The situation isn't about obtaining Republican votes to pass a bill which would end the war (the myth they continually hide behind), but rather NOT PRESENTING A BILL AT ALL. No bill=no money and an end to the war; exactly what the American people want. This does not endanger the safety of our troops or the stability of Iraq, as the money that has already been appropriated will be then used to begin the process of withdraw and the U.S. works with the U.N. and other countries in the region to provide an international peacekeeping and security force.
Upon passage of another supplemental for $50 Billion more the other day, Kucinich released a statement:
“When the American people went to the polls last November, they overwhelmingly voted for Democrats. They voted for Democrats because they wanted to see a new direction in Iraq -- and that direction is out."
"For the past 11 months, all the House Leadership has done is play into President Bush’s hand. They have approved every war funding bill the President has asked for.
“Leadership could have told President Bush they will not continue to fund the war. They could have said: Use the money you already have to bring the troops home. That is what the American people want.
“They did not have to bring a bill to the floor. They could have forced the President to bring the troops home by refusing to provide any money for the war. Enough money exists to bring the troops home -- without further appropriations.
“But by offering the emergency supplemental appropriations bill today, the House Leadership is taking this Congress and this country down the same path: a path of destruction, chaos and death."
He went on to mention the extreme waste in lives and money of this illegitimate war/occupation:
"More than 3,800 Americans have died and more than one million innocent Iraqis have perished in an unjust and unnecessary war. It is commonly accepted that there is no military solution in Iraq, so why are we there?
“Each year this war is getting more and more costly -- both in the amount of money spent and in the number of lives lost. The Congressional Budget Office released a report last month showing the Iraq war could total $1.9 trillion through 2017 and just yesterday the Joint Economic Committee published a report revealing the total economic costs of war could exceed $3.5 trillion through 2017.
He concluded by asking the same painful questions that 70%-80% of all Americans have been asking themselves:
“When will the House Leadership stand up for the American people? How many more lives have to be lost before they stand up to this Administration and refuse to send any more money for the war?”
To which one might add a few other equally painful questions: When will someone other than Kucinich start to tell the truth on this issue and push for an ctual end to this war? When will our Democrats in Congress and running for a highest office stop playing games? When will our politicians put lives above politics?
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