Iowa Senate goes on record opposing troop surge
By Dan Gearino Journal Des Moines Bureau | Posted: Friday, February 16, 2007
DES MOINES -- The Iowa Senate passed a resolution Thursday opposing President Bush's plan to increase the number of troops in Iraq, an action taken as the U.S. Congress considers a similar measure.
The resolution, approved on a voice vote, was offered by Senate President Jack Kibbie, D-Emmetsburg, a Korean War veteran. "The end of this war has to start sometime and somewhere. Stopping the expansion of these troops needs to happen now," he said.
Kibbie was joined by 27 co-sponsors out of the 50-member Senate, all Democrats.
Few Republicans rose to speak, but those who did fiercely opposed the measure. "I'm ashamed of the Senate today. I'm ashamed that we have this resolution in front of us," said Sen. James Seymour, R-Woodbine, a Marine Corps veteran.
Sen. Brad Zaun, R-Urbandale, said the Iowa Legislature has no place entering the debate on foreign policy. "This resolution is about politics and that's it. I wonder if George W. Bush was a Democrat if we'd be doing this resolution," he said.
Sen. Mike Connolly, D-Dubuque, said the resolution doesn't go far enough. He said he would rather see the Legislature support the beginning of withdrawal from Iraq. "This should call for the start of withdrawal from what I consider one of the worst foreign policy mistakes this country has ever made," he said.
The only Democrats who didn't co-sponsor the resolution were Sens. Rob Hogg of Cedar Rapids and Steve Warnstadt of Sioux City. Warnstadt is a member of the Iowa Army National Guard and has said in the past that he wants to focus on his work for his district and as chairman of the Commerce Committee, rather than on foreign policy issues.
This is not the first time the Legislature has waded into the controversy over the Iraq war. In 2003, when Republicans controlled the House and Senate, both chambers passed a measure supporting the entry into the war.
Dan Gearino can be reached at 515-243-0138 and dan.gearino@lee.net
The resolution, approved on a voice vote, was offered by Senate President Jack Kibbie, D-Emmetsburg, a Korean War veteran. "The end of this war has to start sometime and somewhere. Stopping the expansion of these troops needs to happen now," he said.
Kibbie was joined by 27 co-sponsors out of the 50-member Senate, all Democrats.
Few Republicans rose to speak, but those who did fiercely opposed the measure. "I'm ashamed of the Senate today. I'm ashamed that we have this resolution in front of us," said Sen. James Seymour, R-Woodbine, a Marine Corps veteran.
Sen. Brad Zaun, R-Urbandale, said the Iowa Legislature has no place entering the debate on foreign policy. "This resolution is about politics and that's it. I wonder if George W. Bush was a Democrat if we'd be doing this resolution," he said.
Sen. Mike Connolly, D-Dubuque, said the resolution doesn't go far enough. He said he would rather see the Legislature support the beginning of withdrawal from Iraq. "This should call for the start of withdrawal from what I consider one of the worst foreign policy mistakes this country has ever made," he said.
The only Democrats who didn't co-sponsor the resolution were Sens. Rob Hogg of Cedar Rapids and Steve Warnstadt of Sioux City. Warnstadt is a member of the Iowa Army National Guard and has said in the past that he wants to focus on his work for his district and as chairman of the Commerce Committee, rather than on foreign policy issues.
This is not the first time the Legislature has waded into the controversy over the Iraq war. In 2003, when Republicans controlled the House and Senate, both chambers passed a measure supporting the entry into the war.
Dan Gearino can be reached at 515-243-0138 and dan.gearino@lee.net
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