House Progressives Push For Withdrawal

Raw Story has the exclusive:

Consensus-seeking negotiations on a measure that would limit President Bush's troop escalation in Iraq have angered Congressional Progressives. RAW STORY has learned that they are readying a response that will call for a more rapid withdrawal of US troops from America's four year-long war.

A Democratic aide close to the Congressional Progressive Caucus told RAW STORY that some Democrats will push for withdrawal when the next bill on Iraq War funding comes to the House floor.

"There is a plan for a whip operation, to get votes for an amendment that will say that any money spent will go toward a fully funded withdrawal," the aide explained. "We can't support the idea of having a $150 billion Supplemental [Defense Appropriations bill] that gives $100 billion for the escalation."

There are also signs that the Dlue Dogs could go along with the 71 member Progressive Caucus' planned amendment if the bill contained strong wording putting the onus on Iraq to increase it's own responsibility for internal policing. That would enable a general withdrawal leaving some troops behind in an advisory and training capacity. "We're keeping up the pressure at home and creating strong incentives and clear benchmarks for the Iraqis to meet," said one Blue Dog aide.

Whether such an amendment stands a chance of apssing in the face of Republican and Dem hawk opposition, let alone making it intact through the Senate as well, is a whole different ball of wax.

Read the whole thing.