Exit Iraq? Republicans say "Yes!" (by John Nichols for The Nation)

[marmar]

BLOG | Posted 04/07/2007 @ 9:27pm
Exit Iraq? Republicans say "Yes!"
John Nichols


QUESTION: Do you favor a withdrawal of all United States military from Iraq within the next six months?

ANSWER: Yes 52% No 39% Undecided 9%

No, those are not particularly shocking numbers.

We have known for a long time that Americans favor the rapid withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.

What is interesting about these numbers is who they come from.

The Strategic Vision polling group asked 600 likely Iowa caucus goers the question in a survey conducted March 30-April 1, 2007.

To be more precise, the survey queried 600 likely Republican caucus goers.

George Bush can forget about rallying the nation behind his war.

At this point, Bush can't even rally the most engaged Republicans in the nation behind the continuation of quagmire.

Needless to say, when the president threatens Congress with a veto of an Iraq supplemental spending bill that includes soft benchmarks and a slow timeline for withdrawal, Democratic leaders would be wise to quote from the Bush lexicon: "Bring it on!"

Nothing the Congress is proposing is anywhere near as radical as the position now taken by grassroots Republicans in Iowa.

http://www.thenation.com/blogs/campaignmatters?bid=45&pid=183463

[TwilightGardener]

1. That's all right--they will all inexplicably line up behind Rudy, Romney,

McCain, Thompson, and every other Repug candidate, all of whom expressed faith in Bush's war and wish to continue it. Bunch of fucking hypocrites. Let's see them vote Democratic--then I'll give them credit.

[Demeter]

2. If A Democrat Came Out For Immediate Withdrawal, They Might!

and so might the Democrats (it wouldn't surprise me in the least!)

[TwilightGardener]

5. Not sure about IMMEDIATE withdrawal, but at least this should

embolden the Dems in ending the war.

[Zambero]

10. Sad but true

Time and time again, I've hear the same litanies of regret from contrite GOP voters who wish they hadn't voted for their party's candidate(s). You'd think they'd be ready to change their political afiliation. But... about a month or so before the next election they will become BORN AGAIN Republicans, rising up from the ashes and pulling the lever for their sloganeering and propagandizing wingnuts yet another time. It doesn't matter who the candidates are, or what they stand for, as long as that "R" is horizontal with the name on the ballot.

[NewJeffCT]

12. You're 100% right

I heard several people complaining about Bush in the summer of 2004, all of them saying they were going to vote for Kerry. One guy was even telling everybody he knew to vote for Kerry.

However, when the election came, they ended up voting Bush because the media & the Republics had so demonized Kerry that they held their noses & voted for Bush as the lesser of two evils.

[PDittie]

3. Denial is one deep river

for the GOP presidential candidates, McCain lashing himself to the sinking ship's railing most tightly. Huckabee, whom Bob Schieffer fellated on Face the Nation this morning, is likewise not listening to the voters in Iowa (and across the nation).

There is bound to be a Republican who will declare himself against the occupation shortly. It seems to me that if Hagel declared, he would almost instantly move to the top of the (garbage) heap.

It bears observation which of the morans on the right figures this out first.

[earthlover]

4. So what are the Democrats waiting for?

If the Republicans in Iowa are OK with a 6 month "cut and run" then where is the sky that will fall if Dems advocate the same? Seems as if the American people want leadership on this issue. Sometimes Dem leaders remind me of some folks circling a swimming pool but afraid to jump in. Come on in....the water's fine! Or just stand there looking stupid....

[TheBaldyMan]

6. it's a shame it took the Republicans this long to catch on

it won't bring one of the dead back or mend one broken body.

I hope that the Republicans in Congress take note.

[Torn_Scorned_Ignored]

7. From the Houston Chronicle

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4696693.html

Security remained so tenuous in the capital on the eve of the fourth anniversary of the U.S. capture of Baghdad that Iraq's military declared a 24-hour ban on all vehicles in the capital beginning at 5 a.m. Monday. The government quickly reinstated Monday as a holiday, just a day after it had decreed that April 9 no longer would be a day off.

Among the 10 U.S. deaths announced today were three soldiers killed by a roadside bomb while patrolling south of Baghdad; one killed in an attack south of the capital; and two who died of combat wounds sustained north of the capital, in Diyala and Salahuddin provinces. On Saturday, the military said, four U.S. soldiers were killed in an explosion near their vehicle in Diyala.

At least 3,280 members of the U.S. military have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. The figure includes seven military civilians.

South of Baghdad, a truck bomb exploded near the Mahmoudiyah General Hospital, killing at least 18 people and wounding 23. The pickup truck loaded with artillery shells blew apart several buildings in a warren of auto repair shops.

Violence in Iraq remained as relentless as the deepening debate in the United States about the way forward in the war four years after Marines and the Army's 3rd Infantry Division swept into the Iraqi capital 20 days into the American invasion.

At least 47 people were killed or found dead in violence today, including 17 execution victims dumped in the capital.

[19jet54]

8. 39% for War? - WTF Over!

Christian Coalition Crusaders who think this is a 'religious war'?
Hard Core Chicken-Hawks?
Evil GOP War Profiteers?

Unbelievably dangerous thinking regardless :crazy:

:patriot:

[Danascot]

9. Damn, If Repugs Support Withdrawal from Iraq

there might still be a few shreds left of the GOP after the 2008 elections. I want them to keep drinking the Koolaid right to the end.

[bread_and_roses]

11. Will the Democrats let the Repubs take the lead on what the people want?

that's the question I'm beginning to ask myself. Seems damn stupid, to me, but hey....keep that powder dry! Or whatever.

[tlsmith1963]

13. Bush Won't Even Listen to His Own Party

He is completely out of control. Impeach him now. He is not listening to the will of the people & acts like a dictator.

[The Lost Patriot]

14. He isn't acting like a dictator....

He is a dictator.. And he should have learned a good lesson from what happened with Saddam.

[NewJeffCT]

15. Welcome to DU

Bush isn't quite a dictator yet - though, if he gets to replace one of the five Supreme Court justices that is not part of the extreme right (Scalia, Alito, Roberts & Thomas), he may get his wish.

Personally, I think Bush is too lazy to be a dictator...

[ejbr]

16. Too bad Obama and Levin agree with the 39%

by giving Bush wiggle* room to veto.



*HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE understatment.:spank:

[EVDebs]

17. Bush's base of evangelicals will respond to Luke 9:5 argument

"And as for those who do not receive you, as you go out from that city, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them."

http://bible.cc/luke/9-5.htm

Iraq and Baghdad have not 'received' the US presence or message. Time to shake the dust off and come home. Our neocons and AIPACers will have to do a redeployment as Murtha has demanded. This is Murtha's validation !