Republicans Given Leverage With Bush Veto of Iraq War Spending Bill
FoxNews: President Bush showed little appetite for compromise Wednesday, hours ahead of a session with congressional leaders aimed at crafting a new bill to fund the war in Iraq. Fresh from his Tuesday night veto of spending legislation that set timelines for U.S. troop withdrawals, . . . Bush said: "It didn't make any sense to impose the will of politicians over the recommendations of our military commanders in the field." The president defended his argument that U.S. troops must remain in Iraq to help stabilize that country, even as he predicted that "casualties are likely to stay high." "If I didn't think it was necessary for the security of our country, I wouldn't put our kids in harm's way," Bush said.
The standoff gives Republicans leverage, because even with the liberals' votes, Democrats don't have enough support to override Bush's veto. It will force Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., to seek more Republican help in drafting a new bill that Bush might accept, her allies and opponents say. "I think the Democrats are in a box," Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va., said in an interview Tuesday. "We're pretty resolute on our side. We are not going to tie this funding to any type of withdrawal deadline or any type of redeployment deadline." . . .
"Our members will not accept restraints on the military," House Minority Whip Roy Blunt of Missouri told reporters Tuesday. He suggested tying benchmarks to continued U.S. nonmilitary aid to Iraq, an idea that many Democrats consider too weak. . . . Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky told reporters Tuesday that his party will accept benchmarks. But he declined to say whether he would agree to binding consequences if such benchmarks go unmet. "You've asked me if there is an area where there's a potential common ground," McConnell said, "and I think benchmarks are a possibility."
Tags: Democrats, federal funding, Iraq War, President George Bush, Republicans, support troops, veto, presidential veto, To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
The standoff gives Republicans leverage, because even with the liberals' votes, Democrats don't have enough support to override Bush's veto. It will force Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., to seek more Republican help in drafting a new bill that Bush might accept, her allies and opponents say. "I think the Democrats are in a box," Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va., said in an interview Tuesday. "We're pretty resolute on our side. We are not going to tie this funding to any type of withdrawal deadline or any type of redeployment deadline." . . .
"Our members will not accept restraints on the military," House Minority Whip Roy Blunt of Missouri told reporters Tuesday. He suggested tying benchmarks to continued U.S. nonmilitary aid to Iraq, an idea that many Democrats consider too weak. . . . Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky told reporters Tuesday that his party will accept benchmarks. But he declined to say whether he would agree to binding consequences if such benchmarks go unmet. "You've asked me if there is an area where there's a potential common ground," McConnell said, "and I think benchmarks are a possibility."
Tags: Democrats, federal funding, Iraq War, President George Bush, Republicans, support troops, veto, presidential veto, To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
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