For Democrats, Unease Grows Over National Security Policy

[babylonsister]

For Democrats, Unease Grows Over National Security Policy

By DAVID M. HERSZENHORN
Published: May 13, 2009

WASHINGTON — Congressional Democrats are voicing growing unease over the Obama administration’s national security policies, including the seemingly open-ended commitment in Afghanistan and the nettlesome question of what to do with prisoners held at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.

“I am extremely dubious that the administration will be able to accomplish what it wants to accomplish.” - David R. Obey, Democrat of Wisconsin

“What is our policy in Afghanistan? Is it an open-ended commitment to remake the country?” - Jerrold Nadler, Democrat of New York

“We keep asking for a plan. I think the Democrats are nervous just because they haven’t seen a plan yet.” - John P. Murtha, Democrat of Pennsylvania

House leaders have yanked from an emergency military spending bill the $80 million that President Obama requested to close the detention center, saying he had not provided a plan for the more than 200 detainees there. The White House has said the center will close by Jan. 22, 2010.

It is virtually certain that the Democratic majorities, with solid Republican support, will approve $96.7 billion in spending for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and for other military operations.

But with votes in the House on Thursday and in the Senate next week, the discomfort among Democrats points to a harder road ahead for Mr. Obama and the prospect of far more serious rancor if conditions worsen overseas.

The unease, particularly over the war in Afghanistan, is greatest right now in the more liberal ranks of the Democratic caucus and is more evident in the House than in the Senate.

more...

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/14/us/politics/14cong.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper

[ShortnFiery]

1. "Unease" is a massive understatement. nt

[Teaser]

2. maybe for you

.

[bdamomma]

3. take a look at this article

what the hell is going on?

http://rawstory.com/blog/2009/05/obama-considering-indefinite-detention-for-gitmo-prisoners/

Obama considering 'indefinite detention' for Gitmo prisoners

[babylonsister]

4. I no longer trust

that source. They are wrong as much as they are right. They just want to get ahead of any story that might be out there even if they have to make one up.

I bet I could find a story right this second that blows their theory out of the water.

[babylonsister]

5. OK, rawstory

got their info from another 'suspect' source, wsj. They fail to mention that this indefinite detention might apply to only "some" of the detainees. From what I understand, for nat'l security reasons, some of these people can't have a public trial. That might be all we'll ever know. :shrug:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124223286506515765.html

Obama Considers Detaining Terror Suspects Indefinitely

[Thrill]

6. If you're worried about Gitmo, then why the fuck did you cut out the funding he asked for to close

it. Everyone wants to bitch about closing it, yet none of these pricks want them in their state. And then they want to cut funding for closing it.

The Democrats are so tough now. When they didn't do shit the last 7 yrs