The Other Time Table...

This week the President will veto the the war budget resolution passed by Congress. The bill stipulated that the war would continue to be funded at current levels, however with the major caveat that troops must begin withdrawing from Iraq. The President has continued to say that he will veto any measure that comes across his desk that includes the term withdraw. Given the overwhelmingly party line vote, it doesn't appear that his veto would be over-ridden.

Having said that, I really do not know how to best approach the issue of achieving the American people's mandate of ending the war and bringing our troops home. In my opinion, the newly elected democratic leaders knew they have to do something to retain political clout but don't want to be hand-cuffed by opposition leaders who say that they would be putting troops in danger if they fail to properly fund them, I think the term so-often used has been defeat-o-crats. The war budget sent to the President accounted for current funding to maintain, while at the same time giving the President notice that the next budget will be radically different and by then they expect most of the troops to have returned home.

The Democrats budget calls for the troop withdraw to be in full cycle by the end of the year. That is less than one year before Americans will elect a new leader, one that you can bet your house on, will not be for continuing the effort in Iraq. The President has been put on alert by the current congress that it does plan to end the war by the end of the year, could he possibly fell that another eleven months would add anything significant to that effort. In conclusion, the President may be able to veto the current legislation, but there is no veto that will extend his term.