Senators call for hearing on Iraq withdrawal plans.
Senators call for hearing on Iraq withdrawal plans.
Senators Hillary Clinton (D-NY), Jim Webb (D-VA), Robert Byrd (D-WV), and Evan Bayh (D-IN) today wrote a letter to Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI) calling for a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the status of the Bush administration’s withdrawal planning. See the full letter below:
July 23, 2007
The Honorable Carl Levin
Chairman
Committee on Armed Services
United States Senate
R228
Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Chairman Levin:
We write to request that the Senate Committee on Armed Services hold a hearing on Department of Defense contingency planning for the redeployment of United States military forces from Iraq. Such a hearing could solicit the views of outside experts who have experience in the redeployment of large numbers of troops as well as administration witnesses. If necessary, portions of the hearing could be held in closed session.
The importance of holding this hearing was underscored this month when Senators Warner and Lugar introduced an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act calling for the Administration to present its redeployment plan to Congress by October 16, 2007. As they noted, the safety and security of our military forces, as well as our nation’s credibility in the region, require that any military withdrawal or redeployment from Iraq be carefully planned and executed. A poorly planned withdrawal would compound the risks to our forces, coalition partners, and the government of Iraq.
The need for the Committee to know the status of Department of Defense redeployment planning is clear, yet past efforts by individual members to obtain this information were rebuffed. Following reports that the Pentagon was not engaging in detailed planning while the Iraqi Defense Ministry was preparing its own plans in the event that the United States and its forces departed Iraq quickly, the Secretary of Defense was requested in May to provide the appropriate oversight committees in Congress with briefings on the current status of contingency planning for the withdrawal of U.S. forces.
Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Eric Edelman responded to this request on Secretary Gates’ behalf on July 16. A copy of his letter and other correspondence relating to this matter are enclosed for your reference. As you will see, Under Secretary Edelman raised spurious arguments to avoid discussing contingency planning and claimed that premature discussion of the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq reinforces enemy propaganda. His assertion that necessary congressional oversight emboldens our enemies is outrageous.
As you are aware, the roots of the many problems facing our men and women serving in Iraq were planted by the failure of this Administration to develop sound, realistic plans. We cannot afford to repeat the same mistake when our forces redeploy. Congressional oversight will help to ensure that redeployment plans properly address the numerous challenges that our troops will face, including the resources and the diplomatic support required to ensure that any redeployment is safe and orderly.
Thank you for considering this request.
Sincerely yours,
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Robert C. Byrd
Evan Bayh
Jim Webb
Topic Cloud
ArchivesBlog Roll
Call Congress Today for Impeachment
We’ve reached the impeachment moment for Vice President Dick Cheney. We’ve pushed the cosponsor list for H. Res. 333 up to 14. Chairman John Conyers says that if we get 3 more he’ll begin the impeachment proceedings.
And many Congress Members must be recognizing that there is no other path available. Cheney and Bush have repeatedly refused to comply with subpoenas, ordered former staffers not to comply, and announced that the Justice Department will not enforce contempt citations from Congress. When a special prosecutor attempted to hold this administration accountable, Cheney’s chief of staff obstructed justice, and Cheney persuaded Bush to commute his sentence. There is no course left for Congress but Impeachment.
On Monday, July 23rd, the fifth anniversary of the meeting that produced the Downing Street Minutes, Cindy Sheehan, Ray McGovern, Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Ann Wright, Debra Sweet, Dave Lindorff, David Swanson, Jodie Evans, Medea Benjamin, Kevin Zeese, and Tina Richards will lead a march to Chairman Conyers office and not leave until he agrees to begin impeachment proceedings.
If you cannot be there, you can take two minutes on Monday and do two things: phone Chairman Conyers at 202-225-5126 and ask him to start the impeachment of Dick Cheney; and phone your own Congress Member at 202-224-3121 and ask them to immediately call Conyers’ office to express their support for impeachment. Your Congress Member might be one of the three needed, not just to keep impeachment activists out of jail but to keep this nation from devolving into dictatorship.
Also email your Representatives:
http://www.democrats.com/peoplesemailnetwork/73
#####
Forward this message to everyone you know!
July 23rd, 2007 at 3:28 pmHey Teach–How many times are you going to ask Georgie for his homework before you flunk his ass? But please, make sure you EXPEL him–there’s nothing to be gained by leaving him back a grade.
July 23rd, 2007 at 3:32 pmGood! Levin will convene the hearings and issue the subpoenas, which will force another bogus “executive privilege” declaration. Then the Bushies will have to come up with some outlandish story as to WHY the DoD shouldn’t tell the war bill-payers what’s going on and how “executive privilege” is applicable. Or, if they have enough chutzpah, they won’t even bother with an outlandish story — they will just say “because we can — deal with it”.
Maybe I’m being an idealist here, but if this little dance is done enough, eventually people must realize what a corrupt, secretive organization our executive branch is.
July 23rd, 2007 at 3:33 pmGO! GO! GO!
whatever it takes…
meetings, hearings, subpoenas…
all of ‘em!
DO IT! NOW!
July 23rd, 2007 at 3:34 pmKeep the pressure on, make these fu(kwads defend their indefensible positions daily.
July 23rd, 2007 at 3:37 pmThen impeach Bush & Cheney for their war crimes!
Now this should be good – the sudden creation of a long-awaited “plan” – they never had a plan going in, no plan while there for the past 50+ months, and certainly no plan now. Let’s see what they can come up with now. It’s sure to be smoke and mirrors if it’s coming from this toxic gang.
July 23rd, 2007 at 3:37 pmHi RU & Katy! I guess the impeachment ball is rolling. I’ve been trying to get into the website for the petition and it’s totally bogged down.
July 23rd, 2007 at 3:38 pmMissMolly – Hi! Good post! Yes, every once in a while we, the people, are reminded that it’s our taxpayer dollars which are being used to fund this amoral, criminal war as well as the salaries of those who are holding themselves to be “above the law” and “above answering to the people”. I think it’s either time to cut the funding for them all or get some answers – and quick! If the people funding this charade called the Bush Administration are not given the respect of at least cooperation and some answers, then it’s time to rid ourselves of them all….once and for all.
There’s always one way to get their attention – cut the money!
July 23rd, 2007 at 3:41 pmNext she’ll be wanting a plan in case God turns off gravity.
July 23rd, 2007 at 3:41 pmAnother Boston Tea Party coming around the corner?? It’s beginning to appear to be “time”.
July 23rd, 2007 at 3:42 pmTaxation without representation – again rearing it’s ugly head. Answers NOW or tea, no more coffee, tea, or latte, folks!
July 23rd, 2007 at 3:42 pmveritas, I continue to ask Jay Inslee what it will take for him to get behind it, and he ducks and dodges. What a politician.
July 23rd, 2007 at 3:42 pmI hope the 1st District Dems kick his ass off the nominating platform in 08.
Just like last time, when pressed for a plan they will come up with a new one that requires even MORE troops. Then what? A little arguing and then the obligatory “let’s give his plan 6 months to see how it works”. Bush knows that if each “plan” is worse and worse, eventually Congress will stop asking.
July 23rd, 2007 at 3:44 pmGO! GO! GO!
whatever it takes…
meetings, hearings, subpoenas…
all of ‘em!
DO IT! NOW!
Comment by katy — July 23, 2007 @ 3:34 pm
Well, shucks, I have to say, I like your enthusiasm.
July 23rd, 2007 at 3:51 pmThere is no try! Either DO or DO NOT!
July 23rd, 2007 at 3:54 pmWhat’s a hearing going to do? Use the nucluar option and end the war, if you really believe that.
July 23rd, 2007 at 3:54 pmHmmmm…it’s also possible that the reason the DoD never shares their plans with Congress is that they HAVE no plans. They have no plans for withdrawal, they have no plans for victory, they have no plans for anything. And they are just fighting this war (or conflict, or occupation, or whatever you want to call it) by the seat of their pants with no particular objective in mind.
July 23rd, 2007 at 3:54 pmI like the nukular option. I like making up my own rules.
July 23rd, 2007 at 3:55 pmChimp, it just shows the Dems aren’t serious about ending the war.
July 23rd, 2007 at 3:59 pm“Hmmmm…it’s also possible that the reason the DoD never shares their plans with Congress is that they HAVE no plans.”
Why would you give something like that to the enemy? Al qaeda has access to the internet. They have cable.
July 23rd, 2007 at 4:00 pmThere is no try! Either DO or DO NOT!
Comment by Yoda — July 23, 2007 @ 3:54 pm
Words to live by….
July 23rd, 2007 at 4:05 pmThose Dems always have moral dilemmas.
Do they abandon their principles of good and fair government and utilize the nukular option, or do they continue to let soldiers die while waiting for a few more Republicans to abandon their fidelity to me?
Thank goodness I don’t have any moral dilemmas to worry about.
July 23rd, 2007 at 4:05 pmI never thought I would ever agree with Eck, but he hit the nail on the about Democrats not being serious about ending the war!
All they had to to was keep sending back the same emergency funding bill with a hard date for withdrawal and ended the war by either Bush caving in or them troops withdrawing because there is no money to fight on.
The Democrats CHOOSE not to end the war, just like they CHOOSE not to impeach Bush!
July 23rd, 2007 at 4:07 pmWhy would you give something like that to the enemy? Al qaeda has access to the internet. They have cable.
Comment by The Eck — July 23, 2007 @ 4:00 pm
Oh, please. If I can figure that out, Al Qaeda figured it out long ago.
July 23rd, 2007 at 4:09 pmWell missmolly,
Do you seriously believe that the Department of Defense (DoD) has no plan. That’s what you said. Do you realize that the DOD isn’t some republican guy down the hall. There are over a million people working for the DoD. Some might even be liberal or democrats. They have plans for everything. I’ll give them credit for having some kind of a plan – even if you think yours is superior.
July 23rd, 2007 at 4:20 pmOh, about a complete withdrawal…
Not gonna happen.
July 23rd, 2007 at 4:22 pmhttp://www.thenation.com/doc/20070730/engelhardt
July 23rd, 2007 at 4:23 pmDon’t Forget, They Hate the Troops
Over at the Daily Kos, they like to pretend they support the troops while only referring to them with patronizing terms such as “children,” but you barely have to scratch them to reveal they truly hate the military and anyone in it. Look at the virtual orgasm of the Kwazy Kos Kids in reaction to this post where someone calls our military “morally retarded” and refers to their “fat whining families.” The author, who used to be on SNL, even insults in the comments a mother who lost a son in Iraq. This all days after YearlyKos lost Jet Blue as a sponsor when O’Reilly labeled it a hate site because it’s… well… a site full of hate.
Apparently, this has been a bit of wake of call to Kos who, after already banning Truther talk, wants to stop the new conspiracy theories about an oncoming dictatorship (real problems are a bit too much for Kwazy Kos Kids to focus on). The questions is, if Kos gets rid of the haters and the loons, will he have anyone left?
This would all be silly entertainment if it weren’t for the fact that the Democratic presidential candidates are actually going to YearlyKos to kiss the unwiped bums of these weirdos. If someone can’t even stand up to these freaks, does he or she really have the mettle to be president?
July 23rd, 2007 at 4:33 pmFan of the Man has done his part by copying and pasting his copy points IN BOLD on every topic on the board today. Have you done your part and followed his directions?
July 23rd, 2007 at 4:37 pmPoor Frank. It’s apparently hard for him to concentrate on one thing for more than a few posts. This thread is about a Senate Hearing on war plans in Iraq, Frank, not about the Daily Koz.
All this proves is that Hillary Clinton responds quickly and decisively to challenges. Last week she asked the Pentagon to brief Senators on contingency plans for withdrawl. In response, one of Cheney’s zombie core working at the Pentagon unleashed a political attack on her in the press. This is her response – quick, as powerful as she can get for her position, and forcing the Pentagon to bend to the will of Congress as they constitutionally should. Good for her. She obviously takes no crap from Cheney zombies.
July 23rd, 2007 at 4:41 pmTo #25 –
I actually made that post with my tongue firmly planted in my cheek, and I should have made it clear that I was being just a little bit sarcastic. If I offended anyone who works for the DoD, I apologize — my bitterness is reserved for The Decider and his immediate minions, not the rank and file people who no doubt work very hard at their jobs (and certainly not the men and women actually in uniform).
With the sarcasm filter off, though — let me say this. Yes — I’m sure the DoD has some sort of plan. But with The Decider constantly changing “The Mission”, they must be on Rev. XXX of whatever “The Plan” is (just like trying to play a round of golf on a course where the holes keep moving). If they were to present their plan to the Senate, just trying to get their PowerPoint slides ready would probably be like trying to nail jello to a tree.
July 23rd, 2007 at 4:55 pmYawn. I guess Hillary is trying to fool the hard left into thinking she’s anti-war now. God, the left is so dumb.
I would like a plan for victory from our Democrat Party. Why not propose a plan to win and instead of cutting and running.
July 23rd, 2007 at 4:55 pm#32 God Help Us
Yup.
July 23rd, 2007 at 4:59 pmI would like a plan for victory from our Democrat Party.
Comment by God Help Us — July 23, 2007 @ 4:55 pm
I would too, ’cause I can’t come up with anything.
July 23rd, 2007 at 4:59 pmWhy would you give something like that to the enemy? Al qaeda has access to the internet. They have cable.
Comment by The Eck — July 23, 2007 @ 4:00 pm
This has to be the stupidest comment of the day.
July 23rd, 2007 at 5:52 pmDo you guys really want a “plan for victory?” If you’re talking about victory in Iraq, the plan should be to get the vast majority of our troops out of Iraq. The Iraqis can then get rid of al Qaeda, most of whom are from Saudi Arabia, because they’ll have no reason to be there anymore. This will be a “victory” for our troops.
If you’re talking about political victory, Dems have got that covered. 21 Repub Senators are up for reelect against only 9 Dems. 58% of respondents say they will vote for the Dem for Congress in 2008 against about 26% who say the Repub. The current polls show that voters are twice as likely to be planning to vote for the Dem no matter who they nominate as they are for the Repub. In short, the plan is a supermajority in both houses of Congress, a Democratic President and if we’re not out of there by the time that Dem takes over, that Dem will get us the hell out of Iraq. Hey, you wanted the plan.
July 23rd, 2007 at 5:56 pmOnly in a dictatorship would we find a member of the administration forbidding a member of congress from asking tough questions regarding the plans for the war, the safe and inevitable withdrawal of troops, and issues that affect the nation as a whole.
July 23rd, 2007 at 6:14 pmOnly in a dictatorship is one not allowed to question the leader;
in a so called free society, ranking members of the government are OBLIGATED to ask the hard questions, the answers to which will affect their legislation — unfortunately for 6 years, no one has asked Bush&Co hard questions, so the “impertinence” of Sen. Clinton outraged them.
I am glad to see that other Senators have joined Clinton.
Dear Senators,
I read your letter with great anticipation, and am in complete agreement with you that we should be planning on bringing the troops home.
That is why is is my administration’s plan on bringing the troops home by planes and boats once the war is won.
Thank you for you continuing patriotism and concern.
W.
July 23rd, 2007 at 6:30 pmI am not really optimistic about this. It seems more to me like “playing a game” to get one’s name on record as wanting to do something about Iraq. I am increasingly becoming convinced that these D’s do not want to end this war and increasingly convinced that we the people are being tossed about in the wind like autumn leaves, while the “frontrunners” try to spin and pull the wool over our eyes. Hillary Clinton voted for this war. If anyone has distanced themselves from the horrors this war, if you want to call it that, really it is an invasion and occupation to grab the stuff of a country that was not threat at all to the US, go to FDL and read the accounts from an Iraqi doctor who wastes no words in condemning the US for what it has done to her country, her loved ones, the babies and children she treats, her difficulties in getting medicines to treat them and a horrific picture of an infant with no legs, half a hand a swollen and battered head–do y ou know their names–these little ones who have suffered so very much in our murderous invasion built upon lies. Clinton voted for it and now wants you to forget her hapless, uninformed vote, her attempts to cover it up, and her propulsion into the limelight as she declares, as does the mediak that she is frontrunner, while conspiring with Edwards to get rid of the other candidates who appear in debates–indeed–this conspiracy becomes apparent as the so called “frontrunners” the ones the media chose for us, get prime placement in the next debate. This is the way our “democracy” serves us?
I read this article today and it, imo, is well worth reading re the postion of the “frontrunners” on pulling the troops out of Iraq. It is all a spin and a farce. They want Iraq and they want the embassy and they want the military bases, some seventeen or so.
http://www.antiwar.com/engelhardt/?articleid=11333
Does anyone know the name of the American soldier who was killed today? I don’t think so. Deliberately the authorities do not post the names under the excuse that they must first notify the families. Err, why not first notify the families, and then post the names, giving this n”number” a human face, an age and other information. The soldiers have been marginalized, not human beings but a number and the Iraqis? Nothing but not even a number. Human beings all and we go on accepting a nominee who voted for it?
Incredible.
July 23rd, 2007 at 6:53 pmI am so tired of the neocons rhetoric being spewed and repeated.
Hillary Clinton like others “voted for the war” because Bush and co. lied to them and everyone else about the reasons for going to war in Iraq in the first place. Then they convinced their neocon controlled media to bash any and all “liberals” who dared not support the “war against terrorists” under the lie that Iraq had something to do with 9/11. The truth is Bush and his corrupt administration and cronies had more to do with 9/11 happening than did Iraq.
The neocons want to talk about “why don’t the liberals have a plan for winning Iraq?” Well, the “leberals” didn’t create Iraq! Your beloved dictator/antichrist Bush did! It is his responsibility! His only plan was to lie us into Iraq and now he and his corrupt neocons want to keep American troops dying there just long enough to try and blame a Democrat for the total chaos that is already happening there and will undoubtedly continue when American troops finally are withdrawn. Bush doesn’t have a plan for winning Iraq because there is nothing to win there (unless you are corrupt Cheney and Haliburton trying to steal more oil, or the corrupt neocons trying to launch more illegal wars from Iraqi soil to benefit no one but other neocons). Hello–Americans are dying and so are hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians that didn’t do anything to you or anyone else all because you and your supreme ruler want to blame Bush’s earth shattering f— ups on the Democrats. This madness has to be stopped or we will all pay the price for it, if it’s not too late already for the rest of us.
July 23rd, 2007 at 10:03 pmI refuse to be complicit with a culture of corruption. I refuse to be an accessory to crimes against humanity. And I refuse to allow God and the world to believe otherwise by failing to take action.
http://rawstory.com/news/2007/70_Congressmen_tell_Bush_no_cash_0719.html
http://www.house.gov/writerep/
http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/welcome.jsp
I am concerned that President Bush is setting himself up to hold virtual dictatorial powers with no legislative oversight. His acquisition of unconstitutional executive power appears to be a blueprint for tyranny. No courts involved, no legislative oversight, no avenues of redress.
I don’t believe that our constitution will survive if this administration isn’t challenged on the many additional powers President Bush and Vice President Cheney have given themselves such as signing statements, executive orders, the excuse of “executive privilege,†etc….
Also, I am concerned that President Bush and Vice President Cheney are planning a false flag event-whether it is orchestrated or staged or simply allowed to happen. The American people, the constitution, our civil liberties are in the way of their Neoconservative agenda, and based on their past behavior I do not doubt that they are capable of a false flag incident to reconstitute Republican rule, (which is severely threatened at this time) and with Bush’s latest Executive Order, allow the President to hold even greater powers than King George III and Julius Caesar together.
Examples of the ruthlessness of Vice President Cheney: he was willing to manufacture false intelligence to lead us into a war that he desired; he exposed a covert CIA agent’s identity thus ruining her career and endangering her life and the lives of the agents who worked with her — just to shut up and retaliate against a critic. Make no mistake. These tyrants are capable of anything to seize absolute power.
From Paul Craig Roberts:
“The Bush administration desperately needs dramatic events to scare the American people and the Congress back in line with the militarist-police state that Bush and Cheney have fostered.â€
I have been watching and reading some disturbing things which clearly show that something is in the works:
Michael Chertoff’s “gut†feeling of an imminent terrorist attack; the most recent NIE warning of the resurgence of Al Qaeda and their plotting to attack America again; Rick Santorum saying he is hoping for another attack to prove that Republicans need to be in control and to blame Democrats for hampering these massive security measures which have essentially erased our civil liberties —- all predicting another series of attacks on the “homeland.â€
Congressman Defazio was just denied access to COG Continuity of Government plans by bush despite being on the Homeland Security Committee and legally having a right to view these document. Defazio stated that some people think there is a conspiracy and he is beginning to think so also.
Congressman, I honestly believe that hoping the next election will correct the tragic fiascos of Bush-Cheney-extremist Republican rule is fallacious reasoning. Too much money and power is at stake to allow a change of direction toward a more equitable and just government. I fear for our Republic.
For the sake of America, put impeachment of George W. Bush and Richard Cheney immediately on the table. It could quite possibly be too late.
July 24th, 2007 at 4:56 am