Levin: Dems ready with second Iraq plan should Bush veto the first

[sabra]

Source: AP

DEARBORN - Democrats in Congress would make another attempt at reducing the American military presence in Iraq should President Bush, as expected, veto current legislation aimed at bringing home U.S. troops, U.S. Sen. Carl Levin said Monday.

The Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman, speaking to reporters following an appearance in Dearborn, said he prefers passage of the current legislation.

But, should the president reject it as he has said he would, Levin said Democrats would go forward with what he called a "second-best approach" to dealing with security issues in Iraq.

The Michigan Democrat said the second bill would tie U.S. economic and military support to the Iraqi government meeting performance benchmarks.

"It's the second-best approach in terms of how to force the Iraqi government to reach a political settlement," he said. "Everyone is saying there is no military solution, yet the president's path is a deepening military presence."

Read more: http://www.lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070416/NEWS01/704160346/1001/news

[babylonsister]

1. This will have the appearance of Dems caving, I'm afraid. I wish

they'd stick to their first-best approach.

[saigon68]

2. No Courage shown here

They need to paint this as war profiteering by draft dodgers

While your kids are killed for oil

[soothsayer]

3. as someone said, pull out the pork, keep the timetables, and resubmit

[Inuca]

6. From everything I heard

without the pork, IT WOULD NOT HAVE PASSED in the House. Maybe things have changed, I do not know, but that's what the situation was a little while back. I am not crazy about compromises either, but somthing OK that works is better than something perfect that does not.

[BobRossi]

4. Gutless no-balls Dems cave.

Cut the fucking funding already! Stop this insane war now!

[John Q. Citizen]

5. The Dems should say take it or leave it. If bush vetos, they won't be sending

another bill. Period.

[Q3JR4]

7. Or they should

just vote and pass a bill (with minor wording changes) that looks and acts the same way.

They need to hit the pavement hard. "Congress has passed a spending bill to fund military operations in Iraq and the president in his great wisdom has vetoed it. mr. president why do you hate the troops so much?"

Turn that tired mantra back on them.

Q3JR4

[Ian David]

8. I have a Plan C

We give Bush everything he asked for, provided he and Cheney agree to resign.