Senator Chris Dodd Blasts Clinton And Obama
In a video released yesterday Democratic Presidential hopeful Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) challenged fellow Senate Democrats to state whether they would vote for Iraq legislation that does not include a firm, enforceable deadline for withdrawal:
In a statement released today Dodd got even more specific and strongly criticized both Clinton and Obama for trying to have their cake and eat it too with Orwellian rhetoric and stepping backwards on Iraq:"I was disappointed that Senator Obama's thoughts on Iraq today didn't include a firm, enforceable deadline for redeployment, and dismayed that neither he nor Senator Clinton will give an unequivocal answer on whether they would support a measure if it didn't have such an enforceable deadline.I congratulate Chris Dodd for going this far and it's nice to hear, but in my opinion, even coming from Dodd who has been one of the most progressive, it's still not going quite far enough, and he and the rest of them need to be calling for complete and total withdrawal of all troops, not just combat troops, and an end to the occupation of Iraq before the 2008 elections, if not sooner.
"It is clear to me - especially after yesterday's testimony - that half-measures aren't going to stop this President or end our involvement in this civil war. I thought it was clear to Senators Obama and Clinton as well after they finally came around to supporting the Feingold-Reid measure and voting against a blank-check supplemental spending bill this spring. If 'enough was enough' then, why isn't it after the bloodiest summer of the war?
"Senator Obama has a gift for soaring rhetoric, but, on this critical issue, we need to know the substance of his position with specificity. Without tying a date certain to funding how does he plan to enforce his call for an immediate redeployment?
"The only specificity Senator Obama offered was a call for a new constitution, but that will do nothing other than provide the Iraqis and the Bush Administration another excuse to delay -- the ink is barely dry on the constitution they have.
"It is going to take bold leadership to change our course in Iraq. We need to do more than write letters to the President, we need to be clear with him.
"I urge Senators Obama and Clinton not to backtrack on the need for a firm, enforceable deadline and state clearly and directly whether they will support an Iraq measure if it does not include one."
Speaking for myself I believe that:
... if leading Democrats heard enough people say to them that they will not vote for ANY Democrats next year EXCEPT Democrats who have been vocally, and by their votes on supplementals, calling for total withdrawal from Iraq they would quickly notice.Can The Iraq Occupation Be Ended Before The 2008 Elections?
They are politicians after all, and they are concerned with winning elections.
They would notice if enough people turned the tables on them and used fear to motivate them, instead of voting simply out of fear of republicans.
If Democrats were filled with fear that they would lose Congress and the presidency UNLESS the occupation was ended before the 2008 elections, they would end the occupation of Iraq.
