Democrats vs Republicans on Iraq

I found this video clip from the House floor debate before the first vote on the Iraq supplemental bill. Freshman Representative Patrick Murphey, who served in Iraq and suffered the loss of 19 soldiers in his unit, delivers an incredibly moving speech about the need to bring the war to a close. Afterwards, Republican Sam Johnson, himself a Vietnam veteran who suffered for 7 and a half years as a POW, took the stage. Mr. Johnson is usually the last speaker Republicans use during debates on Iraq. With all due respect to him and the tremendous suffering he endured, I always feel that he is being taken advantage of by the Republican leadership. His life experiences are used as the backdrop for the points he makes (in this case, largely talking points from the Republican Leadership that pale in comparison and power to what Rep. Murphey had just said). I think Mr. Johnson deserves more respect than that, and that our soldiers fighting in Iraq deserve a better debate on this issue than the one Republicans are trying to have.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• sam
• johnson
• patrick
• murphey
• veterans
• veteran
• iraq
• congress
• democrats
• republicans
• war
• debate
• supplemental

[Expert51]

Analysts have said that there is no safe way of leaving Iraq. Experts say that if the United States leaves the war now, it will give Al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations a victory leading to a bloodier war in the Middle East. Experts also say that a fast withdrawal will disrupt oil lines and raise gas prices because of a likely civil war.A premature withdraw will allow Iraq to become a base for terrorist operations similar to Afghanistan before the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the U.S.

[evilgrin07]

Well it doesnt take an analyst to figure there is also no safe way to stay in Iraq, and is fuel that important to preserve prices over american troops ..... thats like a cop pulling over a cigarette butt flicker and letting the bank robber run right past instead...

[Morbiddragonelf]

Sam Johnson is a turd.

[whitakerj]

Sam Johnson is the most admirable person in the House of Representatives.

[theRebelBull]

Its a catch 22 when it comes to Iraq. Its been five years since that war began and since then Iraq has not become stable enough to be left alone. There is minimal improvement but this Iraq issue will not end. People dont like their country being occupied so I assure you, sooner or later troops will have to be pulled out.

We shouldnt pull out because of Al Qaeda??? the reason for invading in the fist place was because of "WMDs".

[agipanther]

The truth is, NO ONE

[oddycee]

The Iraqi people need those jobs over there.

Unlike Halliburton and others they deserve them and would take good care of themselves

and their country but instead they can only

get a job in the market (Where terror runs rapid) so they can either risk dying by going

to work there or they can risk dying by killing the occupation and guess which option

they choose.