WASHINGTON - A sharply divided House voted Friday to order President Bush to bring combat troops home from Iraq next year, but the president reiterated his vow to veto the bill, saying the House had “abdicated its responsibility.”
Bush appeared at the White House alongside veterans and family members of troops to accuse Democrats of staging nothing more than "political theater" that delays the delivery of resources to soldiers fighting in Iraq. If the spending bill is not approved and signed into law by April 15, Bush said troops and their families “will face significant disruptions.”
“A narrow majority in the House of Representatives abdicated its responsibility by passing a war spending bill that has no chance of becoming law and brings us no closer to getting the troops the resources they need to do their job,” the president said.
“These Democrats believe that the longer they can delay funding for our troops, the more likely they are to force me to accept restrictions on our commanders, an artificial timetable for withdrawal and their pet spending projects,” he said. “This is not going to happen.”
The victory for Democrats is part of an epic war-powers struggle, and Congress’ boldest challenge yet to the administration’s policy.
Well isn't this just too much fun! President Bush is blaming the Democratic Congress for denying the troops the funds because the Democrats wanted to add a withdrawal timetable. The president is demanding that the Democratic Congress pass a clean war funding bill that he can sign--otherwise he'll veto whatever war funding bill the Democrats pass. In other words, Bush is demanding that the Democrats in Congress play "rubber-stamp." Here is President Bush's response on YouTube:
Gee Mr. President, there is another option here. You could accept the House withdrawal timetable and get the money to support the troops. But then again, that would require you to compromise here--something that you will refuse to do. So Mr. President, you are S.O.L here.
No comments:
Post a Comment