Senate Democrats plan probes into Iraq war

[gully]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Accusing Republicans of failing to adequately monitor the conduct of the war in
Iraq, Senate Democrats on Wednesday announced their own series of hearings into what they called a failed policy.

"Three years into war, the American people still don't have a clear picture of what's gone wrong in Iraq -- or how to set it right," said Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada.

"We've been going backward for too long," he said.

Democrats said they had invited Republicans to attend the hearings, which will start in Washington on Monday and move across the country in October and November -- before and after the November 7 congressional elections in which control of both houses are at stake.

Reid and other top Democrats told a news conference the current Congress had conducted fewer oversight hearings than previous wartime Congresses. They said lawmakers held 152 days of hearings on the Korean War and 328 days on Vietnam.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060920/pl_nm/iraq_usa_congress_dc

Didn't see this posted yet?

[MannyGoldstein]

1. And Monkeys Might Fly Out of My Butt

I'm sure that it will go just as far as the vote on demanding that The Smirk boot Rumsfeld.

A bunch of craven cowards.

[gully]

2. Well, I shall await the great monkey flight on Monday.

Though, you might want to reserve the monkeys for the media coverage that wont take place on this issue?
They like to perpetuate the "do nothing democrats" myth.

[MannyGoldstein]

3. I'd Love For The Monkeys to Fly - But...

Oh come on - why is this particular bold masterstroke going to occur, when all of the others have come to naught? What have the Congressional Dems done to slow or stop the unprecedented evil of the Rethugs? Besides worshipping the Golden Triangle every morning? Introducing bills to outlaw flag burning? Hopping on the Patriot Act bandwagon? Fleeing from doing their duty on FISA?

Feh.

They could be replaced by empty beer bottles and it would take weeks to tell the difference.

[gully]

4. You do realize that we are a minority party with no subpoena power,

right?

Vote for Democrats to take the house and see what they will do, huh?

By the way - THE HEARINGS BEGIN ON MONDAY.

Democrats said they had invited Republicans to attend the hearings, which will start in Washington on Monday and move across the country in October and November -- before and after the November 7 congressional elections in which control of both houses are at stake.

Better grease that hinder of yours. ;)

[MannyGoldstein]

9. True - But Does it Matter?

The Dems have signed on to the most egregious sins of Congress, and refused to even try to curb the excesses.

[gully]

12. Bullshit.

Over 130 dems voted against the war - for example, most in congress.

[MannyGoldstein]

15. Oh Good

Slightly more than half voted against an insane war of choice based on fairy tales.

[gully]

16. Slightly more than half and just ONE Republican, in spite of being lied to

about the "danger" Iraq posed against American citizens.
In spite of being told Saddam had connections to 911.
In spite of "Colon" Powell's lies before the UN.

And in spite of being assured it was a vote to go to war only - "as a last resort" and "after inspections proved intelligence correct." Most presumed that we'd be voting to authorize inspections, I don't think they anticipated war without a rationale.

Under the circumstances, I'd say half is quite amazing.

I like your blog, but your rhetoric here seems counter productive?

[magellan]

7. LOL

Yep, I'd like my nickel back on all but a few of them.

[gully]

8. So you think if we take back the congress/senate things will

go along as they have?

[magellan]

17. Yes

Oh, the brakes might come on a bit. But I don't see them going after Bush** et al for any of the treasonous acts already committed. Reid and Pelosi have said as much, if it wasn't made crystal clear by the lack of support for Feingold's censure measure.

Bush** will keep doing what he's doing, and no one will lift a hand to stop him other than to have some more investigations that go nowhere.

Sorry, but I've seen enough not to get my hopes up anymore. What the Dems have enabled, and what they've refused to raise the roof about, has left me feeling little more than despair at the likely course of this country.

[gully]

18. We disagree.

I don't know why those without hope bother to participate? I guess that's the "hope" of some Republicans. If we assume that on the one hand R's are in charge, on the other "do nothing democrats" will sit on their ass why bother? Not much of a choice with that view point.

As for me, I have hope that Conyers and others will take the Bushies to the wood shed, if given an opportunity.

[magellan]

19. Recently I participate to vent my frustration

...in hopes someone important might take it seriously rather than dismissing it. I'm not the only one feeling this way. I'm not the only one who believes this country no longer has a functioning opposition party.

We couldn't even get the Dem leadership interested in election fraud till just a few short months ago...and most STILL don't understand it fully. It's not just the DREs, it's the optical scanners too -- anything where the ballot is read into tabulator software is at high risk.

People are still saying, 'All we need is a huge win to counteract manipulation!' That attitude is fraught with ignorance. We've seen firsthand how the public can be made to believe that a certain issue turned the vote. You only know for sure how you voted. Plausible deniability is all the Right needs to pull it off. By the time we could begin to prove fraud it's too late, the electoral college votes have been made official.

Remember Ohio. The election was disputed. And then everyone went back to their seats and voted to approve OH's results. :wtf:

Now, you can tell me I'm playing the Republican's game and huff and puff at me all you like. That isn't going to change my distress and utter disappointment with the Democrats. It's been a couple of years coming, a couple of years watching them mealy-mouth the horrendous issues while I write letters and make phone calls and sign petitions, a couple of years waiting for them to step to the plate and stand on something other than the powder they're keeping dry for the big fight.

Well, here it is. '06 Midterms. And I'm expected to toe an imaginary line for people who can't get their act together enough to even say with one clear voice: ENOUGH! What this administration is doing is NOT all right, it's CRIMINAL, Bush** is a LIAR, and we're going to go after him the FIRST CHANCE WE GET.

Pardon me my lack of exuberance and faith.

[gully]

20. Tough to function when we have no power and no press.

See how we "function" when we take back the house. My link below will give you SOME indication of what we can and will be able to do.

A note from John Conyers: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=2186902&mesg_id=2186902

"There is no clearer indication that our country urgently needs new leadership, and oversight, in Congress." ~ John Conyers ~ today.

As for Ohio and elections in general, fraud can't be PROVEN when the votes disappear thus the demand for a paper trail. The only hope in such case would be an all out confession, and I'm not holding my breath.

As far as I'm concerned it's not about a lack of "exuberance and faith," it's about a lack of understanding regarding the situation we're in as a minority party.

[EarthNeedsHope]

5. Wait'll we get Bernie in the Senate

He will exert his strength.

[gully]

6. And Conyers in a position of authority.

eom

[EarthNeedsHope]

10. I'm worried about that

I read a news article that said Reid and Pelosi are trying to reign him in and stop him from doing impeachment hearings. I hope he fights back hard; he's a civil rights lion -- he shouldn't allow a bunch of establishment-crats stop him from fighting for justice (he didn't let that stop him in the 60's).

[gully]

11. Wrong, they're trying not to make it an election issue.

Believe me he'll do what he needs to when the time comes.

[EarthNeedsHope]

13. I hope you are right and your faith is right-on.

nt

[gully]

14. Welcome by the way.

I hope we get the chance to find out.