNED'self-serving trademark since the 2000 election...
...patent pending...
January 10th, 2007 at 3:27 pmDemocrats Beef Police State With 9/11 Commission Bill
January 10th, 2007 at 3:28 pmPolitical "opposition" also helping Bush gain traction for Iran military strike
Government spooks helped Microsoft build Vista
THE USA GOVERNMENT'S cryptologic organisation, the National Security Agency, has admitted that it is behind some of the security changes to Microsoft's operating system Vista.
January 10th, 2007 at 3:31 pmRx2,
January 10th, 2007 at 3:32 pmI'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy.
What's your story?
Roger_Roger sez:
Don't you think that the Dems ought to wait until Chimpy gives his speech tonight and actually, officially, asks for the escalation before they start voting on it?
Roger_Rhetoric, you are unbelievable. The Repukes were in session with a commanding majority for 6 years, but their utter lack of progress is just fine, while a Congress narrowly controlled by Dems is supposed to end the war, create world peace, and cure cancer all within two weeks. Double-standard, anyone?
January 10th, 2007 at 3:32 pmIsrael and its U.S. lobbying arm "must turn to Hillary Clinton and other potential presidential candidates in the Democratic Party so that they publicly support immediate action by Bush against Iran."
January 10th, 2007 at 3:33 pmThe proud residents of Kentucky should ride this clown out of office on a rail at the next opportunity.
January 10th, 2007 at 3:34 pmCongress has the power of the purse. Period. Have any of these people read the Constitution?
January 10th, 2007 at 3:35 pmRogerRoger
Have you been imitating Rip Van Winkle? You are way behind on the news. The incoming Democrats in Congress held a vote on November 9, 2006 cutting off all funding to the continued occupation of Iraq. Bush has started a fund-raiser to get people to donate to the cause so the occupation can continue. You can give your share at bucks4iraq.com.
:)
January 10th, 2007 at 3:36 pmWhile the country is focused on Iraq, the bushies are planning their attack on Iran:
http://counterpunch.com/roberts01102007.html
We now have two carrier groups in the gulf. Iran has Russian missiles which are capable of destroying one or both of those aircraft carriers. This will be the Pearl Harbor that the neocons want in order to widen the war.
Bush is deliberately putting our navy at risk for the sake of oil, Israel and imperialism.
January 10th, 2007 at 3:45 pmBush's Rush to Armageddon
George W. Bush has purged senior military and intelligence officials who were obstacles to a wider war in the Middle East, broadening his options for both escalating the conflict inside Iraq and expanding the fighting to Iran and Syria with Israel’s help.
January 10th, 2007 at 3:51 pmKEEP AMERICA STRONG * KEEP PAYING YOUR TAXES
And everyone here who is paying taxes is supporting the war
January 10th, 2007 at 3:55 pmAnd everyone here who is paying taxes is funding dem dublspeek
And everyone here who is paying taxes is refueling deadly warjets
And everyone here who is paying taxes is killing civilians
And everyone here who is paying taxes is paying the salaries of those who make war
And everyone here who is paying taxes is in essence tithing George Bush to carry on this war
And everyone here who is paying taxes is in essence tithing Richard Cheney to carry on this war
And everyone here who is paying taxes is in effect paying the oil lobby in Washington to continue this war
And everyone here who is paying taxes is putting vacations and wild parties in front of the Bush twins
And everyone here who is paying taxes is putting new shoes on Condi Rices feet
And everyone here who is paying taxes is paying Bush to sit in Crawford Texas and watch the war on a bigtscreentv while eating greasy cheetos
And everyone here who is paying taxes is buying Bushs next bottle of booze
And everyone here who is paying taxes is paying Laura Bs hotel bill when her and George get into a fight
I feel all giddy today that Bush is going to speak tonight .
Now I know how you Dems felt when Kennedy was about to speak or make an appearance .
It is electric .
January 10th, 2007 at 3:59 pm#31 It is a crime to not pay taxes. It is perfectly legal for congress to vote to end funding for the Iraq War.
January 10th, 2007 at 4:02 pmWhy so rachel b?
January 10th, 2007 at 4:07 pmThe Democrats, Roger, have made it clear that they will not do that.
The REAL ISSUE, which American Progress ignores, is that the entire invasion is illegal, and the actions since it started are major warcrimes and in fact genocide.
Until you get real about that, the discussion of 'what Congress can do' will continue to stumble over the fact that what you discuss has already been dismissed by the Dem leadership, for solid political reasons VERY closely attached to the rampant illegality of Bushco's actions, and the muffled corporate media which will not report on them.
Neither, however, does ThinkProgress tend to report on those crimes.
January 10th, 2007 at 4:09 pm#35 So the Dem leaders are going to support the war for politcal reasons? Seems a little off, but it doesn't surpise me that they are playing politics with American Lives. They simply learned from the Repugs.
January 10th, 2007 at 4:15 pm"#35 So the Dem leaders are going to support the war for politcal reasons? Seems a little off, but it doesn’t surpise me that they are playing politics with American Lives. They simply learned from the Repugs." --Roger_Roger
I understand your anger, but it is focused on the wrong end of the Congress. Dems aren't 'playing politics with American Lives.' They are doing politics the only way it really exists. It is your expectations that are unreal.
January 10th, 2007 at 4:27 pmThank God I don't pay taxes, then.
January 10th, 2007 at 4:36 pm–Roger_Roger
Damn that hypocrisy thing!!! Playing politics with American lives??? So, where was this when Frist, Hastert and the REPUGS were in control?
BUSH taking time from vacation to sign a law for ONE woman in a vegetative state, yet would not sacrifice 1 minute to help people in New Orleans?
Playin' politics is what 'ole DUMBYA is about! But, you want decisive action in one week, when the REPUGS had SIX YEARS to screw things up! Keep on man, because I know my son can learn a lesson from a HYPOCRITICAL IDIOT (like you)!
January 10th, 2007 at 4:43 pm#37 Your porbably right. I shouldn't expect congress to actually do what they run on. I mean, sure Pelosi and the rest ran campaigns to get elected that spoke out against the war, but I was probably asking to much for them to actually do anything about the war once they got into office. I guess congress doesn't suprise me as much as the Democrat base on websites like this. They still defend these leaders and seem to not care one bit that there leadership has decided to now support the war and continue to fund it. Hell, there isn't much outrage over the fact they will probably fund the escalation as well. Just weird for a crowd that cared so much about the Iraq War and the amount of american deaths to now not care much at all.
January 10th, 2007 at 4:44 pmSee, you just don't understand. When the Republicans do it, it's quite all right. Nothing is ever quite all right with Democrats, though.
January 10th, 2007 at 4:52 pmWouldn't you think McConnell has someone on staff who fact-checks his own record before he runs off at the mouth?
Maybe, it's better that the whole lot of them are dumb as a box of rocks -- now he can be mocked here and on television -- that is if the MSM even dares to point this out to its viewers/readers.
Mitch McConnell = Kentucky moron.
I apologize for the double posting.
January 10th, 2007 at 4:59 pm[...] STORY from Think Progress. [...]
January 10th, 2007 at 5:42 pmSeems the republicans have forgotten the adage "what goes around comes around". While in power if you decide to stomp on the minority (party) without regard to some day becoming that minority (party) ...oh, well - reap what you sow!
January 10th, 2007 at 6:21 pm[...] There are precedents of Republican politicians refusing military spending while a Democrat was US President. [...]
January 11th, 2007 at 6:11 amI am one who voted for the Dems so that they could try to rein in the wild man and his cronies. There are many fronts for them to do that, domestic and international fronts. I think the Dems are doing just fine so far in their first few HOURS. I think a reasonable person would at least wait for their first 200 hours to complete before beginning an attack that they are not doing anything about Iraq yet. I understand trolls are paid to whine and complain on lib sites but this from the hypocritical Rogers was REALLY funny: "I was probably asking to much for them to actually do anything about the war once they got into office."
January 11th, 2007 at 12:11 pmNow come on, ... that's a riot!