Biden Urges Congress to Narrow Bush’s Iraq Authority
EmailABC News’ Teddy Davis and Matthew Zavala Report: Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., a Democratic presidential candidate who voted to authorize the use of force in Iraq, called on Congress to revisit its 2002 grant of authority in a Thursday speech to the Brookings Institution.
"The 2002 authorization is no longer relevant to the situation in Iraq," said Biden. "I am working on legislation to repeal that authorization and replace it with a much narrower mission statement for our troops in Iraq. Congress should make clear what the mission of our troops is: to responsibly draw down, while continuing to combat terrorists, train Iraqis and respond to emergencies."
Biden argued that the 2002 authorization has lost its relevance because the original purposes for which it was granted have either been fulfilled or were never present.
"The WMD were not there," said Biden. "Saddam Hussein is no longer there."
When Biden was asked following his speech whether he disputes President Bush’s Wednesday contention that Iran is supplying weapons to insurgents in Iraq, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said he remembers being informed of such charges "two years ago."
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Atta boy Joe! Work on your new proposal some more.
I’m sure GI Joe and GI Jane won’t mind dodging bullets and IED debris until you guys freakin do something.
Keep in mind, Joe, that even though the dead can’t vote, their families can. And wounded people CAN vote.
Good luck in 08.
Posted by: GeorgeMBush | February 15, 2007, 5:09 pm 5:09 pm
Joe Biden is our best bet for President. Hillary is second best.
The Republicans are going to have hell to pay when all their crooked backroom deals are brought into the light. Remember the MILLIONS of missing US money found in Iraq? Is there anyone who can explain where it all went or whose pocket it ended up in…..Hey, Stay the course:) Right George.
Posted by: judy e. | February 15, 2007, 8:04 pm 8:04 pm
Yes, pull out of Iraq before the job is done. Then wait until the insurgents and terrorists build again and come to New York or LA.
You Democrats never learn do you?
Posted by: Kottaras | February 15, 2007, 11:39 pm 11:39 pm
I support anything done by the Democrats (and responsbile Republicans) to end the Iraq misadventure. Trillions of dollars and thousands of American lives does not seem a good price to pay in order to insure the Bush legacy. Bush will deserve the judgement of history – and that is as the worst President of the last 100 years.
Posted by: Dirik Lolkus | February 15, 2007, 11:50 pm 11:50 pm
Biden’s proposal makes sense. The existing authorization is obsolete as it was based on misinformation and misrepresentation. It is time to start getting us out of the Iraq misadventure. I don’t believe that a trillion dollars and thousands of lives is a very good trade off for the President’s ego. History will judge him harshly…in the meanwhile, it is time for Congress to begin the process of accountability, a proces that has been missing for some time.
Posted by: Dirik Lolkus | February 15, 2007, 11:59 pm 11:59 pm
I voted for Cheney and Bush to lead this country, not mislead it. I fear we are in an awful mess from which we can extricate ourselves in any of several ways. There is no higher cost on earth than following this absurd Bush administration policies.
The following are 2 routes which are clearly better than the Bush ‘plan’:
1. (Cheapest and Best)
Impeach Cheney first, then Bush. They have willfully acted to the detriment of the USA, including acts of perjury, domestic spying, willful disregard for American safety and interests, and broken many laws (crimes and isdemeanors). We could Apologise to the international community via congressional resolution. Congress needs to clarify limitations to the powers of the presidency, which have clearly been overextended. Our founding fathers never imagined the political party aspect which allows for such concentration of power in one place. The George W Bush administration has made the presidency close to a dictatorship which is feared by a lot of citizens. This series of actions would let America save face and it would be reasonably successful. We would no longer be a target of hatred for our national arrogance, and the vast expense of war would come to an end. The only losers would be the war profiteers and certain of us Republicans who are misguided.
2. (not so cheap, but workable. Costs $100 billion Dollars))
Begin a “Victory in Vietnam” style withdrawl activity. Set up a $10 billion dollar rebuilding fund to be overseen by a neutral party/country to aid people in the Iraq region get on with their lives. Spend the other $100 billion dollars here in the USA.
About the only other alternative at the other end of the spectrum is:
Go along with Bush. Invade ‘em all
(all the ones He doesnt like or who dont agree with him) and urge the invaded country to hang their leaders. Continuing to follow the Bush Administration is beyond cost, reason, or decency.
Posted by: scot abbott | February 16, 2007, 1:58 pm 1:58 pm
Kottaras:
How about we bring all of our troops home and station them along the border. Then we actually REALLY increase security at our seaports, airports, train stations…
That way we’re prepared when the terrorists come a-knockin’.
Posted by: Doug | February 16, 2007, 4:56 pm 4:56 pm
Great thinking Doug, but which borders will you protect first. Is it not best to stop them before even getting to your borders?
Posted by: Kottaras | February 16, 2007, 6:18 pm 6:18 pm
Senator Biden agrees with me:
“We gave the President that power to destroy Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction and, if necessary, to depose Saddam Hussein.
The WMD were not there. Saddam Hussein is no longer there. The 2002 authorization is no longer relevant to the situation in Iraq.”
No need to re-write the original Oct 2002 authorization of the use of force on Iraq. Ever since Saddam was captured in December of ‘03, that authorization has been exceeded by our unauthorized occupation. So, ip so facto, Bush-Cheney’s policies have violated the limits of that constitutional authority, and should be awarded no further funding.
Posted by: Vigilante | February 20, 2007, 11:43 pm 11:43 pm
I never believe anything Joe Biden says.Barack Obama may or may not be clean. Biden needs to have some more electrodes stuck to his head and power turned on.
Posted by: Jack Kinch | February 21, 2007, 3:12 pm 3:12 pm