Pairing budget plan with Iraq withdrawal fails in Senate

Source: CNN

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A pair of Democratic efforts to tie passage of a far-reaching budget plan with an end to the war in Iraq failed Tuesday.

The most strongly worded amendment to the spending bill, by Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, called for the military to begin pulling troops out of Iraq within 90 days and complete the withdrawal in nine months. The effort failed, 24-71. It needed 60 votes to be added as part of the budget bill.

A second amendment, by Democratic Sen. Carl Levin, D-Michigan, would have established a nonbinding timetable to have U.S. troops out of Iraq in one year. That plan failed on a 50-45 vote.

Arguing in favor of the Feingold plan, Democratic Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts became emotional as he called the Bush administration's efforts in Iraq "a continuing quagmire."

"The best way to end this charade and protect our troops and our national security is to put the Iraqis on notice that they need to take responsibility for their future," Kennedy said. "Unless there's a binding timeline for the redeployment of our troops, the Iraqis will not feel the need to make the compromises essential for a political solution."...

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/12/18/budget.battle/index.html

at the majority of Americans who want troops out and want them out now.

Dems to Bush: "Here is a clause to which you don't have to pay attention. It kinda sorta mentions perhaps maybe sometime leaving Iraq, or not. Okay if we leave this clause in? No? Well okay then. Here is more money for you for your occupation. Tons and tons of money. Did we do good?"