The Latest War-Funding Battle

[babylonsister]

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/11/08/455299.aspx

From NBC's Mike Viqueira


It's once more unto the breach for congressional Democrats tomorrow, when they will try again to pass legislation that would require a troop withdrawal to begin immediately.

Speaker Pelosi just announced that the House will be voting on a package that would give the president only $50 billion of the $196 billion that he has asked for to conduct the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. And it comes with strings attached: The president would be required to begin a withdrawal immediately, with a goal of having all troops out within a year. Under the plan, troops would be permitted to stay behind only to protect the diplomatic mission, for counter-terrorism operations, and for training Iraqi forces.

The $50 billion would be a "bridge fund" for four months, at which point the Congress would consider sending more. Recall that March is the time when Gen. Petraeus indicated he would next re-evaluate troop levels.

The legislation is quite similar to previous attempts by the Democratic Congress to limit the president, all of which have either stalled in the Senate or been vetoed by the president.

Asked this morning whether this is an attempt to mollify her base, or if she has discerned a change in the political climate, Pelosi got testy. She launched into a passionate condemnation of the war and the president's policies, but did not say whether or not she thought it had a chance to become law, this time.