GOP tries to derail Dems’ use of Iraq amendments in defense authorization

[babylonsister]

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/gop-tries-to-derail-dems-use-of-iraq-amendments-in-defense-authorization-2007-07-11.html

GOP tries to derail Dems’ use of Iraq amendments in defense authorization
By Manu Raju and Roxana Tiron
July 11, 2007

Republicans increasingly divided over President Bush’s war strategy found unity yesterday in a growing procedural battle with Democrats that is now threatening to derail a major defense bill.

Emboldened by Republican defections over the Iraq war, Democrats have been eager to use the annual defense authorization bill as a vehicle to attach restrictions to U.S. involvement in the region.

But efforts to move toward the first of a host of Iraq-related votes broke down yesterday when Republicans demanded that the amendments should have 60 votes in order to win adoption to the overall bill. They argued that by agreeing to the 60-vote threshold, it would ensure the controversial measures could clear any procedural roadblock that could hobble the bill.

Democrats rebuffed the request and offered Republicans a chance to have their own alternative amendments come forward for a vote. By demanding a 60-vote threshold, they said Republicans were trying to delay a bill crucial for troops on the ground, and argued that a simple majority should determine the will of the Senate on the amendments.

“I guess rationality is in the eye of the beholder,” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said after the procedural snag prompted a fresh round of partisan sniping.

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[TwilightGardener]

1. I fucking hate Lady Lindsey Graham for trying to defeat

Webb's amendment. That should be a fucking easy slam-dunk for protecting the troops from overdeployment, but apparently a year to 15 months off between deployments is just too much for the bloodthirsty troop-hating GOPers--hey, why let them come home at all? Let's just keep them there indefinitely, maybe fly thier wives in for conjugal relations once every six months.

[babylonsister]

2. It makes me ill, too; they're talking filibuster. Whatever happened to

'Support The Troops'? I just hope the troops are paying attention to who's stonewalling for politics instead of working for their benefit.:grr: :grr: