Feb 12, 2007: Tell your Rep. to support Skelton-Lantos!
As we told you last Friday, the House of Representatives is set to vote at the end of this week on a resolution introduced by Missouri Representative Ike Skelton and California Representative Tom Lantos criticizing President Bush’s escalation of the war in Iraq. Please tell your Representatives to support the Skelton-Lantos resolution (H Con Res 63) opposing sending more troops to Iraq. You can call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard toll-free at 866-340-9281 and they will connect you to your Representative.
Feb 9, 2007: Iran Let's Talk, Not Attack
Recent comments from the Bush administration and media reports indicate the working group in the National Security Council focused on raising international outrage against Iran is beginning a new spin cycle.
Feb 8, 2007: House to vote on Iraq the week of February 12
The House of Representatives is expected to cast its first votes this year on Iraq the week of February 12. Debate is scheduled for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday that week, with the final vote expected on Thursday. While the final wording of the resolution is not public as yet, our sources tell us it will denounce President Bush’s plan to send more troops to Iraq.
Feb 1, 2007: The New Warner Resolution vs. The Old Warner Resolution
Two competing resolutions have now been combined into one: S.Con. Res. 7 introduced by Sen. Warner (R-VA) and co-sponsored by Nelson (D-NE), Collins (R-ME), Levin (D-MI) and Snowe (R-ME). The new resolution is also being sponsored by Biden (D-DE), the original co-sponsor of a competing resolution. Thus the major vote is expected on this position, although pro-war Republicans (and Lieberman) will offer alternatives.
Feb 1, 2007: 6 years later, Hart laments status of national security
It was six years ago when a commission led by former Colorado Sen. Gary Hart completed a report, predicting a catastrophic terrorist attack on the U.S. and calling for sweeping changes to protect the homeland. The U.S. Commission on National Security/21st Century report received some attention after its release, but it got far more nearly eight months later, when the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks turned homeland security into household words. On Tuesday, Hart noted the anniversary of the report. But he did so with great lament. At a House Appropriations subcommittee, he testified that the U.S. government had adopted only a handful of the 50 recommendations.
Jan 29, 2007: Father Drinan Obituaries
Obituaries from several major news sources including the Boston Globe, Washington Post, Associated Press, Bloomberg News, and United Press International.
Jan 26, 2007: Iraq War polls
One international poll on the United States' image abroad and five nation-wide polls on the Iraq War: CBS News Poll from January 22, 2007; CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll from January 22, 2007; Newsweek/Princeton Survey Research Associates International Poll from January 19, 2007; Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg Poll from January 17, 2007; and a Pew Research Center/NPR poll from January 16, 2007.
Jan 25, 2007: Senate Foreign Relations Committee Approves Biden resolution
The good news is that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has passed the Biden-Hagel-Levin-Snowe resolution by a vote of 12 ayes to 9 nays. The bad news is that Sen. Hagel (R-NE) was the only Republican senator to vote in favor of the final version of the resolution during the committee markup session.
Jan 24, 2007: Excerpt: Bush State of the Union Message on Iraq
Jan 16, 2007: Iraq Escalation polls
Six nation-wide polls on President Bush's troop escalation in Iraq: USA Today/Gallup Poll from January 15, 2007; CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll from January 12, 2007; Washington Post-ABC News poll from January 11, 2007; Associate Press-Ipsos poll from January 11, 2007; USA Today/Gallup poll from January 9, 2007; and a CBS News poll from January 8, 2007.
Jan 16, 2007: Statements on Iraq Escalation Plan
President Bush's plan to send an additional 21,500 US soldiers to Iraq -- touted as a "surge" strategy to gain control on the ground -- has prompted some unexpected stances from legislators on both sides of the aisle on Capitol Hill.
Jan 10, 2007: Troop Surge in Iraq: Just Another Escalation
An obvious weakness of this plan is that focusing on securing Baghdad could simply push insurgents out of the city and into the surrounding provinces of al Anbar, Diyala, and Salah ad Din.
Jan 10, 2007: A Surge of Constitutionalism by Gary Hart
President Bush's decision to escalate the war, and to further Americanize it, is based on his flawed and dangerous theory of the "unitary presidency," a theory under which, once war is declared, the president as commander-in-chief can ignore constitutional checks and balances, disregard the bill of rights, suspend accountability, and concentrate dictatorial power in his own hands.
Jan 10, 2007: Why Surge Won't Work
At this late stage, 30,000 additional troops cannot make a difference. U.S. troops are ill prepared to do the policing that is needed to secure Baghdad.
Jan 3, 2007: A Regrettable Rush to Execution
In his final minutes, one of Saddam Hussein's executioners shouted, "Go to hell, Saddam."
Dec 28, 2006: Beyond the Executive Summary
What the Iraq Study Group's report actually said and how it helps (or hurts) the U.S. exit from Iraq
Dec 12, 2006: Washington Post-ABC News poll (12/12/06)
Comprehensive Washington Post poll on Iraq from December 7-11, 2006.
Dec 7, 2006: ISG Comments by Jerome Grossman
The Baker-Hamilton Report confirms the weakened political position of President Bush and his policy on Iraq. However, it also undercut those who advocate immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops, as well as Senators Carl Levin and Jack Reed, who advocate beginning troop withdrawal within four to six months, and Rep. Jack Murtha, who advocates withdrawal as quickly as possible to nearby countries.
Dec 7, 2006: 'Pie in the Sky' Report Won't Fix Iraq
"DEAD ON ARRIVAL" seems the likely verdict on the much-awaited Report of the Iraq Study Group.
Dec 6, 2006: Iraq: Now We Own It by Gary Hart
Among the many inevitable outcomes of the unnecessary invasion of Iraq was the appointment of a commission of worthies assigned to work out how we get the hornets back in the nest we had kicked open. This was roughly the assignment of the Iraq Study Group (a.k.a. the Baker-Hamilton Commission) and they have done a reasonable job of trying to restore realism, as well as reason, to an Administration priding itself on pre-Enlightenment divine guidance.
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