Iraq lawmaker vacation???
chopitdown
Posts: 2,222
are you serious? They want to take a 2 month vacation this summer. It seems like they don't even want to help their own country. This is just crazy. Do you job and work through the issues. If they leave maybe we should leave for 2 months.
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Lawmakers divided over whether to keep U.S. troops in Iraq are finding common ground on at least one topic: They are furious that Iraqi politicians are considering a lengthy break this summer.
"If they go off on vacation for two months while our troops fight -- that would be the outrage of outrages," said Rep. Chris Shays, R-Connecticut.
The Iraq parliament's recess, starting this July, would likely come without Baghdad politicians reaching agreements considered key to easing sectarian tensions. Examples include regulating distribution of the country's oil wealth and reversing measures that have excluded many Sunnis from jobs and government positions because of Baath party membership... continued at link.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/05/03/congress.iraq.ap/index.html
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Lawmakers divided over whether to keep U.S. troops in Iraq are finding common ground on at least one topic: They are furious that Iraqi politicians are considering a lengthy break this summer.
"If they go off on vacation for two months while our troops fight -- that would be the outrage of outrages," said Rep. Chris Shays, R-Connecticut.
The Iraq parliament's recess, starting this July, would likely come without Baghdad politicians reaching agreements considered key to easing sectarian tensions. Examples include regulating distribution of the country's oil wealth and reversing measures that have excluded many Sunnis from jobs and government positions because of Baath party membership... continued at link.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/05/03/congress.iraq.ap/index.html
make sure the fortune that you seek...is the fortune that you need
Post edited by Unknown User on
0
Comments
Prevail-regardless what the cost might be
Power-flows inside of me, you can't bring me
Never-fall as long as I try
Refuse-to be a part of your lie
Even-if it means I die, you can't bring me
You...can't...bring...me...down!
was like a picture
of a sunny day
“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.”
― Abraham Lincoln
Prevail-regardless what the cost might be
Power-flows inside of me, you can't bring me
Never-fall as long as I try
Refuse-to be a part of your lie
Even-if it means I die, you can't bring me
You...can't...bring...me...down!
i'm more and more feeling that way. take some responsibility and work to make it YOUR country.
I have been against the Iraq war for a long time, but not until recently did I think that we should just pull everyone out and cut our losses now. I guess I was hoping for either the insurgency/violence to run out of steam or the Iraqi Gov't to become more stable and stronger.... I just don't see either of those things happening anymore.
was like a picture
of a sunny day
“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.”
― Abraham Lincoln
I'll admit, I thought the invasion was a good idea, based on what we were told we "knew". Then I thought we need to finish the job b/c we screwed it up. Now it's screwed up and the country that supposedly was thankful for freedom at first isn't doing much to quell the violence and to move forward I think we should seriously use this as leverage for them to step up and take action or head out.
I see this as a good sign...they are standing up, for a vacation, but at least they are standing up...so, it's time to stand down...
Freedom is Slavery
Ignorance is Strength
the other foot in the gutter
sweet smell that they adore
I think I'd rather smother
-The Replacements-
"We support abolishing this vacation whether the (U.S.) Congress demands it or not," said al-Rubaie. "However, Iraqi issues are the concern of Iraqis only.""
All I have to say is: If Iraqi issues are the concern of Iraqis only, then let them finish their own fucking war.
Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
-Oscar Wilde
Something tells me this won't end until '09. And it's making my heart ache.
If we're a true democracy it can end as soon as enough of us demand it be done and expect more of our elected officials.
Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
-Oscar Wilde
People wrote that this war is too far away to matter to Americans, and because there is no draft, it's not hitting us, not affecting us.
And I watched that thread go down to the second page of AMT and this is the first time I've seen a thread about Iraq pop up again.
We all seem to want every person in America who feels strongly against this "war" to march on DC and make Bush stick his head out the window with his thumb up his ass.
No one seems to want to take the time to learn who their officials are, let alone write to them.
I choose to do what I can do and remain hopeful things will change more and more. It's all you can do. Focusing on the negative never works for anyone so I'll just continue to focus on what I'd like to see and be it myself.
Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
-Oscar Wilde
Thu May 3, 5:05 PM ET
Iraqi lawmakers said Thursday they might consider shortening — or even canceling — their planned two-month summer break to continue working. But they insisted that pressure from Washington is not behind the possible holiday-on-hold.
And besides, they say, the U.S. Congress is not thinking of calling off its own recess because of wartime debate.
The first salvo in the spat came after some U.S. lawmakers complained that it wasn't right for Iraq's parliament to close up shop while American troops were fighting. Iraqi legislators — at least those who hadn't fled the country — were quick to fire back.
"Certainly taking a two-month vacation will have an effect on passing some important laws," said Mahmoud Othman, a Kurdish lawmaker. "We can stay if we feel that this is very important, but I think that the worries by the congressmen are premature. Moreover, they themselves take vacation."
A recess, which would start in July, may leave several crucial pieces of U.S.-supported legislation unfinished, including a bill for distributing oil revenue and plans to reverse measures that barred former members of Saddam Hussein's Baath party from holding certain jobs and government office.
Criticism of the planned vacation erupted after President Bush vetoed legislation to continue funding the war, which would also have ordered U.S. troops to begin leaving Iraq on Oct. 1.
"If they go off on vacation for two months while our troops fight — that would be the outrage of outrages," said Rep. Chris Shays, a Connecticut Republican.
The U.S. Congress leaves for four weeks each August — often with important legislation unfinished — and takes a week off, sometimes more, around prominent holidays.
However, U.S. lawmakers said it was inappropriate for Iraqi legislators to abandon efforts to end the country's sectarian violence while U.S. soldiers continued fighting to contain that violence. More than 3,350 U.S. troops have died in Iraq since 2003.
"That is not acceptable," said Sen. John Warner (news, bio, voting record), R-Va. "An action of that consequence would send a very bad signal to the world that they don't have the resolve that matches the resolve of the brave troops that are fighting in the battle today."
Congressional leaders and White House aides began negotiations Thursday on a new funding bill for the war. Possible compromises under consideration would require the Iraqi government to meet a series of benchmarks, including passing reform legislation, in order for U.S. troops to remain here.
Iraqi lawmakers said that many in parliament use the two-month break to visit their families outside the country or in remote provinces or to take care of personal business.
"When the Iraqi parliament decides to have a vacation, it is intended to help its members work and have contact with citizens, to hold meetings and know their problems," said lawmaker Hameed Mousa from the Iraqi Communist Party. "The Iraqi parliament has the right to decide this vacation while the others have no right to interfere in this internal affair."
Even when parliament is in session, many Iraqi lawmakers are often nowhere to be seen. With many often in Jordan or Syria or honoring sporadic boycotts, the parliament often fails to garner the quorum of lawmakers it needs to do business.
Some legislators said Thursday they would consider canceling the two-month holiday if they have not passed the crucial legislation by the summer.
"There is a possibility that this vacation will be put off this year or limited to 15 days," said Nassar al-Rubaie, a lawmaker from the radical Shiite bloc. He said his party "thinks that the vacation should be canceled this year because the country is in a crisis and we have a number of important laws to be passed."
"We support abolishing this vacation whether the (U.S.) Congress demands it or not," he said. "However, Iraqi issues are the concern of Iraqis only."
Salim Abdullah, a Sunni lawmaker, agreed that now "is not the best time to take a vacation in Iraq. The country is undergoing an exceptional period and there is important decisions to be made by the lawmakers."
___
AP reporter Anne Flaherty contributed to this report from Washington.
How do you figure that? I think quite the opposite is true.
Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
-Oscar Wilde