Sen. Mark Pryor does not support the Levin/Reid amendment.

[sinkingfeeling]

http://pryor.senate.gov/newsroom/details.cfm?id=279225&

Statement by Senator Mark Pryor On the Levin-Reed Iraq Amendment


I have serious concerns that a public timetable will incite Iraqi insurgents, put our troops in danger and undercut flexibility for commanders on the ground. For this reason, I oppose even the arbitrary timetable set forth by the Levin-Reed amendment. This amendment, while calling for withdrawal of troops, leaves an ambiguous “limited presence” behind for force protection, training and equipping Iraqi Security Forces. No one can define if this limited presence is a significant reduction in forces or a slight reduction of what we have on the ground now.


President Bush has failed to provide our troops with a plan to turn over responsibility to the Iraqi people and bring them home. Therefore, Republicans and Democrats must step in and stop trying to outmaneuver one another to score political points so that the Senate can be part of a solution. That’s why I favor an up-or-down vote on this amendment. The Senate must move past this stalemate and return to work on the Defense Authorization bill. Part of this debate should include a vote on a bipartisan amendment I support to implement the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group. This comprehensive plan provides a more responsible alternative to get the U.S. out of the combat business and into the support, training and equipping business.