House Repubs. Fracture on Iraq Permanent Bases (amend. to strip defeated)

House Republicans Fracture on Iraq Permanent Bases

Submitted by davidswanson on Wed, 2006-06-21 19:38. Congress
Vote 180 - 47 Against Permanent Bases
Also Votes on Torture, Iran, Electronic Spying
By John Isaacs, Council for a Livable World

When the House considered the fiscal year 2007 Defense Appropriations bill yesterday, it overwhelmingly defeated an amendment by Rep. Steve King (R-IA) to strip from the bill an amendment added during Appropriations Committee consideration by Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) to bar permanent bases in Iraq.

The King amendment to take out Murtha’s language barring any basing rights agreement between the United States and Iraq failed by a 50 – 376 vote, with only 47 Republicans and three Democrats voting “aye.” In fact, Republicans voted 180 - 47 for Murtha and against King. http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2006/roll296.xml

While the House is not willing to set a date for withdrawal from Iraq, it is also not willing to support indefinite occupation. Even Republican leaders like John Boehner (R-OH) and Roy Blunt (R-MO) voted against permanent bases.

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http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/node/12189