New Direction for War: House Democrats Call for Change in Iraq Strategy

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In summary, a debate was held in Congress regarding a war resolution that would bind military personnel to remain in Iraq. House Democratic leaders called for a new direction in the war, while some Republicans saw it as an election year stunt. The resolution was non-binding and had no real impact on the deployment or recall of military personnel. There was also discussion about a recent Supreme Court ruling that protects evidence collected by police who fail to announce themselves, but police professionals do not see a need to change their practices. Lastly, it was noted that Congress often uses non-binding resolutions as a way to appear to address an issue without actually committing to any action.
  • #1
Skyhunter
I would submit that this resolution is binding. It binds the men and women serving in our military to remain as targets in Iraq.

http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/msnbc/sections/news/060616_War_Resolution.pdf

“’Stay the course’ is not a strategy, it’s a slogan,” answered House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi as she called for a new direction in a war she labeled “a grotesque mistake.”
This IMO is the point the GOP leadership missed.
Rep. Vic Snyder, D-Ark., agreed, saying: “We should be having a debate and a discussion on how we will prevail, not just that we want to prevail.”


Obviously this was nothing more than an election year stunt. One would think that a Congress with a 20% approval rating in an election year would be about doing the peoples business. Instead the GOP controlled house is more interested in playing politics than actually accomplishing anything.
Sure enough, within two hours of the House vote, the Republican Senate campaign committee circulated news releases that said Rep. Harold Ford Jr., a Democrat running for an open Senate seat in Tennessee, and Rep. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat challenging Sen. Mike DeWine in Ohio, voted to “cut and run” from Iraq.
I sincerely hope that this backfires right in their face.
 
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  • #2
It's non-binding in the sense that it makes no difference what the House of Representatives states. They have no power to either deploy or recall military personnel.
 
  • #3
I suspect nasty campaigns by both sides, but particularly those closest to Karl Rove. Rove and others will use the “cut and run” mantra, as well as the amendment to 'protect marriage'.

Interestingly, I heard a discussion today about the recent Supreme Court ruling that "protects evidence collected by police who fail to knock and announce themselves. But police professionals say they see no need to change their normal practices. They don't feel handcuffed by existing rules."

Police See No Change in Policy on Searches
by Nina Totenberg
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5493387

It would appear that conservatives who claim police have been hampered by the 'exclusion rule' are out of touch with reality. :rolleyes:
 
  • #4
Congress long ago mastered the art of the non binding resolution to give the voters the impression they were doing something about a publicly disturbing problem without actually committing themselves in any way.
 

1. What is the "New Direction for War" plan proposed by House Democrats?

The "New Direction for War" plan is a strategy proposed by House Democrats in 2007 to change the course of the Iraq War. This plan called for a gradual withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, a shift in focus towards training and supporting Iraqi security forces, and increased diplomatic efforts to stabilize the region.

2. Why did House Democrats call for a change in Iraq strategy?

House Democrats believed that the current strategy in Iraq, which involved a large-scale military presence and continued combat operations, was not achieving its intended goals and was causing unnecessary loss of life and resources. They argued that a new approach was necessary to bring an end to the war and bring stability to the region.

3. Did the "New Direction for War" plan have bipartisan support?

While the plan was primarily proposed by House Democrats, it did gain some support from Republican lawmakers. However, it ultimately did not pass in Congress due to opposition from the Bush administration and other Republicans.

4. How did the Bush administration respond to the "New Direction for War" plan?

The Bush administration strongly opposed the "New Direction for War" plan, arguing that it would undermine the progress made in Iraq and embolden terrorist groups. President Bush also vetoed a version of the plan that was passed by Congress in 2007.

5. Did the "New Direction for War" plan have any impact on the Iraq War?

While the plan did not pass in Congress, it did contribute to the growing public and political pressure to change the strategy in Iraq. It also helped to shape the discussions and decisions made by the Obama administration when they took office in 2009 and began implementing their own plan for ending the war.

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