new debate on Iraq
By LIZ SIDOTI
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON The House erupted in impassioned, election
year debate over the Iraq war today, Republicans defending
the conflict as key to winning the global struggle against
terrorism while Democrats excoriated President Bush and his
policies.
“We must stand firm in our committment to fight terrorism
and the evil it inflicts throughout the world. We must renew
our resolve that the actions of evil-doers will not dictate
American policy,” House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., said in
remarks laden with references to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist
attacks.
The war was “a grotesque mistake,” countered the
Democratic leader, Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California. “The
administration continues to dig a hole. They refuse to come up
and see the light,” she said.
The debate unfolded four months before midterm elections
that will decide the control of Congress.
The United States has absorbed the deaths of 2,500 troops in
the three-year conflict, which began when a U.S.-led invasion
toppled Saddam Hussein, but quickly turned sour in the face of
a brutal insurgency.
Polls show the war has become unpopular. But Bush has
tried to rally support in the days since the death of terror
leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, and the recent completion of an
new Iraqi government.
The Pentagon prepared a battle plan for the debate, distributing
a highly unusual 74-page “debate prep book” filled with
ready-made answers for criticism of the war.
“Iraq will become a haven for terrorists, murderers and
thugs,” if the United States leaves “before the job is done,” the
booklet says.
“We cannot cut and run,” it says at another point, anticipating
Democratic calls for a troop withdrawal on a fixed
timetable.
The Associated Press obtained a copy of the 74-page document.
It was sent to both Republicans and Democrats and it
laid out the administration’s positions in strong terms and
offered page after page of counterpoints to criticisms that
Democrats typically level against Bush’s war policies.
“In this fight for the future of peace, freedom and democracy
in the Middle East and around the globe, winning should be
our only option,” said Rep. Phil Gingrey, R-Ga.
Countered Rep. Carolyn Kilpatrick, D-Mich.: “Retired generals
have spoken. We need a new direction. The troops should
be redeployed. They should be brought home at the most prac
ticable time with a plan that we
don’t now have under this administration.”
Republicans arranged for the
debate to culminate in a vote
either later today or Friday on
legislation a resolution that
labels the Iraq war part of the
larger global fight against terrorism
and says an “arbitrary date
for the withdrawal or redeployment”
of troops is not in the
national interest.terrorism and
says an “arbitrary date for the
withdrawal or redeployment” of
troops is not in the national
interest.
Across the Capitol, partisan
tensions on the Iraq war were
clear as the Senate sent the
president another $66 billion for
the wars in Iraq and
Afghanistan and debated annual
military legislation. Sen. John
Kerry, the Democratic Party
presidential candidate in 2004
and a potential 2008 standardbearer,
was expected to introduce
an amendment that calls
for the administration to redeploy
combat forces from that
war zone by year’s end.
As the death toll and price
tag of Iraq rise, opinion polls
show voters are frustrated with
the war and favor Democrats to
control Congress instead of the
Republicans who now run the
show.
Sensitive to those political
realities, House Republicans
sought to put lawmakers of both
parties on record on an issue
certain to be central in this fall’s
congressional elections.
Democrats decried the debate
as a sham. They said
Republicans promised an open
discussion but, instead, stacked
the deck in their own favor by
limiting debate to 10 hours and
barring any amendments.
“Republicans offer a political
document, just before the fall
elections,” Rep. Ron Kind, DWis.,
said. Added Rep. Tom
Lantos, D-Calif.: “They are forcing
us into a charade.”
