Congress says no to permanent U.S military presence in Iraq

from news.yahoo.com...

"The U.S. Congress on Friday moved to block the Bush administration from building permanent U.S. military bases in
Iraq or controlling the country's oil sector, as it approved $70 billion for the wars in Iraq and
Afghanistan.


The restrictions included in a record $447 billion military funding bill were a slap at the administration, and Republicans have stripped them out of legislation in the past.

Democrats and many Republicans say the Iraqi insurgency has been fueled by perceptions the United States has ambitions for a permanent presence in the country.

The administration has downplayed prospects for permanent military bases in Iraq, but lawmakers have called on
President George W. Bush to make a definitive statement that the United States has no such plans.

U.S. officials have predicted a lengthy U.S. military presence in Iraq."


I always took it for a given that the U.S gov't was going to establish some kind of permanent military presence in Iraq. And no doubt that is still in the cards and the plans. But I did not expect Congress, espiecally this collection of shady shady Republicans, to wag their finger at the cabalists in the White House and their plans for the New Century. I imagine this could become a very contentious and public issue if the "cut-and-run" party gets control of the Senate.