Capping four days of passionate, often angry debate, the House delivered President Bush its first rebuke since the Iraq war was launched nearly four years ago, voting 246 to 182 to oppose the administration’s planned deployment of 21,500 additional combat troops to Iraq.
Seventeen Republicans joined 229 Democrats to approve a resolution that expresses support for U.S. combat forces but opposes the additional deployments. Two Democrats opposed the measure.…Within minutes of the House vote, the White House issued a response, pointing out that Bush’s plan to send reinforcements to Iraq is supported by the Iraqi government and U.S. military leaders."The President ordered a new way forward in Iraq because he, like most Americans, believed the existing situation in Iraq was unacceptable," said the statement from spokesman Tony Snow. "The President concluded that this new strategy was necessary in order to help the Iraqi government gain control over Baghdad, assume more responsibility for security, and pursue reconciliation of all of Iraq’s communities."
But the message was also a blunt warning to Congress not to move beyond
the nonbinding resolution to cut off funding for U.S. troops.
"Soon, Congress will have the opportunity to show its support for the troops in Iraq by funding the supplemental appropriations request the President has submitted, and which our men and women in combat are counting on," Snow said. "The President believes that the Congress should provide the full funding and flexibility our Armed Forces need to succeed in their mission to protect our country."
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The War in Iraq was undertaken based on distorted information.
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Our country was never in danger from Iraq.
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The pugilist, Saddam Hussein, and his party have been totally destroyed.
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The violence in Iraq at this time is a Civil War.
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They longer we stay, the more the anti-American sentiment.
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American lives are being needlessly sacraficed.
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American resources are being needlessly squandered.
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Bush’s motives in keeping us there are highly suspect [Ego, Oil].
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Bush’s conduct of this war make him hardly an authority on what we should do.
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Bush is threatening to accuse Congress of not supporting our troops.
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No one really believes that our troops’ mission is to protect our country.
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Bush may be looking for a way to escape blame ["Congress did it"].
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and more…
But the message was also a blunt warning to Congress not to move beyond the nonbinding resolution to cut off funding for U.S. troops.
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