Toothless Benchmarks

Senator Russ Feingold:

“Under the President’s Iraq policies, our military has been over-burdened, our national security has been jeopardized, and thousands of Americans have been killed or injured. Despite these realities, and the support of a majority of Americans for ending the President’s open-ended mission in Iraq, congressional leaders now propose a supplemental appropriations bill that does nothing to end this disastrous war. I cannot support a bill that contains nothing more than toothless benchmarks and that allows the President to continue what may be the greatest foreign policy blunder in our nation’s history. There has been a lot of tough talk from members of Congress about wanting to end this war, but it looks like the desire for political comfort won out over real action. Congress should have stood strong, acknowledged the will of the American people, and insisted on a bill requiring a real change of course in Iraq.”

Indeed Senator.

The Democratic Party should not give President Bush failed Iraq policies another blank check. The House and Senate should have kept on sending President Bush the same Iraq bill funding bill with withdrawal timelines and daring him to veto yet again funding for our military. President Bush would be denying our troops vital funding. The American people want a chance in policy and if this bill passes, the Democratic Party would have failed to give it to them.

Sigh.