Jack Murtha writes at HuffPo. Whether I agree with Congress’ handling of the Bush administration handling of the Iraq debacle I do believe after meeting Jack Murtha last year, that he does genuinely love those kids in harm’s way. This bill is a tepid effort at best but a start at bringing the troops home
“The funding bill passed by the House of Representatives last week, with a bipartisan vote, makes the proper preparation of our deploying troops a priority and requires the type of shift in their mission that will allow their numbers to be reduced substantially,” said General Sanchez. “Furthermore, the bill puts America on the path to regaining our moral authority by requiring all government employees to abide by the Army Field Manual on interrogations, which is in compliance with the Geneva Conventions.”
As we begin the fifth consecutive holiday season without a redeployment plan from the President, we are faced with two choices. Either we continue, 1,713 days later, to stick with a policy that sacrifices American blood and resources while putting no pressure on the Iraqi Government to make the political, economic, and diplomatic changes necessary for stability. Or we can listen to the American people, pass the Democratic plan to transition our forces, and bring them home by Christmas 2008.
