Text of the *real* Murtha resolution versus the text of the GOP sham:

[Lex]

Murtha's REAL resolution:

Whereas Congress and the American People have not been shown clear, measurable progress toward establishment of stable and improving security in Iraq or of a stable and improving economy in Iraq, both of which are essential to "promote the emergence of a democratic government";

Whereas additional stabilization in Iraq by U, S. military forces cannot be achieved without the deployment of hundreds of thousands of additional U S. troops, which in turn cannot be achieved without a military draft;

Whereas more than $277 billion has been appropriated by the United States Congress to prosecute U.S. military action in Iraq and Afghanistan;

Whereas, as of the drafting of this resolution, 2,079 U.S. troops have been killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom;

Whereas U.S. forces have become the target of the insurgency,

Whereas, according to recent polls, over 80% of the Iraqi people want U.S. forces out of Iraq;

Whereas polls also indicate that 45% of the Iraqi people feel that the attacks on U.S. forces are justified;

Whereas, due to the foregoing, Congress finds it evident that continuing U.S. military action in Iraq is not in the best interests of the United States of America, the people of Iraq, or the Persian Gulf Region, which were cited in Public Law 107-243 as justification for undertaking such action;

Therefore be it Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That:

Section 1. The deployment of United States forces in Iraq, by direction of Congress, is hereby terminated and the forces involved are to be redeployed at the earliest practicable date.

Section 2. A quick-reaction U.S. force and an over-the-horizon presence of U.S Marines shall be deployed in the region.

Section 3 The United States of America shall pursue security and stability in Iraq through diplomacy.


----------------------------


The Republican sham resolution:


RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that
the deployment of United States forces in Iraq be terminated immediately.

Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that the deployment of United States forces
in Iraq be terminated immediately.

[uppityperson]

1. kick and nominated and bookmarked. Many thanks. nt

[gristy]

2. thanks for this

The contrast is stark.

[stevedeshazer]

3. Boy Howdy.

That ought to be on the front page of every goddam newspaper in the WORLD.

Lazy Republican assholes can't even write a decent two sentences.

K & R

[Lex]

5. The Republicans were really trying to pull a fast one.

Talk about playing politics with the war.

[FreedomAngel82]

21. It should be obvious to everyone now

What they care about more. I found it amazing how fast they wrote the bill and was wanting to vote on it. No debates or anything! Ugh!

[Nothing Without Hope]

8. We said "Boy Howdy" where I grew up in Texas. Now it makes me think

of that outraged Dem Rep last night expressing his disgust with a "Howdy Doody-looking nimrod" colleague. So much better than Cheney's flat, chilling "go fuck yourself," also on the floor of Congress.

I STILL say "Boy Howdy," but now it's going to have some additional overtones for me. :evilgrin:

[stevedeshazer]

4. kick, everyone should read this

:kick:

[Nothing Without Hope]

6. Recommended. Very important. And be sure to watch Kucinich's outrage

over this sorry, shameless stunt:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5399148

[Lex]

7. Thanks for the link.

What a sorry, shameless stunt it was too. It backfired, though. I really believe it did.

[FreedomAngel82]

22. Oh that was great!!

Loved it! He did awesome!

[Cerridwen]

9. Thank you!

I just used this information to set the record straight at one media outlet which is already trying to spin the murtha=immediate withdrawal=democrats=cut-and-run horse hockey.



:hi:

[Lex]

10. Unfortunately, I think people are falling for the Repuke trap.

They are thinking the resolution last night was the Murtha resolution when, in fact, his resolution was different in important ways.

[Cerridwen]

11. I've noticed it all over; some on DU, too.

I guess we'll just have to keep setting them straight.

:hi:

[sandnsea]

15. It's intentional

I should make a list because as far as I'm concerned, anybody who doesn't support the no vote last night is either completely stupid or a right wing mole.

[FreedomAngel82]

24. They tried to do that

I watched it a good bit last night and they tried to do that. There was one guy talking about the Murtha resolution and a democratic congressman (not sure who he was) had to ask for clairfication on what they were talking about to stop them.

[sandnsea]

12. Read Section 2

Several times. Slowly. Until it sinks in. We need to turn Iraq over and come home. Not redeploy to Turkey or Afghanistan and keep sending troops in and out of Iraq.

Section 2. A quick-reaction U.S. force and an over-the-horizon presence of U.S Marines shall be deployed in the region.

[Lex]

13. So that there is not a total vacuum of power in Iraq --like Afghanistan

which is what gave the Taliban the chance to move in and take over.

He is saying if we have to re-deploy some quick-reaction US troops to quell something like that, we should.

[sandnsea]

14. It'll never stop

We either completely turn the country over and leave, even if we do it incrementally, or we'll be stuck there forever. As long as they think we're taking sides or behind this faction or that, there will be violence. They need to see us turn sections over completely and then stay out of their business and go home.

[Lex]

16. Were you for toppling the Taliban in Afghanistan after 9/11?

I'm sincerely asking, not being flame-y.

[sandnsea]

17. Irrelevant

Has nothing to do with the best way to leave Iraq and avoid a repeat of Afghanistan.

[Lex]

18. You're missing the point.

The way we leave Iraq when we leave has A LOT to do with what happened in Afghanistan. You seriously don't understand how this is relevant?

The power vacuum that could be left in Iraq is exactly what happened in Afghanistan when the Soviet Union pulled out of there. It is what led to the Taliban taking over in Afghanistan and Osama Bin Laden coming to power.

You can't just pull out of Iraq, leave them to a civil war, and stand by while something like the Taliban takes over in that country.

That is what Murtha understands too.

[sandnsea]

19. Supporting the Afghanistan war isn't relevant

That's what you asked and that's what I said was irrelevant. Whether a terrorist supporting regime takes over in Iraq is another issue, separate of whether I supported war in Afghanistan.

A year ago there may have been hope of setting up a government to avoid the scenario you describe. It's why I have always supported working towards a stable government with international cooperation. That only would have happened with a Democratic White House. Now, I don't see it. Other than tripling our efforts in Afghanistan in an effort to show that we really do care about people's lives, the Middle East is nothing but a big sucking hole. Iraq is going to be governed by Iranian sympathizers and there's little we can do about it. The only hope is to turn it over gradually and leave, so that maybe they will develop loyalty to their country instead of their local tribes and religions. Whether they do or don't, we're still gone. And the ME will have to decide whether they want to be fundamentalists or not.

[Lex]

23. You said, "the Middle East is nothing but a big sucking hole"

I just don't think we can legitmately throw our hands up and say "Whatever" and leave completely, totally, and without any further involvement politically.

I agree with your other statement that we ought to be "working towards a stable government with international cooperation" however.

Also I agree that this group of criminals, thieves and warmongers in power are incapable of putting together international support of ANYthing.

[sandnsea]

25. Theoretically, sure

But we're in the world of reality and keeping military troops in the ME, at this point in time, is not going to work. Maybe, over a period of months as we phase out our troops, the sentiment would change. That's the very best we can hope for. But pulling them out and putting them "over the horizon"??? No, they aren't that foolish. Won't work. Unless we put them all in Afghanistan and get damned busy building that country the way we should have to begin with.

[FreedomAngel82]

27. Earlier this year

John Kerry went to the mid east and talked to all the leaders there. I remember he came back and told how they were ready to help with the boarders. We should ask them for help. Kerry said the leaders were surprised that Bush hadn't asked them for help yet. We should definietly take them on their offer when we leave.

[sandnsea]

30. The region should help

Maybe they would if they saw us actually leaving, sector by sector. But just over the horizon?? I'm not so sure. It'd be better than what we have now and I would support it as an alternative to Bush's staying forever, but I don't think it's going to be a real solution.

[FreedomAngel82]

26. I agree

I still remember late last year in December watching a Brokaw special on all he's seen in his years of tv journalism and he was in Iraq in the very beginning and he went to a small group of guys I'd say in their mid twenties to early thirties and he asked them what they thought and I remember one guy said: "I'd like to fight the Americans. Not the people but the government." Ever since then I knew that things would be hell and once we left it would stop. Most of the "insurgents" are Iraqi's telling us to leave.

[FreedomAngel82]

20. Love it!

Go Murtha!

[JWS]

28. Man Repug's sure know how to shoot selves in feet.

That was a really transparently ugly piece of legislation that I think most people will see right through. Especially compared to Murtha's heartfelt expression of worry and duty.

[Joey Liberal]

29. The republicans are pathetic and dangerous

What an insult to Murtha, the Congress and the American People.

[Gold Metal Flake]

31. Kicking

I just had to find this to print it out. Kicking for others who need it for reference.

[Lex]

32. bumping for HeeBGBz

nt

[HeeBGBz]

33. Thanks Lex! It's very helpful. n/t