Republicans block Debate on Iraq

Damn... The Republicans keep shooting themselves in the foot. As Andrew Sullivan puts it,
"If the Republicans had spent half the effort they have devoted to domestic partisanship to winning the war in Iraq, we may not be in the morass we are today ..."

The most pressing issue in America today is the Iraq War - And the Republican party doesn't want to talk about it. "Wait! wait! We Do! We do want to talk about it!"

The White House was overjoyed at the Republicans tactic, as it shot down debate on the Iraq war, which they sure as hell don't want anybody discussing.... Cause they know they are Dead wrong on the surge.

So Hagel, who has been outspoken against Bush on the surge, votes against a DEBATE on Iraq. And Warner, who co-sponsored the bill, actually ending up voting AGAINST It.

Why? Because they are partisan cowards that are voting again- to support the White House INSTEAD of the troops.

But, ouch. They want a Do-over. Now Hagel, Warner, and 5 other Republicans have Changed their ittybitty minds after the uproar that came from their constituents and the American people after their vote to silence discussion of Iraq.

Is this what the Republican party has been reduced to? Attempting to bury their heads in the sand?

New Defense Secretary Gates says that debate on the war WON'T hurt morale. And as the new Bush crony in Iraq, you neocons can take HIS word, can't you?

I will take Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace's word for it:
"There’s no doubt in my mind that the dialogue here in Washington strengthens our democracy. Period."

Running and hiding from a subject is NOT how to solve it. Cowardly Republicans can't fight their own battles and now they have to be hogtied to have a debate.

And here's some of our ACTUAL TROOPS weighing in: (from Digby)http://www.digbysblog.blogspot.com/

SEABROOK: There were also troops on Capitol Hill today, former soldiers now lobbying against the surge. They made their way from office to office, finally paying a visit to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. John Sults(ph) runs this group of veterans.

Mr. JOHN SULTS (Former Soldier): We’re the troops, we’re here. We are the troops. We’re sitting next to leader Pelosi, because "they" don’t support the troops.

SEABROOK: They, in this case, is the Republicans, says Sults.

Mr. SULTS: If you all want to talk about not supporting the troops, go over to the Republican side ask them how to vote against body armor instead, not once, but twice in 2003. That’s not supporting troops. If you support escalation, you don’t support the troops. Twenty thousand more troops in Baghdad is a backdoor timeline. It is like spitting in the ocean. It will not make a difference. We need a new strategy in Iraq.