Kucinich Calls for Cutting Off Iraq War Funds

[God Almighty]

Pelosi always votes to fund the war. This is why Dennis or someone who opposes funding the war should be the top candidate for Speaker. Let's not let Fox News call the Speaker (which they did on November 7th). Let's tell the people we elected that we want them to pick leaders who agree with the American people that the war and its funding should stop.

Upfront at http://kucinich.us/

Kucinich Calls for Cutting Off Iraq War Funds
"That’s the only way we’re going to end this war."

Nov 15, 2006

Congressman Kucinich called Wednesday for cutting off funding of the Iraq war, as the surest way out of Iraq. His statements were made in an interview by Democracy Now!'s Amy Goodman.

"I want to say that there's one solution here, and it's not to engage in a debate with the President, who has taken us down a path of disaster in Iraq, but it's for Congress to assume the full power that it has under the Constitution to cut off funds. We don't need to keep indulging in this debate about what to do, because as long as we keep temporizing, the situation gets worse in Iraq.

"We have to determine that the time has come to cut off funds. There’s enough money in the pipeline to achieve the orderly withdrawal that Senator McGovern is talking about. But cut off funds, we must. That's the ultimate power of the Congress, the power of the purse. That's how we'll end this war, and that’s the only way we’re going to end this war.

"We need to shift our direction."

"We have to take a whole new approach. We’re spending over $400 billion a year, money that's also needed for healthcare, for education, for job creation, for seniors. We have to take a new look at this. We need to be a strong country, but strength isn't only military. Strength is also the economic strength of the people, their chance to have good neighborhoods. We spend more money than all the countries of the world put together for the military.

"It's time for us to start to shift our vision about who we are as a nation, because if we don't do that -- we’re borrowing money right now to wage the war in Iraq. We’re borrowing money from China. We’re not looking at our trade deficit. We’re not looking at conditions, where people are going bankrupt trying to pay their hospital bills. We need to shift our direction, and the direction has to be away from the continued militarization of the United States society."

Hear the full interview or read a transcript at democracynow.org.

[roamer65]

1. Kucinich is absolutely right.

It's about the only way it can be stopped now.

[Zhade]

14. Indeed he is.

NT!

[Jacobin]

2. Its how Viet Nam ended. Reduced the funding until

the last helicopter pulled the last guy off the top of a building.

I can't believe I'm re-living this again. I can't believe it.

(Kucinich is right, btw)

[redqueen]

3. I'd much rather he was the speaker, really.

I trust him.

[burythehatchet]

4. DK - he's tanned, he's rested

and he's been gettin some...yeehaw...go DK!

[mike_c]

5. YES! That is what congress must do....

Cutting off the funding is the only effective way for Congress to actually force the administration to pull out of Iraq. It's time for congress to PUT A STOP TO THIS MADNESS!

[God Almighty]

6. This is one reason we need Kucinich or someone who agrees leading Congress.

Otherwise, the war will drag on and drag on.

[greeneggs708]

7. God Almighty

Someone actually has brought a real issue to this forum.

Someone pass me a defibulater.

Kucinich was always right about Iraq. To bad he got ignored in the Presidential race.

All Dems could argue about was, is Kerry left enough.

And the media wouldn't even cover Kucinich speeches.

THANK YOU AND THANK KUCINICH. How many more will be killed before we listen.

Now back you argueing about Rahm and Lieberman.

[Hippo_Tron]

8. And Bush would just keep the troops there hoping people vote us out for cutting off funding

[God Almighty]

11. Vietnam ended because the funding was cut. We're in Iraq til the funding's cut.

Everyone knows the funding doesn't go to troops. The families foot the bill for the troops's safety equipment. Everyone knows that, too. Funding the war = supporting the war. That's the reality.

[Hippo_Tron]

12. We pulled most of our troops out of Vietnam before the funding was cut

Congress didn't authorize the funds for us to go back in there. There's a difference.

[God Almighty]

13. It was the cutting of funds that ended the war.

We also had the courage to set the stage for impeachment. Nixon was so caught up in defending himself that he lost his pro-war focus. Nancy is striking out on cutting funds and on impeachment. That's two strikes against her and two strikes for war going into the next session.

[Thrill]

9. Yeah do that and the Repukes will be everywhere saying

The Dems want to cut the pay of the soldiers and not supply them with equipment. This is an idiotic suggestion, that can be spinned big time to hurt the Dems

[God Almighty]

10. They can lie any time. So you think we should be afraid they will lie?

They always lie. We're used to it. The American people have learned to trust Dennis Kucinich more than Republican lies.

[puebloknot]

19. No fiscal harm to soldiers

Kucinich said, very specifically, on yesterday's Democracy Now show, that there is enough money "in the pipeline" to continue to support our troops until a withdrawal can occur. Of course, it could be argued that supporting them as they've been supported all along is not enough. But things would not worsen for them with regard to current supply levels.

Kucinich wants to turn the whole show over to the U.N. and other countries in the region, see that Iraq's oil is controlled by the U.N., and get the U.S. out of there.

Of *course* his views will be spun by the Republicans. We can't hide in the shadows and worry over what people with little intelligence and no integrity say about us.

Dennis often seems to be our "one righteous man in Babylon," and I respect him greatly. Not to mention that his towering intelligence leads to pragmatic solutions to problems!!!

[HughBeaumont]

15. "Why do we fight?"

"I think we fight because basically not enough people are standing up saying, 'I'm not doing this anymore.'"

[Tom Joad]

16. Kucinich is right. again.

[LWolf]

17. Consistent, persistent, truthful, courageous.

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[sampsonblk]

18. Consistent, persistent, truthful, courageous and WRONG

Cutting off funding should not be the first option, but the last. He's got everything else right. But now is the time to excercise normal means of bringing a responsible, quick end to this mess. Pulling the money out before exhausting other options is cutting and running, and will doom our majority, in my opinion.

In a month or so, having let the GOPers spin themselves dizzy trying to explain all their "plans" for "victory," then we will have a legitimate, publicly supported reason to talk about yanking the cash.

[SouthernBelle82]

20. He is right

But it probably won't happen. Bush and company will still accuse them of not "Supporting the troops" and all that stuff. *Sigh* But hopefully he can at least try to get it through. Does he have a petition or anything?

[gorfle]

21. Right on, man!

Funding is the only way to shut down this debacle. It's time to pull the plug.

[POPULISTDEM2006]

22. NO

How quickly we forget the soldiers over in Iraq who need the money congress gives them to fight for our country. Dennis Kucinich is crazy. The troops need to come home asap, but cutting the funding for their mission would lead directly to more loss of lives. BAD IDEA FLAT OUT!

[dweller]

23. error cannot recommend threads over 24 hours old...

sigh.

but here's a :kick:
all the same.

listen to this man. DK has been long and loud with his views on this illegal war. When will the people listen and support him?
dp

[Celica Toyota]

24. Dennis is absolutely right

He is the real leader of the opposition to Bush.