Category: Politics

Going to war

Ever wonder how the US ended up in Iraq? Here’s some information you might find interesting.

  • The House of Representatives adopted the resolution on October 10, 2002, by a vote of 296-133. See the full list
  • 296 Representatives voted in favor of the resolution, 215 of the votes cast were from Republican members, and 81 of members were Democrats.
  • 133 Representatives voted against the resolution, 126 of the votes cast were from Democrats, 6 from Republicans, and 1 from the sole independent.
  • Solomon Ortiz (D-TX 27th), Marge Roukema (R-NJ 5th), and Bob Stump (R-AZ 3rd) did not vote
  • The Senate adopted the resolution on October 11, 2002, by a vote of 77-23.See the full list
  • 77 Senators voted in favor of the resolution, 48 of the votes cast were from Republican members, and 29 of the members were Democrats.
  • 23 Senators voted against the resolution: 21 Democrats, 1 Republican, and 1 Independent.

The resolution, AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF MILITARY FORCE AGAINST IRAQ RESOLUTION OF 2002, (a.k.a. Public Law 107-243 107th Congress) justified the use of force because:

  • in 1990 in response to Iraq’s war of aggression against and illegal occupation of Kuwait, the United States forged a coalition of nations to liberate Kuwait and its people in order to defend the national security of the United States and enforce United Nations Security Council resolutions relating to Iraq
  • after the liberation of Kuwait in 1991, Iraq entered into a United Nations sponsored cease-fire agreement pursuant to which Iraq unequivocally agreed, among other things, to eliminate its nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons programs and the means to deliver and develop them, and to end its support for international terrorism
  • the efforts of international weapons inspectors, United States intelligence agencies, and Iraqi defectors led to the discovery that Iraq had large stockpiles of chemical weapons and a large scale biological weapons program, and that Iraq had an advanced nuclear weapons development program that was much closer to producing a nuclear weapon than intelligence reporting had previously indicated
  • Iraq, in direct and flagrant violation of the cease-fire, attempted to thwart the efforts of weapons inspectors to identify and destroy Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction stockpiles and development capabilities, which finally resulted in the withdrawal of inspectors from Iraq on October 31, 1998
  • in Public Law 105-235 (August 14, 1998), Congress concluded that Iraq’s continuing weapons of mass destruction programs threatened vital United States interests and international peace and security, declared Iraq to be in “material and unacceptable breach of its international obligations” and urged the President “to take appropriate action, in accordance with the Constitution and relevant laws of the United States, to bring Iraq into compliance with its international obligations”
  • Iraq both poses a continuing threat to the national security of the United States and international peace and security in the Persian Gulf region and remains in material and unacceptable breach of its international obligations by, among other things, continuing to possess and develop a significant chemical and biological weapons capability, actively seeking a nuclear weapons capability, and supporting and harboring terrorist organizations
  • Iraq persists in violating resolution of the United Nations Security Council by continuing to engage in brutal repression of its civilian population thereby threatening international peace and security in the region, by refusing to release, repatriate, or account for non-Iraqi citizens wrongfully detained by Iraq, including an American serviceman, and by failing to return property wrongfully seized by Iraq from Kuwait
  • the current Iraqi regime has demonstrated its capability and willingness to use weapons of mass destruction against other nations and its own people
  • the current Iraqi regime has demonstrated its continuing hostility toward, and willingness to attack, the United States, including by attempting in 1993 to assassinate former President Bush and by firing on many thousands of occasions on United States and Coalition Armed Forces engaged in enforcing the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council
  • members of al Qaida, an organization bearing responsibility for attacks on the United States, its citizens, and interests, including the attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, are known to be in Iraq
  • Iraq continues to aid and harbor other international terrorist organizations, including organizations that threaten the lives and safety of United States citizens
  • the attacks on the United States of September 11, 2001, underscored the gravity of the threat posed by the acquisition of weapons of mass destruction by international terrorist organizations
  • Iraq’s demonstrated capability and willingness to use weapons of mass destruction, the risk that the current Iraqi regime will either employ those weapons to launch a surprise attack against the United States or its Armed Forces or provide them to international terrorists who would do so, and the extreme magnitude of harm that would result to the United States and its citizens from such an attack, combine to justify action by the United States to defend itself
  • United Nations Security Council Resolution 678 (1990) authorizes the use of all necessary means to enforce United Nations Security Council Resolution 660 (1990) and subsequent relevant resolutions and to compel Iraq to cease certain activities that threaten international peace and security, including the development of weapons of mass destruction and refusal or obstruction of United Nations weapons inspections in violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 687 (1991), repression of its civilian population in violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 688 (1991), and threatening its neighbors or United Nations operations in Iraq in violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 949 (1994)
  • in the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution (Public Law 102-1), Congress has authorized the President “to use United States Armed Forces pursuant to United Nations Security Council Resolution 678 (1990) in order to achieve implementation of Security Council Resolution 660, 661, 662, 664, 665, 666, 667, 669, 670, 674, and 677”
  • in December 1991, Congress expressed its sense that it “supports the use of all necessary means to achieve the goals of United Nations Security Council Resolution 687 as being consistent with the Authorization of Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution (Public Law 102-1),” that Iraq’s repression of its civilian population violates United Nations Security Council Resolution 688 and “constitutes a continuing threat to the peace, security, and stability of the Persian Gulf region,” and that Congress, “supports the use of all necessary means to achieve the goals of United Nations Security Council Resolution 688”
  • the Iraq Liberation Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-338) expressed the sense of Congress that it should be the policy of the United States to support efforts to remove from power the current Iraqi regime and promote the emergence of a democratic government to replace that regime
  • on September 12, 2002, President Bush committed the United States to “work with the United Nations Security Council to meet our common challenge” posed by Iraq and to “work for the necessary resolutions,” while also making clear that “the Security Council resolutions will be enforced, and the just demands of peace and security will be met, or action will be unavoidable”
  • the United States is determined to prosecute the war on terrorism and Iraq’s ongoing support for international terrorist groups combined with its development of weapons of mass destruction in direct violation of its obligations under the 1991 cease-fire and other United Nations Security Council resolutions make clear that it is in the national security interests of the United States and in furtherance of the war on terrorism that all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions be enforced, including through the use of force if necessary
  • Congress has taken steps to pursue vigorously the war on terrorism through the provision of authorities and funding requested by the President to take the necessary actions against international terrorists and terrorist organizations, including those nations, organizations, or persons who planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored such persons or organizations
  • the President and Congress are determined to continue to take all appropriate actions against international terrorists and terrorist organizations, including those nations, organizations, or persons who planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored such persons or organizations
  • the President has authority under the Constitution to take action in order to deter and prevent acts of international terrorism against the United States, as Congress recognized in the joint resolution on Authorization for Use of Military Force (Public Law 107-40)
  • it is in the national security interests of the United States to restore international peace and security to the Persian Gulf region

Therefore Congress authorized:

SUPPORT FOR UNITED STATES DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS.

The Congress of the United States supports the efforts by the
President to–
(1) strictly enforce through the United Nations Security
Council all relevant Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq
and encourages him in those efforts; and
(2) obtain prompt and decisive action by the Security
Council to ensure that Iraq abandons its strategy of delay,
evasion and noncompliance and promptly and strictly complies
with all relevant Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq.

SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES.

(a) Authorization.–The President is authorized to use the Armed
Forces of the United States as he determines to be necessary and
appropriate in order to–
(1) defend the national security of the United States
against the continuing threat posed by Iraq; and
(2) enforce all relevant United Nations Security Council
resolutions regarding Iraq.

So there you have it. That’s most of it. Want to read all of it? Click here.
And now back to our regularly scheduled blogging.

TD Jakes says he’s looking for a leader

Dallas Pastor TD Jakes says he’s looking for a strong leader in the next president of the U.S., not necessarily faith.

One of the most influential black leaders today, Jakes has the ear of President George W. Bush and former President Bill Clinton. He says the black clergy faces big challenges as the 2008 presidential election draws near, as they weigh competing strategies on how to work effectively for the betterment of their community.
But the challenges extend beyond the black community, Jakes says.
“I think really religion in general is struggling with politics, not just African Americans. Many, many times we’ve allowed ourselves to be taken up under the control of this party or that party, and I think that’s dangerous when you do that,” he tells Michele Norris.
“I don’t think that God should be assigned to a party. When the party goes bad, then the clergy are embarrassed, and I think that faith should transcend politics,” he says.
“If you’re going to be an effective leader… you can’t just be the president of the Christians, you have to be the president of the United States which incorporates atheists, agnostics and all brands of faith. And many Christians don’t understand that. They see this as a Christian nation but I don’t see this as a theocracy, I see it as a democracy.”

Listen to the story from NPR

Jerry Falwell dead

I’m sure this is old news to most but I just caught news of this, this morning at work.

Jerry Falwell is dead at 73.

As is Dr. Martin Luther King’s eldest daughter, Yolanda King, at 51.

If you recall, Falwell was part of the focus of the Alexandra Pelosi documentary: “Friends of God: A Road Trip With Alexandra Pelosi” which also featured a short segment about the Christian Wrestling Federation. Reportedly, Falwell was very nice to Pelosi during her filming but kicked her off his bus once he found out who her mother was.

Listen to a reflection on his life by NPR

Read more about:
Jerry Falwell & Yolanda King

Filing begins for Speaker of the House

Via e-mail:

KEFFER FILES FOR SPEAKER

Challenges Craddick to three term limit pledge

From Jim Keffer’s statement:

“State Representative Jim Keffer (R-Eastland) announced today that he has filed his candidacy paperwork for Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives for the 81st Regular Session which will begin in January, 2009.
“Keffer said he will formerly announce his candidacy for Speaker at the Texas House Republican Caucus meeting scheduled for early this afternoon.
“During the past few days, a majority of the members of the Texas House have agreed that we need a new Speaker and most have stated that they would prefer the selection of a new Speaker upon adjournment of the Regular Session rather than by placing a call on the Speaker during the session.”
“Keffer also challenged incumbent Texas House Speaker Tom Craddick to publicly join with him in committing to a three-term Speaker limit.
“In my opinion, Speaker Craddick needs to announce that he will not seek another term and let the members pursue a new Speaker’s race,” said Keffer. “However, if Craddick does pursue another term, I will aggressively challenge him and will welcome others to also enter the Speaker’s race.”
“Keffer also said he will pursue a House Resolution for a three-term limit for the Speaker’s office to ensure that the power of the Speaker’s office is used for the purpose of public service and nothing more.
“Craddick was first elected House Speaker in 2003 and is currently serving his third term that he narrowly won after a strong challenge by Plano Republican Brian McCall and Waxahachie Republican Jim Pitts this past January.
“Since Craddick took over as Speaker, Republicans have lost 7 seats in the Texas House and several Democrats who have supported Craddick have been defeated in Democratic primaries. Craddick has also been the first Speaker in over 35 years to be over-ruled on a point of order by the Texas House membership which occurred in early May. Upon completion of the current term, Craddick will have served 40 years in the Texas House.
“I am committed to the three-term limit and if elected by my colleagues I am committed to being a Republican House Speaker in a Republican majority who will honor the rules, respect each member’s district, and pass good public policy.”
As an aside, sources close to Keffer tell us that he has received calls from supporters in the district telling him that Craddick is attempting to recruit and fully fund a challenger for the next election.

Get out and vote!

Loads of elections going on around Texas today.
Get out and vote! Don’t let your opportunity to have a say get taken away.
Texas seniors have a big vote to cast to decide on their future property tax rates.
Ellis County voters are voting on a $53.785 million bond package for future county facilities.
And cities across the state are electing new city council members and school board members.
Be sure you go to the polls and be sure you know what you’re voting for before you cast a blind vote. I could tell you how to vote and I’ll be more than glad to answer any questions you have but I’d rather you make an informed decision on your own. Look at all the facts, ask questions and then vote (hopefully you’ve already been doing the first two).
And just a reminder for those in Ellis County/specifically Waxahachie, you’ll need to go to separate locations for the county and city elections. In several places the school board and city elections are combined but you’ll need to go to the county polling place to vote on the senior and county issues.