First House Vote on Exiting Iraq

On May 25, 2005, the House of Representatives voted on an amendment that has launched the debate in Congress over the American presence in Iraq.

California Democratic Representative Lynn Woolsey offered an amendment to the Defense Authorization bill that asked President Bush to develop a plan as soon as practicable to withdraw American troops from Iraq. Though the amendment was defeated 128 - 300, it drew majority support from Democrats.


We only learned that the House Rules Committee approved bringing up the amendment for a vote on the morning of the vote, so there was little time to prepare or work. Nonetheless, at least four groups sent out e-alerts asking supporters to contact Members of Congress. In addition, a letter signed by 18 organizations and individuals was sent to all 435 House offices.

While the amendment was only a sense of Congress asking for the President to provide a plan, it an excellent start. The Woolsey amendment drew majority support from Democrats, 122 - 79. It was many years into the Vietnam quagmire before a majority of Democrats could be rallied to call for withdrawal.

Moreover, while the Vietnam war escalated into a larger conflict in 1965, it was not until 1971 that Congress began to vote on the war. The timetable for building the opposition to the Iraq war has accelerated. In fact, there has been a rapid rise in opposition to the war since the beginning of the year. A January 12, 2005 Woolsey letter asking the President to bring the troops home was signed by 16 Democrats; a January 26, 2005 resolution introduced in the House had 24 co-signers. Yesterday, 122 Democrats voted for the amendment.

Five Republicans, including conservative Southerners Harold Coble (NC), Walter Jones (NC) and John Duncan (TN), plus moderate Jim Leach (IA) and libertarian Ron Paul (TX), bucked the President and voted for the Woolsey amendment.

More: http://blog.pdamerica.org/?p=91

"Moreover, while the Vietnam war escalated into a larger conflict in 1965, it was not until 1971 that Congress began to vote on the war."

I don't think that's accurate William. But, correct me if I'm mistaken.

Congress did vote every year from 1965 to 1971 on the war against Vietnam. One of the early votes was the 1965 Tonkin Gulf war resolution which cleared the way for the massive invasion of Vietnam under a Democratic President. I believe that only two Senators voted against that war resolution.

From 1965 until at least 1971, Congress voted funds every year to finance military operations against the insurgents in Vietnam. Some members of Congress who were opposed to the Vietnam war voted against those military appropriations.