Emerson: House plan 'irresponsible'

The latest Democratic proposal to pay for the Iraq war is an "irresponsible" political statement, U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, R-Missouri, said Thursday.

Emerson voted against the measure when it came before the U.S. House Thursday night.

The bill passed 221-205, largely along party lines, and now goes to the Senate. President Bush has threatened to veto the measure, which would fund the war through Aug. 1, including $42.8 billion to buy equipment and train Iraqi and Afghan security forces. However, the bill would require a summertime vote by Congress to free an additional $52.8 billion, the money needed to cover costs through the Sept. 30 end of the fiscal year.

"It is not responsible not to fund them until the end of the fiscal year," Emerson said. "At that time we will get a report from General Petraeus, and we will have our report and weigh and balance things."

Gen. David Petraeus is the U.S. commander in Iraq who fashioned the "surge" strategy endorsed earlier this year by President Bush.

What is most needed, Emerson said, is a calm discussion of U.S. options in Iraq. "The political rhetoric needs to be toned down," she said. "We need to work in a bipartisan way to get this resolved."

Emerson was one of 11 moderate Republicans who met Tuesday with President Bush to explain their concerns about the war. Emerson said she urged Bush to sit down with Democratic leaders and get the immediate issues of funding the war resolved so troops will have the resources to continue their mission.

"I felt it was a more productive conversation" than in the past, "and the president listened and let us talk as opposed to talking to us," Emerson said.

According to reports from the Associated Press and the New York Times, the Republicans met with Bush and his top advisers Tuesday to warn the president that his Iraq war efforts are hurting GOP political fortunes and that public support for the war is rapidly dwindling. The meeting at the White House included Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, political adviser Karl Rove and national security adviser Stephen Hadley.

"We asked them what's Plan B," Rep. Tom Davis of Virginia told the Associated Press. "We let them know that the status quo is not acceptable."

Emerson was one of two House members who voted "present" on the Iraq war funding bill that set a timetable to begin withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq. Bush vetoed that bill, and the latest measure was the Democrats' response to that veto.

"Politicizing the troops is bull," Emerson said. "I am fed up with all the politicizing."

Emerson on Wednesday became the target of an ad campaign by VoteVets.org, a veterans group that wants U.S. forces to redeploy and concentrate on fighting al-Qaida.

VoteVets will begin running ads on nine cable television systems in Southeast Missouri today, said Eric Schmeltzer, a spokesman for the group. The ads will be on cable systems in Cape Girardeau, Perryville, Scott County and others stretching down to the Bootheel, he said.

The ads are designed to push Emerson to break ranks with Bush and the GOP leadership on Iraq. VoteVets.org has worked with liberal groups like MoveOn.org to promote candidates who oppose the Iraq war.

The ads feature former generals, including the one-time commander of the Iraqi 1st Infantry Division.

Emerson declined to say whether the generals would influence her votes. "I have the greatest respect for anybody who has served in the military," Emerson said. "And I am happy to live in a country where people are free to say what they want. Otherwise, I have no comment."

She did say Bush should negotiate a strategy with Democrats, a move that the president indicated Thursday he would make, according to AP reports.

Bush should "sit down with the Democrats and get this resolved so our troops get what they need," Emerson said.

rkeller@semissourian.com

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