Democrats to make bold move on Iraq tomorrow - It's about torture

[Poiuyt]

http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Top_Democrat_on_Defense_committee_will_1116.html

Top Democrat on Defense committee to debut 'dramatic' proposal on Iraq
John Byrne

Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) is slated to make what Democratic insiders tell RAW STORY will be a 'bold' announcement surrounding U.S. policy in Iraq on Thursday.

Murtha, one of the Democrats' more conservative and hawkish members, is the ranking Democrat on the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) issued a press advisory Wednesday evening which simply said, "Congressman John Murtha, Ranking Member on the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, will make a major announcement on Iraq tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. in HC-9 of the Capitol."

Murtha's press secretary declined to give details Wednesday. Some believe Murtha will introduce a measure calling for immediate pullout of troops from Iraq, a position strongly denounced by a top American commander in Iraq Wednesday.

"Setting a date would mean that the 221 soldiers I've lost this year, that their lives will have been lost in vain," Maj. Gen. William Webster, who oversees security in three-fourths of Iraq's capital, told the Washington Post.

more-

I'm sorry General, but I can't help believe that everyone who's died in Iraq has died in vain. It's because your Commander in Chief wanted to play toy soldier with real men.

(Sorry for the mini-rant)

I am glad, however, that the Dems are getting enough backbone to speak out.


Update - House Dems planning to force vote on torture
RAW STORY

Congressman John Murtha, a Pennsylvania Democrat and the ranking member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, plans to make a motion on Thursday that would force the committee to consider John McCain's anti-torture amendment, Raw Story has learned.

Some excerpts from Thursday's edition of The Boston Globe:

House Democrats vowed Wednesday to force a vote on a proposal to ban the use of torture, setting up a test of wills that could pit President Bush against Republican lawmakers who want a clearly defined policy on the treatment of foreign detainees.

[Kurt Remarque]

1. hope springs eternal

[MH1]

2. OT, but - Murtha's district is mega-gerrymandered!

I checked out his House website looking for clues. Didn't find any on Iraq but check out this district! Yikes!

http://www.house.gov/murtha/district_map.shtml