Senate debates Iraq pullout in marathon session:

[Praxius]

Senate debates Iraq pullout in marathon session

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate continued a marathon debate on the Iraq war early on Wednesday aiming for a showdown vote later in the day on a Democratic plan to withdraw combat troops by April 2008. In a rare around-the-clock session that began on Tuesday morning, the debate underscored mounting opposition in Congress to a war most Americans no longer support, as well as Democrats' frustration over their inability to stop it. Republican leaders, using a procedural hurdle, seemed certain to stop a Democratic proposal backed by a majority of the Senate to withdraw U.S. combat troops by April 30, 2008. Even if the withdrawal measure were passed, it likely would face a veto by Republican President George W. Bush. Republicans denounced the all-night debate as a stunt by Democrats who have drawn fire from voters for failing to deliver on a 2006 campaign vow to withdraw troops. In fiery exchanges, Democrats noted that more than 3,600 U.S. soldiers have died in the war, now in its fifth year, and that a change in strategy was needed. "The American people have awoken way before the Senate and they want the nightmare to end. The American people know it's time to responsibly withdraw from Iraq," New Jersey Democrat Robert Menendez said. Republicans warned a troop pullout would embolden terrorists and increase the risk of attack on the United States and said the United States had an obligation to complete the mission in Iraq. "What next, that's the question we should be debating ... What is the consequences of not fulfilling a moral obligation to clean up a mess we helped create," said Oklahoma Republican Tom Coburn. "You can say we don't have that obligation, but we do." As the debate headed into the evening, the drumbeat of opposition to the war was sounded by lawmakers, some war veterans and a small group of protesters who held a candlelight vigil across the street from the U.S. Capitol. A vote to bring debate to a close and move to passage of the withdrawal plan is set for 11 a.m. (1500 GMT) on Wednesday. LEVIN MEASURE Democrats control the Senate 51-49. But they have been unable to prevail because Republicans employed rules requiring 60 votes to clear the way for a vote on the measure offered by Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin, a Michigan Democrat. Under the legislation, an unspecified number of non-combat U.S. troops would stay in Iraq after the withdrawal to help train Iraqi soldiers, conduct counterterrorism missions and protect U.S. diplomats and facilities. The White House has been urging Democrats and wavering Republicans to hold off considering troop withdrawals until mid-September when the Pentagon will deliver a status report on Bush's 7-month-old initiative to secure Baghdad by injecting about 30,000 more soldiers.

I believe the amount of running around, loopholes and long-winded proceedures, which the Republicans still hold control over it would seem, just doesn't seem right to me.... How can the Republicans just brush this all off and continue doing what they're doing, when everything points to the country at least wanting a change in stratigy?

[Praxius]

Oh.... Update already:

BBC NEWS | Americas | US Senate rejects Iraq troop bid

Democrats in the US Senate have failed to force a vote on whether to withdraw troops from Iraq by the end of April, despite a rare all-night debate. Beds, pillows and snacks were brought in for the 24-hour session, aimed at putting pressure on the Republicans who have been blocking the vote. But a crucial handful of Republicans who have criticised the president's Iraq policy refused to back the plan. Republican leaders dismissed the debate as a publicity stunt. Republicans have been blocking a vote on the troop withdrawal by requiring Democrats to clear a procedural hurdle of 60 rather than a simple majority of the Senate's 100 members. Bringing to a close the marathon talks, the senators reached a majority but fell short of the threshold needed to move the proposal forward. Sleepless night Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was on Capitol Hill on Wednesday to lobby members of the Senate and the House of Representatives on Mr Bush's Iraq policy. The legislation, proposed by Democratic senators Carl Levin and Jack Reed, required the withdrawal of most US troops from Iraq by the end of April 2008, with redeployment starting within 120 days of the bill's passage. Even if the measure had been passed, President George W Bush has said he would veto any bill that called on him to set a timetable for withdrawing troops. Opening the round-the-clock debate on Tuesday, Democrat Richard Durbin said: "The Senate spending a sleepless night is no great sacrifice. Soldiers and families who pray for them spend many sleepless nights." But Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said: "Our enemies aren't threatened by talk-a-thons, and our troops deserve better than publicity stunts." Many Republicans have backed Mr Bush's call to wait until a 15 September progress report on Iraq before considering a change in direction.

[xyzer]

What a waste of tax payer dollars this political posturing is? The Iraq 'Surge' has not been underway for more that a couple of weeks and we were supposed to hear a report on progress in the fall, yet these jerks(called Congress Persons) are wasting productive time with this politcal nonsense?
I ask, does it may sense to try to override military decisions before they are allowed play out? Can any policy, much less a military policy, be carried out by several hundred 'arm chair generals thousands of miles from the action?

No wonder the polls show the populace have a dim view of Congress. No wonder this is called the 'do nothing' Congress! They do nothing but posture and preen and have accomplished nothing in the 6 months or so since the Democrat rabble took over.