Barbara Lee to GOP: Will Troops Come Home at ALL? Republican Insistence on Permanent Bases Leaves Door Open to Indefinite Deployment of 50,000 or More
(Washington, DC) – As the House began what was supposed to be the first sustained debate on Iraq since the war began more than three years ago, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) condemned the Republican authored Iraq resolution for focusing on “empty rhetoric and cynical political theater” rather than substantive policy issues, and challenged Republicans to defend their insistence on keeping the door open for a permanent U.S. presence in Iraq.
“This is the Republican idea of a policy debate: 10 hours of debate about a resolution that is long on rhetoric and short on substance, a resolution that will have zero impact on Iraq policy or the facts on the ground in Iraq,” said Lee.
Lee pointed out that while the resolution the House will vote on does not address major policy issues with relation to Iraq, Republicans leaders have recently made significant decisions about Iraq policy behind closed doors. She pointed to the fact that, despite the House and Senate approving measures to prevent the establishment of permanent military bases in Iraq, Republicans quietly removed the provision in conference committee.
“While we’re debating a sham bill, the most substantive decision on Iraq policy in recent days, a decision that could impact whether our troops come home or not, was taken by the Republican majority behind closed doors,” said Lee. “Quietly removing a measure that was approved by both the House and Senate is a gross abuse of the democratic process, and is further evidence that Republicans are afraid to level with the American people about their real plans for Iraq.
“The President and the Republican majority refuse to level with the American people not only about when our troops are coming home, but if they’re coming home at all. I believe that we should be judged by our deeds not our words, and while Republicans are saying there should be no timeline, their actions say that more than one third of our troops in Iraq, 50,000 brave men and women, may not be coming home at all,” said Lee.
“I support the Murtha Resolution and I believe we should bring our troops home. If my Republican colleagues believe we should permanently leave a force of 50,000 American troops in Iraq—as the New York Times recently reported—then I think the Republicans should defend their position on the Floor and put it to a vote,” said Lee. “If the Republican majority wanted to truly debate Iraq policy, then this is what we would be debating and voting on today—not this sham resolution.
“Let me tell you, there will be a day of reckoning. The American people are demanding answers. They deserve a truthful accounting of how we got into this unnecessary war. They deserve to know WHEN our troops are coming home. They deserve to know IF our troops are coming home. The American people will not forget that instead of answers to their questions, the Republican majority gave them more rhetoric and posturing,” Lee concluded.
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