William Odom, the former head of the National Security Agency under President Reagan, has his own recipe to end the Iraq war. He writes, Congress should begin cutting off funds for Iraq and force Bush to begin a withdrawal before he leaves office:
To force him to begin a withdrawal before then, the first step should be to rally the public by providing an honest and candid definition of what “supporting the troops” really means and pointing out who is and who is not supporting our troops at war. The next step should be a flat refusal to appropriate money for to be used in Iraq for anything but withdrawal operations with a clear deadline for completion.
The final step should be to put that president on notice that if ignores this legislative action and tries to extort Congress into providing funds by keeping U.S. forces in peril, impeachment proceeding will proceed in the House of Representatives. Such presidential behavior surely would constitute the “high crime” of squandering the lives of soldiers and Marines for his own personal interest.
The final step should be to put that president on notice that if ignores this legislative action and tries to extort Congress into providing funds by keeping U.S. forces in peril, impeachment proceeding will proceed in the House of Representatives. Such presidential behavior surely would constitute the “high crime” of squandering the lives of soldiers and Marines for his own personal interest.
From the Left 
Ending the funding for the Iraq war is the first thing that dumb cluck Pelosi should’ve done after she became speaker. Now, another 600 Americans have died and she’s lost the popular support she and Harry Reid needed to realize their agenda.
Odom is laying out a logical framework for the Congress to end the war.
It doesn’t take magic or genius to understand that war requires money and if you stop the funding mechanism, the war machine winds to a close.
As far as impeachment is concerned, I don’t think the Dems want to take it on at this late date. With the keys to the White House about to be handed to Hillary Clinton, they’re not going to rock the boat and take a chance on riling the electorate.
The cost of Bush’s War in human terms, both American and Iraqi, is something that all Americans with any respect for human life and humanity should oppose. They should mobilise all those millions of ordinary people who are being kept in the dark about the true face of this cowardly and predatory war of Bush.
(See also my today’s post on Suzie-Q blog; 600 American soldiers have lost their lives since the Democratic majority in the Senate but 10,000 Iraqis are being killed every month in Bush’s War.)
Sudhan – Those numbers are so depressing and sobering. My heart just aches and I feel helpless to force the hand of this administration. I have accepted the fact that my government is run by evil men and women.
Notice the neocons never pay attention or even comment when a former Reaganite speaks against the war?
When the Reaginites begin turning on you, the hourglass has nearly run out of sand. If Bush were awake he would resign. Take a page from the Nixon scrapbook and just push off into the sunset.
Reaganauts who criticize Chimpy are known these days as “defeatists.”
Of course the monkey has no use for traitors.
Even Brent Scrowcroft opposes the war in Iraq.
Not a glowing endorsement for American foreign policy or George Bush’s leadership. But then again, no one except the truly lame would evah confuse this president with a real leader. On a good day, Bush is just a punk but certainly not a leader.
Impeachment seems to be on everyone’s agenda but Ms. Pelosi’s.
I fully agree with every step except the last. Bush should be impeached regardless of what he does.
The St. Ronnie Raygun GOPers have no credibility with me, all were criminals during Iran-Contra and the current Sunni-Baathist Death Squads in Iraq now are spiritual descendants of the Latin American type. Remember where Negroponte is now? Ring a bell?
All these “raygunites” are worried about is the GOPer vehicle they’ve riding for 25-30 years is careening down a cliff and all hopes for getting and retaining power. The Globalists are backing the other party now and Bu$h-baby could give a shit about the “GOP”.
“All things old are new again.”
You can bet William Odom will never get a seat at Bush’s round table.
Pelosi better push troop withdrawal, since she missed the boat in funding.