They Support The Troops

[jgaffney]

This is in today's Wall Street Journal:

Even Barack Obama, who opposed the Iraq troop surge, has finally acknowledged its success. But some of his fellow Democrats in Congress apparently remain unconvinced. Earlier this week, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Armed Services Chairman Carl Levin teamed up to block a vote on a bipartisan resolution "recognizing the strategic success of the troop surge in Iraq" and thanking our men and women in uniform for their efforts.
..........
The reality is that success in Iraq has confounded the political left, which placed a huge political bet on our defeat. Senator Reid famously declared the war lost in April 2007. Joe Biden introduced a resolution opposing the surge. And Hillary Clinton said the reports of progress in Iraq required "a willing suspension of disbelief." In the Democratic narrative, our troops in Iraq are victims of a lost cause, not heroes. They're allowed to get maimed and killed, but not to succeed.

Thus Democrats are left to argue that success in Iraq is irrelevant because the real fight against al Qaeda is occurring in Afghanistan. Or that the reduced violence in Iraq has resulted not from the troop surge but from the Sunni Awakening and the retreat of the Sadr militias.

...........

The Lieberman-Graham resolution is a chance for Democrats to show that their support for the troops is more than rhetorical. It changes no policy and in that sense is only symbolic. Yet it is precisely the political symbolism of admitting they were wrong that is stopping the Democratic leadership from letting it come up for a vote before the Senate adjourns. Unfortunately, the last thing that Democrats want to discuss in this election season is success in Iraq.

The politicization of the War on Terror has been, in my opinion, the most despicable thing the Democrat Party has done in a very long time. Since Vietnam, anyway.

[The New Guy]

who says it's a "do-nothing" congress? just look at some of the wonderfully important things they've been concerned with:

(italics comments are mine)

H.RES.13 : Encouraging increased public awareness of eating disorders and expanded research for treatment and cures.

H.RES.17 : Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that there should be established a National Inflammatory Skin Disease Awareness Month

H.RES.20 : Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States Postal Service should issue a postage stamp commemorating Juan Nepomuceno Seguin.

H.RES.21 : To honor and recognize the achievements of Craig Webre for his 15 years of dedicated service as Sheriff of Lafourche Parish, Louisiana.

H.RES.26 : Commending the Boise State University Broncos football team for winning the 2007 Fiesta Bowl and completing an undefeated season.

H.RES.34 : A resolution recognizing the life and accomplishments of Desmond Mpilo Tutu, South African Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, and Nobel Peace Prize recipient.

H.RES.39 : Commending the University of Florida Gators for their victory in the 2006 Bowl Championship Series (BCS) and for winning the national college football championship.

H.RES.41 : Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that an increase in number of members of the United States Forces deployed in Iraq is the wrong course of action and that a drastic shift in the political and diplomatic strategy of the United States is needed to help secure and stabilize Iraq. (OOPS!!!)

H.RES.49 : Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that there should be established a National Letter Carriers Appreciation Day.

H.RES.53 : Recognizing the life of Lamar Hunt and his outstanding contributions to the Kansas City Chiefs, the National Football League, and the United States.

H.RES.54 : Honoring Alexander Hamilton on the 250th anniversary of his birth (alex did require some assistance blowing out all those candles)

H.RES.57 : Congratulating Illinois State University as it celebrates its sesquicentennial. (can't forget ISU's 150th now, can we?)


H.RES.62 : Congratulating the Grand Valley State University Lakers for winning the 2006 NCAA Division II Football National Championship (what's more important that this?)

H.RES.64 : Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Government of Bangladesh should immediately drop all pending charges against Bangladeshi journalist Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury (who?)

H.RES.68 : Recognizing the dangers posed by nuclear weapons (well, i never knew)

H.RES.70 : Congratulating the University of California at Santa Barbara men's soccer team, the 2006 National Collegiate Athletic Association Champions.

H.RES.76 : Urging the establishment and observation of a legal public holiday in honor of Cesar E. Chavez (why?)

H.RES.82 : Commending the University of Louisville Cardinals football team for their victory in the 2007 Orange Bowl

H.RES.88 : Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that Members of the House are not immune from having their offices searched (william jefferson must have been absent that day)

H.RES.91 : Demanding the return of the U.S.S. Pueblo to the United States Navy from North Korea. (gee! i can't wait!)

H.RES.99 : Commending the University of Nebraska-Lincoln volleyball team for winning the NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship.

H.RES.114 : Expressing support for a National Week of Reflection and Tolerance. (they need to work on the latter)

H.RES.127 : Recognizing and celebrating the 50th anniversary of the entry of Alaska in the Union as the 49th State. (little did they know

H.RES.197 : Commending Vice President Al Gore on his well-deserved recognition for the Academy Award-winning documentary, "An Inconvenient Truth".

H.RES.347 : Recognizing the historical significance of the Mexican holiday of Cinco de Mayo.

H.RES.589 : Directing the Committee on the Judiciary to investigate whether Alberto R. Gonzales, Attorney General of the United States, should be impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors.

H.RES.628 : Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the President should take immediate action to boycott the Summer Olympic Games of 2008 in Beijing, China (if michael phelps wasn't a republican before, i'm sure he is now)

H.RES.684 : Congratulating Shawn Johnson on her victory in becoming the 2007 World Artistic Gymnastics Champion in women's gymnastics. (i guess they forgot about the previous vote urging the prez to boycott the olympics thus attempting to deny this young athlete here dreams)

H.RES.762 : Supporting the goals of National Bullying Prevention Awareness Week.


they've got plenty of time for all this crap but they can't come together for 5 minutes and admit that the surge worked.

these are just a few examples of the more than 1400 resolutions introduced in the house. probably 2/3 of which are just a blatant waste of time. i can't believe i pay these people to do this kind of "work."