Green gets it wrong on Iraq -- again

We let Rep. Mark Green speak his piece about Sen. Feingold's proposal to set a target date to get US troops out of Iraq.

The thing is, Green actually got it wrong and attacked Feingold's "new legislation," although Feingold hasn't introduced anything new. He simply announced his thinking on the issue.

This week Feingold proposed a timeframe for the completion of the military mission in Iraq and suggested Dec. 31, 2006 as the target date.

Feingold said, "I am putting a vision of when this ends on the table in the hope that we can get the focus back on our top priority and that is keeping America and the American people safe.”

Feingold did introduce legislation in June, (apparently this is news to Green), a resolution calling for the President to clarify the military mission in Iraq, lay out a plan and timeframe for accomplishing that mission, and publicly articulate a plan for subsequent troop withdrawal. It did not specify a date.

So Green is apparently opposed to clarifying the military mission in Iraq, laying out a plan and timeframe for accomplishing that mission, and publicly articulating a plan for subsequent troop withdrawal.

The resolution, presented on June 14, calls on President Bush to report on the following within 30 days of Senate passage of the resolution;

Report on the Remaining Mission
The resolution calls for the President to report to Congress the remaining mission of the Armed Forces of the United States in Iraq. A sound strategic plan for United States military operations in Iraq would include information regarding the numbers of Iraqi troops that must be effectively trained and the amount of time that will be required to train them. The President, so far, has declined to set out specific goals for the U.S. military to achieve in Iraq.

Report on a Time Frame for the Remaining Mission
The resolution calls on the President to offer current estimates of the time frame required for the United States to achieve the remaining mission, including information regarding variables that could alter that time frame. Time frames for the transfer of sovereignty and for elections in Iraq resulted in real political and strategic advantages for the U.S. and have advanced the development of democracy in Iraq.

Report on a Time Frame for the Withdrawal of Troops
The resolution calls on the President to submit to Congress a time frame for the subsequent withdrawal of United States troops from Iraq. On April 13, 2004, President Bush stated that “as a proud and independent people, Iraqis do not support an indefinite occupation and neither does America” and that U.S. troops will remain in Iraq “as long as necessary and not one day more.” Establishing a clear time frame for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq would help to refute conspiracy theories and eliminate suspicions that obstruct the U.S. policy goals in Iraq and undermine the legitimacy of the Government of Iraq.