House Rejects Iraq Withdrawal - Passes Global War On Terror Resolution

The House approved the Global War On Terror Resolution and rejected an "arbitrary date for the withdrawal or redeployment" of troops from Iraq by a vote of 256-153.

The Global War On Terror Resolution - House Resolution 861 - declares that the House of Representatives:

(1) honors all those Americans who have taken an active part in the Global War on Terror, whether as first responders protecting the homeland, as servicemembers overseas, as diplomats and intelligence officers, or in other roles;

(2) honors the sacrifices of the United States Armed Forces and of partners in the Coalition, and of the Iraqis and Afghans who fight alongside them, especially those who have fallen or been wounded in the struggle, and honors as well the sacrifices of their families and of others who risk their lives to help defend freedom;

(3) declares that it is not in the national security interest of the United States to set an arbitrary date for the withdrawal or redeployment of United States Armed Forces from Iraq;

(4) declares that the United States is committed to the completion of the mission to create a sovereign, free, secure, and united Iraq;

(5) congratulates Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki and the Iraqi people on the courage they have shown by participating, in increasing millions, in the elections of 2005 and on the formation of the first government under Iraq's new constitution;

(6) calls upon the nations of the world to promote global peace and security by standing with the United States and other Coalition partners to support the efforts of the Iraqi and Afghan people to live in freedom; and

(7) declares that the United States will prevail in the Global War on Terror, the noble struggle to protect freedom from the terrorist adversary.

According to the Associated Press, Only 42 Democrats voted for the resolution:

ALABAMA - Cramer
ARKANSAS - Berry, Ross, and Snyder
CALIFORNIA - Berman, Cardoza, and Costa
COLORADO - Salazar
GEORGIA - Barrow, Bishop, and Marshall
HAWAII - Case
ILLINOIS - Bean, Costello, and Lipinski
IOWA - Boswell
KANSAS - Moore
KENTUCKY - Chandler
LOUISIANA - Melancon
MASSACHUSETTS - Lynch
MISSISSIPPI - Taylor and Thompson
NEW YORK - Higgins and McCarthy
NORTH CAROLINA - Etheridge and McIntyre
OKLAHOMA - Boren
PENNSYLVANIA - Holden
SOUTH CAROLINA - Spratt
SOUTH DAKOTA - Herseth
TENNESSEE - Cooper, Davis, and Gordon
TEXAS - Cuellar, Edwards, and Green (Gene)
UTAH - Matheson
VIRGINIA - Boucher
WASHINGTON - Larsen and Smith
WISCONSIN - Kind
WYOMING - Cubin

Only three Republicans voted against the Resolution:

IOWA - Leach
TENNESSEE - Duncan
TEXAS - Paul

One voted present:

FLORIDA - Boyd (D)

Eightteen did not vote:

ALABAMA - Bachus (R)
CALIFORNIA - Waxman (D) and Lewis (R)
ILLINOIS - Evans (D) and Gutierrez (D)
INDIANA - Burton (R)
IOWA - Nussle (R)
MICHIGAN - Dingell (D) and Kilpatrick (D)
MISSOURI - Cleaver (D)
NEW MEXICO - Wilson (R)
NEW YORK - Bishop (D)
TEXAS - Carter (R), Sam (R), and Sessions (R)
UTAH - Bishop (R)
WASHINGTON - Reichert (R)
WISCONSIN - Sensenbrenner (R)

We seem to be missing five. The Associated Press reports the following tally:

Voting Yes - 42 Democrats and 214 Republicans.
Voting no - 149 Democrats, 3 Republicans and 1 Independent.
Not voting - 18
Voting Present- 1

There are 2 vacancies in the 435-member House so the tally should total 433, but we only have 428.

Today's House vote comes one day after the Senate voted 93-6 to reject a call to withdraw combat troops by year's end.

I'm disappointed in those that oppose to the war. Don't get me wrong, while I disagree with the opponents I respect their right to their opinion. I'm disappointed that those opposed to the war claim it is poorly prosecuted, but offer no suggestions as to how to prosecute the war in a more effective manner. The only suggestion they share is withdraw, which translates as retreat or cut and run.

Comments

[suek]

"I'm disappointed that those opposed to the war claim it is poorly prosecuted, _but offer suggestions_ as to how to prosecute the war in a more effective manner."

I suspect that you meant "_but offer __no__ suggestions_", don't you?