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War-Weary Republicans Rebuke Romney on Afghanistan
On Wednesday night, the Senate adopted by voice vote an amendment introduced by Oregon Democrat Jeff Merkley calling on President Obama to speed up U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan. This was a watershed event towards ending the war. The previous high water mark of Senators calling for expedited withdrawal was 27; the previous high water mark on a vote was 18. The vote is a green light from the Senate to the White House for a faster military withdrawal that would save many American and Afghan lives and (at least) many tens of billions of taxpayer dollars.
Because it was a voice vote, there was no roll call. But, if you want to know who especially to thank, 21 Senators sponsored Merkley's amendment:
Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR); Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT); Sen. Tom Udall (D-NM); Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY); Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH); Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT); Sen. Mark Begich (D-AK); Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM); Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA); Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD); Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND); Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL); Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY); Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA); Sen. Pat Leahy (D-VT); Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV); Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) ; Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV); Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT); Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY); Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)
The Senate vote - which saw John McCain standing alone in vocal opposition - is more evidence that on key issues of war and military spending, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, John McCain, Lindsay Graham and Buck McKeon haven't been speaking for Republicans generally. Big media should take note, and make more room on their playlists for Republicans like Rand Paul, Walter Jones, Justin Amash, Tim Johnson and Grover Norquist who want to turn a corner on a decade of endless war and unchecked military spending.
In the Republican Presidential debates, on Iraq, Afghanistan, and military spending, Romney, Gingrich and most of the other Republicans - not Ron Paul, of course - have mostly sung from the old-time Republican hymnal. On the Sunday talk shows, on Iraq, Afghanistan, and military spending, McCain and Graham and McKeon - the go-to Republicans for big media on military issues - have sung from the old-time Republican hymnal.
But meanwhile, on Iraq, Afghanistan, and military spending, the great sea of Republicans has been doing Vatican II.
On Iraq, Romney, Gingrich (Gingrich was for it before he was against it) and the other Republican candidates - not Ron Paul - slammed President Obama for withdrawing US troops in compliance with President Bush's Status of Forces Agreement. But 63% of Republicans told CBS that they agreed with President Obama's decision.
On military spending, Romney has demanded that President Obama block cuts to projected military spending. (Gingrich, to his credit, has dodged the neocon loyalty oath on opposition to cuts in military spending.) But when Congress passed the Budget Control Act, and when the "Super Committee" failed to reach agreement on a deficit-reduction deal that would block half a trillion dollars in automatic cuts to projected military spending over ten years from taking effect, that reflected the majority of Republicans in Congress saying: we prefer military cuts to increased taxes.
(For a recent taste of how overripe the military budget is for cuts, read Ben Freeman's account for the Project on Government Oversight on how Defense Secretary Gates' efforts to stop the wasteful and expensive over-promotion of generals have been reversed under former "budget hawk" Defense Secretary Panetta.)
On Afghanistan, Romney and McCain have slammed President Obama for pulling US troops out faster than the Pentagon wants. But Wednesday night, the Senate said: "We think you aren't pulling out the troops fast enough." (Note that a new Rasmussen poll says that 3 in 5 Americans want US troops out of Afghanistan immediately or within a year.)
It's time for big media to recognize that on Iraq, Afghanistan, and military spending, Romney, Gingrich, McCain, Graham and McKeon are generals who have lost their Republican army. They rage like King Lear. But they have lost their kingdom.
And it's time for President Obama to bring our boys and girls home from Afghanistan.
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22 Comments so far
Show All"The Senate vote - which saw John McCain standing alone in vocal opposition"
I thought he never stood anywhere without the other "amigos". Where were Lieberman and Graham?
Like the mixed metaphor: Certain Republicans were "singing from the same hymnal," a reference to Protestant service. And then: "the great sea of Republicans has been doing Vatican II"--a nice reference to Catholicism. Good stuff!
If Robert Naiman wants to think that this limp expression by these legislators is some kind of breakthrough for democracy, that is his business - pun intended.
At best, all that this show represents is that there is a small element in the business community who think it would be better for their profits if the warmongering is reduced, so they allow their lackeys to give minimal expresssion.
The fact that there is nothing binding in this show is the key. They are just trying to manipulate people for votes.
Also, "boys and girls"???? Naiman makes it sound like the military is a bunch of kids on a playground and it is time for a return to the class-room - again, pun intended.
The word "government" comes from the idea of steering (a ship). These Senators are making nice in their corporate ballroom and Naiman wants us to think they are putting their hands on the wheel and trying to turn the ship around.
Poseurs.
Very disappointed in Sen Lamar Alexander and Sen Bob Corker. In spite of their being Republicans, I felt they had better sense and would have voted for this. Guess I need to review their records better.
I, too, live in TN. To me, Lamar has become "Lamer" and Corker is the "Dorker". Huge disappointments...both of them
It is a total fantasy to believe that the small groups in both the republican and democratic parties that oppose the wars of the American Empire will have any serious impact on the aggressive pro-war policies that will continue no matter which party wins the next election. We have seen that the longer these third world slaughters go on some people in America get impatient and want to just drop a nuke on the gooks or kill more people faster in Iraq but these people will eagerly support the next big war that their corrupt government starts. A majority of both democrats and republicans will always support war.
To paraphrase from Naiman, it is time for President Obama to be impeached for the many war crimes that he has committed against the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan.
"To paraphrase from Naiman, it is time for President Obama to be impeached for the many war crimes---"
we should not assume that obama is the leader of the laundrymat--he's just the current sergeant-at-arms.
And lets not forget O-Bomb-em's latest atrocity in Libya for which he ALONE is responsible IE: He did NOT inherit from the Bush / Cheney / NeoCons - & also is gearing up for more war atrocities in Somalia, Syria & Iran, etc....
The best Mormons are ex-Mormons; I strongly suggest looking into this one, ignoring Romney and all the other flamers mentioned in this article. Get on board and stop spinning wheels on the nincompoops from antiquity.
Check this out instead and draw your own conclusions with the newest hat in the ring: http://www.opednews.com/Quicklink/The-President-I-Want-in-Of-in-Best_Web_OpEds-111202-732.html
Yes daniel geery. Just found about this yesterday when Amy Goodman made a brief reference to it on DN. Ex-Democrat Rocky Anderson's wikipedia bio is impressive. Thank you and I will add this link to the story in which he announces his plan to form the Justice Party and run for Prez.
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705395124/Rocky-Anderson-forms-Justice-Party-plans-to-run-for-president.html
This is great news...a good first step towards a grassroots campaign for a just society...a Justice Party!!!
Much of the opposition of our nation to our wars around the globe is due to economic fear (too expensive) and not to constitutional issues let alone to the immorality of "bugsplatting" women and children in Pakistan. Mr. Naiman is apparently too young to know how fickle our nation's objections to war have always been. Libya is already forgotten even though the fabric of that country has been devastated by FRAGBUS. Vietnam? Did that really happen or was it a Spielberg movie? Iraq? TG, we are leaving because Obama obeys the deadline! Afghanistan? Get out faster? Well, which of these Senators voted for the Senate resolution on terrorism of 2001 (98 yes; 0 no) that got us into Afghanistan in the first place? Here is the list of the 2001 "aye voters" of the list above: Boxer, Harkin, Durbin, Baucus, Conrad, Bingaman, Schumer, Leahy, Rockefeller, Murray. Yes, Schumer!
Whatever else is the case, where in the article is there any evidence that "on Iraq, Afghanistan, and military spending, the great sea of Republicans has been doing Vatican II"? Two of 31 sponsors of the amendment were Republicans. 28 were Democrats.
They are finally realizing it's time to leave Afghanistan. We have other wars to fight. We'll just use jets, drones and bombers in Iran, besides we need those troops to take care of business here at home.
Did anyone see the footage of the war criminal Biden praising the American military for helping found an Iraq that serves as a model of stability? Americans will never reall leave Iraq -- much less Afghanistann -- until there is a collapse so profound that we can no longer afford the imperial weaponry . . .
So, after the Senate voted to approve massive War spending again AND further shred the constitution, they pass this meaningless bill. Please read Greenwald's long essay about the passage of the defense bill as it puts the finger on the Democrat voting strategy in the Senate--what he calls "Villain Rotation." IMO, Naiman is the one who's "war weary," as are most of us. And since the vote was meaningless, those Reublicans voting yea did so only for show, just like the Democrats.
Well, looks like I can thank neither of my senators, d or r; We, the flesh & blood people, surely need to be committed to overcoming this sad state of affairs by whatever means possible.
the troops are needed back in the Homeland.
Nice. And how many of those jerks voted for all the U.S. wars, bombings, invasions, $1.3 trillion military budgets? Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, Libya, Somalia, etc.
Give me a break.
Nice. And how many of those jerks voted for all the U.S. wars, bombings, invasions, $1.3 trillion military budgets? Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, Libya, Somalia, etc.
Give me a break.
Weary of war? How can that be?
Just as Adolf 'I must have war' Hitler proclaimed "I am Germany" so too the USA must proclaim "We are war!". "It's what defines us and our economy".