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Staying Up All Night To Do What’s Right: UPDATE

Contact:  Chuck Oxley   (208) 871-4976 (office)  

July 18

BOISE, Idaho– State Democratic Party Chairman Richard Stallings issued the following statement after Republicans in the Senate blocked a straight up-or-down vote on the Levin-Reed Amendment to change course in Iraq:

“It is a sad and shameful day as Republican senators in Washington, once again, put loyalty to the President and their political party ahead of our soldiers and the American people. The time has come and gone to quit playing politics. America must begin to redeploy our troops and refocus on the real war against Al Qaeda and other terrorists.

“One day after a new National Intelligence Estimate was released, showing that the Bush Administration has failed in its duty to make our homeland safe, Idaho Republicans Larry Craig and Mike Crapo sided with President and his disastrous Iraq policy.   

"For the past six months, Democrats have been working to change course in Iraq. Every step of the way, Republicans like Craig and Crapo have shown that they lack the leadership and backbone to stand up to the President. 

JULY 17

BOISE, Idaho – With Democrats in Washington staying up all night to demand a new direction in Iraq, Idaho Democrats today joined them in calling on Republicans in Washington to stop standing in the way of change. 

Senate Democrats are demanding a straight up-or-down vote on the Levin-Reed Amendment, which would begin to responsibly redeploy our troops in Iraq by April 2008 so they can refocus on protecting Americans from terrorism. Meanwhile, Republicans are blocking a vote on the amendment.  Tonight, Democrats will keep the Senate in session all night to debate this critical bill. Meanwhile, veterans groups and activists will hold a vigil outside the Congress to demand change. 

The Levin-Reed Amendment is similar to the Responsible Redeployment from Iraq Act passed last week. It is consistent with the advice of military and foreign policy experts, reflects the will of the American people, and would ensure the safety of our men and women in uniform. It would also enable a transition to an effective offensive strategy for winning the real war on terrorism. 

Today’s debate comes as a new National Intelligence Estimate revealed that Al Qaeda is regrouping and seeking ways to attack the United States, that its senior leadership is still based in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border regions, and that the current situation in Iraq has helped to energize Al Qaeda.   

“The time has come for Republicans to stand up to the President, grow a backbone, and join Democrats and the American people in demanding a responsible change of course in Iraq,” said Idaho Democratic Party Chairman Richard Stallings.  

“Republicans must join Democrats so that Congress speaks with one voice: to demand that President Bush to responsibly redeploy our troops so they can effectively combat the terrorists who threaten our homeland today.