Kucinich to force House vote on troop withdrawal from Afghanistan and Pakistan [View All]

Source: plain dealer

By Sabrina Eaton, The Plain Dealer
December 09, 2009, 2:30PM

Rep. Dennis Kucinich plans to force a House of Representatives vote early next year on whether to withdraw U.S troops from Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The Cleveland Democrat announced today that he's begun circulating a letter to colleagues, that asks if they'd be willing to cosponsor his two privileged resolutions to "trigger a timeline for a timely withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan and Pakistan" and invoke the War Powers Resolution of 1973 to assert the Constitutional right of Congress "to decide whether or not America enters into war, continues a war, or otherwise introduces armed forces or material into combat zones."

Although President Barack Obama has asserted that prior actions by Congress permit him to respond militarily to the attacks of September 11, 2001, Kucinich says that shouldn't keep Congress from revisiting the war. He says the United States should keep trying to bring Osama Bin Laden to justice, but pursuing wars throughout the Middle East to find him backfires by inflaming anti-American sentiment.

Kucinich says he was motivated to act by hearing Afghan President Hamid Karzai assert that his country is likely to need U.S. financial and training aid for the next 15 to 20 years...



Read more: http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2009/12/kucinich_to_force_house_vote_o.html

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http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/node/48263



Kucinich Circulating Privileged Resolutions to End Wars in Afghanistan and Pakistan

Submitted by davidswanson on Wed, 2009-12-09 16:08


Washington D.C. (December 9, 2009) –...

“We cannot afford these wars. We cannot afford the loss of lives. We cannot afford the cost to taxpayers. We cannot afford to fail to exercise our constitutional right to end the wars.

“Please sign onto the privileged resolutions to end the wars and to bring our troops home.

Stand up for the troops. Stand up for the truth. Stand up for the Constitution and Congress’ responsibility.”

See a copy of the Kucinich’s letter to colleagues HERE (PDF)...





http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2009/12/08-10

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 8, 2009
1:57 PM
CONTACT: Congressman Dennis Kucinich
Nathan White (202)225-5871


Kucinich: Are we in Afghanistan to Fight or to Fund the Taliban?

WASHINGTON - December 8 - Following a speech on the Floor of the House of Representative, Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today made the following statement:



“U.S. contractors are paying U.S. tax dollars to the Taliban in order to protect the delivery of U.S. shipments of U.S. goods to U.S. soldiers so that our soldiers can fight the Taliban.


In an investigative expose, The Nation magazine reveals “how the U.S. funds the Taliban” and “with pentagon cash, contractors bribe the insurgents not to attack supply for U.S. troops.”


“Another quote: “The real secret to trucking in Afghanistan is ensuring security on the perilous roads patrolled by warlords, insurgents, tribal militias and Taliban commandeers. The American executive I spoke to was fairly specific about it. The army is basically paying the Taliban not to shoot at them,” and then the Taliban uses that money to shoot at our troops. What a racket.


“Are we in Afghanistan to fight or to fund the Taliban? Or both?”