Sat May 18 2013
Departments
War

Please don’t throw me in that veto patch
by Mike Ferner
May 7, 2007

As expected, Resident Bush immediately vetoed the Democrats “$100 Billion for the War and An Illusion of Withdrawal Bill” otherwise known as HR1591, but now this?  MoveOn and the DemBoosters are ringing some kind of dizzy alarm: “Emergency Iraq Rally…show our leaders we mean business…tell Congress this is the key moment to stand strong against the President’s veto.”

Come again?!

For all the wrong reasons The Pretender has briefly delayed the next payment of war money and created a momentary crisis among the Empire’s leadership.  OK, so don’t pin a medal on the guy, but at least define the current state of affairs as one to take advantage of: get serious about occupying local Congressional offices, tying up traffic, shutting down universities – resisting as if…well, as if lives depended on it.

Let’s examine what the Terrorist-in-Chief vetoed.

To demonstrate his iron will, he rejected a pathetic bill designed to a) keep the money and the blood flowing in Iraq, and b) hoodwink war opponents into thinking it will end the war.  For that we’re supposed to urge the peoples’ champions, that pusillanimous pack of Congressional invertebrates to “stand strong?”  (Insert expletive here)

Last November, a wave of popular outrage against the war swept the Democratic Party into control of the House and the Senate.  This should have been all the backbone they needed to stand strong.  But instead of using their powerful mandate to end the war, the Democratic leadership gave us HR 1591, the very embodiment of arrogance towards voters and submission to Empire.  To wit:

• Before troops can be deployed to Iraq, Army and Marine commanders must certify in writing that they are “fully mission capable”…unless Shrub says “for reasons of national security” they’re good to go.

• Deployments to Iraq will be limited to no more than one year for the Army and 210 days for the Marines…unless Shrub says “for reasons of national security,” they’re needed longer.

• After each tour of duty in Iraq, Army units will get a minimum of 365 days back home, Marines 210 days…unless Shrub says “for reasons of national security” they’re needed sooner.

HR 1591 would also have made this the first thoroughly “benchmarked” war in the nation’s history, requiring the Mad Bomber to determine on or before July 1, 2007:  

“(1) whether the Government of Iraq has given United States Armed Forces and Iraqi Security Forces the authority to pursue all extremists, including Sunni insurgents and Shiite militias, and is making substantial progress in delivering necessary Iraqi Security Forces for Baghdad and protecting such Forces from political interference; intensifying efforts to build balanced security forces throughout Iraq that provide even-handed security for all Iraqis; ensuring that Iraq’s political authorities are not undermining or making false accusations against members of the Iraqi Security Forces; eliminating militia control of local security; establishing a strong militia disarmament program; ensuring fair and just enforcement of laws; establishing political, media, economic, and service committees in support of the Baghdad Security Plan; and eradicating safe havens;

(2) whether the Government of Iraq is making substantial progress in meeting its commitment to pursue reconciliation initiatives, including enactment of a hydro-carbon law; adoption of legislation necessary for the conduct of provincial and local elections; reform of current laws governing the de-Baathification process; amendment of the Constitution of Iraq; and allocation of Iraqi revenues for reconstruction projects;

(3) whether the Government of Iraq and United States Armed Forces are making substantial progress in reducing the level of sectarian violence in Iraq; and

(4) whether the Government of Iraq is ensuring the rights of minority political parties in the Iraqi Parliament are protected.”

After this list of, to be charitable, somewhat slippery requirements, Congressional Democrats then laid their clever trap that will bring the troops home: “If the President fails to make any of the (above) determinations…the Secretary of Defense shall commence the redeployment of the Armed Forces from Iraq no later than July 1, 2007, with a goal of completing such redeployment within 180 days.

If the President makes the determinations specified (above)…the Secretary of Defense shall commence the redeployment of the Armed Forces from Iraq not later than October 1, 2007, with a goal of completing such redeployment within 180 days.”

Except that what’s even more clever is how they define a withdrawal from Iraq: “After the conclusion of the redeployment…the Secretary of Defense may not deploy or maintain members of the Armed Forces in Iraq for any purpose other than the following:

• Protecting American diplomatic facilities and American citizens, including members of the U.S. armed forces

• Serving in roles consistent with customary diplomatic positions

• Engaging in targeted special actions limited in duration and scope to killing or capturing members of al-Qaeda and other terrorist organizations with global reach

• Training and equipping members of the Iraqi Security Forces.”

In case you’re still waiting for the punch line to a sick joke, you can read it for yourself here: http://appropriations.house.gov/ and click on “Iraq Language.”

Maybe Congressional Democrats are playing their version of “Gotcha” while they set up what they hope will be a Democratic White House in ‘08.  Maybe, giving them every benefit of the doubt, they figured this was the best they could get majority support for.  In the final analysis it doesn’t matter.  What matters is that we’ve not yet thrown a big enough wrench into business as usual nor made the nation ungovernable until the war is ended.  What matters is that many more people will be killed and maimed until we do.

---
Mike Ferner is an Ohio writer.  His book, “Inside the Red Zone: A Veteran For Peace Reports from Iraq” is available on his website www.mikeferner.org




Recent War Articles

Pentagon cover up: 15,000 or more US deaths in Iraq war?
  December 17, 2007
  Mike Whitney

Iraq's million
  December 6, 2007
  Robert C. Koehler

Talking with two who walk the walk
  November 29, 2007
  David Swanson

Baghdad in middle America
  November 15, 2007
  Robert C. Koehler

Understanding the next war money vote
  November 10, 2007
  David Swanson

Jonesborough justice
  October 31, 2007
  David Swanson

Ann Wright’s conscience: former colonel and diplomat against Iraq war
  October 29, 2007
  Seth Sandronsky

Open letter to the government from an AWOL soldier
  October 21, 2007
  James Circello, Iraq Veterans Against The War

Constitution, flag, and leaving Iraq
  October 7, 2007
  David Swanson

Whistleblowers on tape
  September 30, 2007
  David Swanson

Observing our government through Blackwater
  September 26, 2007
  David Swanson

"Funding the war is killing the troops": interrupting the empire 30 seconds at a time
  September 26, 2007
  Mike Ferner

We have nothing but fear itself
  September 24, 2007
  David Swanson

Sanity in tiny nibbles
  September 21, 2007
  Robert C. Koehler

Can we talk? Day one of IVAW's "Truth in Recruiting" campaign
  September 20, 2007
  Mike Ferner

New day in the anti-war movement?
  September 19, 2007
  Mike Ferner

Bush’s fake sheik whacked: the Surge and the Al Qaeda bunny
  September 18, 2007
  Greg Palast

Iraq: the people's report
  September 11, 2007
  Sue Udry

Questions for General Petraeus
  September 10, 2007
  David Swanson

My son, back from Iraq, lives on tower on National Mall
  September 1, 2007
  Mary Hanna

Creative destruction
  August 16, 2007
  Robert C. Koehler

300 towns, cities, states oppose Iraq occupation
  August 1, 2007
  David Swanson

Reparations
  July 30, 2007
  David Swanson

Democrats as Leviathan: another step toward war with Iran
  July 23, 2007
  Joshua Frank

We will sit in for impeachment
  July 5, 2007
  David Swanson

Gorilla suit
  July 3, 2007
  Robert C. Koehler

Peace movement comes to US Social Forum
  June 29, 2007
  David Swanson

The hearts of all sane men
  June 21, 2007
  Robert C. Koehler

Belief and doubt
  June 15, 2007
  Robert C. Koehler

Sen. Clinton wants troops in Iraq for at least 10 years
  June 13, 2007
  David Swanson

This is not a story about Cindy Sheehan
  June 5, 2007
  Sunsara Taylor

The holy occupation of Iraq
  May 29, 2007
  David Swanson

Why I voted "no"
  May 27, 2007
  Sen. Barbara Boxer

For five years we've called it blood for oil
  May 16, 2007
  David Swanson

Collateral genocide
  May 12, 2007
  Mike Ferner

Please don’t throw me in that veto patch
  May 7, 2007
  Mike Ferner

Anti-U.S. uproar sweeps Italy
  May 5, 2007
  David Swanson

Knee-deep blood in the land of make-believe
  April 26, 2007
  Carla Binion

Tax day protests and refusing to pay for war
  April 16, 2007
  Ruth Benn

You can't hurt a troop by defunding a war
  April 12, 2007
  David Swanson

Iraq veterans speak in Columbus, OH 3-17-07
  April 11, 2007
  Veterans

Iraq @ 4: It's Not About the Troops - Either Way
  March 26, 2007
  David Caploe

Progressives stand strong against funding war
  March 23, 2007
  David Swanson

No mo money for war
  March 16, 2007
  David Swanson

Sacrificing our children on the altar of corporate greed
  March 15, 2007
  David E. Washburn

Only nonviolence will end the war
  March 14, 2007
  David Swanson

The war money can be stopped
  March 10, 2007
  David Swanson

How will you end this war?
  March 10, 2007
  Tina Richards

Congressman Obey says "Idiot Liberals" need to support war money
  March 9, 2007
  David Swanson

Former Pentagon staff speaks out on crimes of Doug Feith, Dick Cheney, and planning of Iran War
  March 6, 2007
  David Swanson

I'm more pro-troop than you are
  March 3, 2007
  David Swanson

Only nonviolence will end the war
  February 28, 2007
  David Swanson

Cindy Sheehan, George Will, and loving your enemies
  February 26, 2007
  David Swanson

No, seriously, why did we invade Iraq?
  February 22, 2007
  David E. Washburn

Lord knows we've suffered enough already: keep them out of Ohio!
  February 18, 2007
  Mike Ferner

Murtha only intends to undo the escalation
  February 17, 2007
  David Swanson

Shut up and stop the war
  February 14, 2007
  David Swanson

100 Senators quietly vote: majority oppose escalation
  February 10, 2007
  David Swanson

Dems change the gas and claim it's a new car
  February 9, 2007
  David Swanson

A world that works for everybody
  February 7, 2007
  Robert C. Koehler

D.C. demonstration
  January 30, 2007
  John Conyers, Jr.

How we can end the occupation of Iraq
  January 23, 2007
  David Swanson

Dear Mr. President: Send Even MORE Troops (and you go, too!) ...from Michael Moore
  January 22, 2007
  Michael Moore

The Kucinich Plan for Iraq
  January 17, 2007
  Dennis J. Kucinich

An Iraq jobs program?
  January 16, 2007
  Seth Sandronsky

Waist deep in the big muddy
  January 12, 2007
  Greg Palast

Out of Iraq and back to the American city
  January 11, 2007
  Dennis J. Kucinich

If not now, when?
  January 10, 2007
  Mike Ferner

Mr. President, surge this
  January 10, 2007
  David Swanson

3,000 lights delivered to Rep. Marcy Kaptur
  January 5, 2007
  Northwest Ohio Peace Coalition

3,000 lights for 3,000 killed in Iraq
  January 1, 2007
  Peggy Daly-Masternak




Read War Articles by Year:
2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000



FREE PRESS EMAIL UPDATE


Donate to the Free Press Election Protection Fund to help us investigate and monitor election fraud in this year's election.


Donate to The Free Press The Free Press Store

FOLLOW US ON
twitter
facebook


SEARCH THE FREEPRESS




1021 E. Broad St. Columbus, OH 43205 | 614.253.2571 | truth@freepress.org
All content © 1970-2012 The Columbus Free Press
Disclaimer