Pelosi Backs Murtha Call for U.S. Withdrawal- Roll Call

Pelosi Backs Murtha Call for U.S. Withdrawal
By Erin P. Billings
Roll Call Staff
Wednesday, Nov. 30

In a move likely to cause a stir among members of her divided Democratic Caucus, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) on Wednesday endorsed fellow Democratic Rep. John Murtha’s (Pa.) recent call to begin withdrawing troops from Iraq as soon as possible.

Roll Call: Pelosi will back Murtha Iraq pullout resolution
RAW STORY

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) on Wednesday endorsed Rep. John Murtha’s (D-CA) recent call to begin withdrawing troops from Iraq as soon as possible, ROLL CALL reports Wednesday. Excerpts.

Pelosi, at a press conference with reporters, said Murtha — her closest confidant on defense matters — has “changed the debate” in the country on the war, has won her support and will win the backing of the “majority of House Democrats.” Murtha, a former Marine who initially supported the war, announced two weeks ago that he no longer supported the conflict in Iraq and called for a rapid withdrawal of American troops from the region.

“He knows of what he speaks,” Pelosi said of Murtha. “I believe the plan he has put forth makes America safer, our military stronger and Iraq more secure.”

Pelosi added that the Bush administration has “used poor judgment” and has yet to lay out a clear course to conclude U.S. involvement in Iraq. “There is a better way to do it,” the Minority Leader said ... and at the very least the nation should “have a debate on the subject.”

Pelosi’s move comes just a week before the House Democrats are scheduled to meet privately to discuss the war, and decide whether they should unify around one policy and message on the topic. Pelosi said Wednesday that while she has made her own position clear, she does not believe the Democrats should vote to take a stand on Iraq, nor will she encourage Members to follow her lead and endorse Murtha.
http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Roll_Call_Pelosi_will_back_Murtha_1130.html
http://www.rollcall.com/issues/1_1/breakingnews/11384-1.html

Text of Murtha's resolution
Murtha Resolution To Redeploy U.S. Forces from Iraq:
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

November 17, 2005

_____________________

Whereas Congress and the American People have not been shown clear, measurable progress toward establishment of stable and improving security in Iraq or of a stable and improving economy in Iraq, both of which are essential to "promote the emergence of a democratic government";

Whereas additional stabilization in Iraq by U, S. military forces cannot be achieved without the deployment of hundreds of thousands of additional U S. troops, which in turn cannot be achieved without a military draft;

Whereas more than $277 billion has been appropriated by the United States Congress to prosecute U.S. military action in Iraq and Afghanistan;

Whereas, as of the drafting of this resolution, 2,079 U.S. troops have been killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom;

Whereas U.S. forces have become the target of the insurgency,

Whereas, according to recent polls, over 80% of the Iraqi people want U.S. forces out of Iraq;

Whereas polls also indicate that 45% of the Iraqi people feel that the attacks on U.S. forces are justified;

Whereas, due to the foregoing, Congress finds it evident that continuing U.S. military action in Iraq is not in the best interests of the United States of America, the people of Iraq, or the Persian Gulf Region, which were cited in Public Law 107-243 as justification for undertaking such action;

Therefore be it

I) Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in

2) Congress assembled,

3) That:

4) Section 1. The deployment of United States forces in Iraq, by direction of Congress, is

5) hereby terminated and the forces involved are to be redeployed at the earliest practicable

6) date.

7) Section 2. A quick-reaction U.S. force and an over-the-horizon presence of U.S Marines

8) shall be deployed in the region.

9) Section 3 The United States of America shall pursue security and stability in Iraq

10) through diplomacy.

I applaud her doing it, don't get me wrong. But, why did it take 12 days?

:bounce: