Black Activists Support President Bush’s Iraq Timetable Veto

Veterans who are members of the black leadership network Project 21 are supporting President George W. Bush’s veto of the recently-passed emergency military spending bill because it contains a timetable for pulling U.S. troops out of Iraq.

“It was a wise decision for President Bush to veto this bill,” said Project 21 member Jimmie Hollis, a U.S. Air Force veteran.  “Liberals are playing politics with the lives of our troops.  While I am not surprised by anything I see in House of Representatives these days, I was somewhat surprised that the Senate passed such a sham of a bill.  Thank goodness there won’t be enough votes to override it.”

As passed by the House and Senate, the now-vetoed legislation would have provided $124 billion to fund military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan while also calling for troops to begin being withdrawn from Iraq in October and for a complete withdrawal to be achieved by March of 2008.

In a speech to the European Union today, President Bush said, “I look forward to working with members of both parties to get a bill that doesn’t set artificial timetables and doesn’t micromanage and gets the money to our troops.”  He has already invited congressional leaders to meet at the White House on May 2 to discuss alternatives legislation.

“Liberal lawmakers have chosen crass politics over the lives and mission of the troops fighting the Global War on Terror,” said Project 21 member Kevin Martin, a U.S. Navy veteran.  “President Bush was justified in his veto of this military spending bill because of the withdrawal timeline.  Supporters of a set withdrawal date are disrespecting the men and women fighting on our behalf in Iraq.  Retreat will not make this nation and our interests any safer in the end.  It will only encourage terrorists to continue their attacks.”

Project 21, a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization sponsored by the National Center for Public Policy Research, has been a leading voice of the African-American community since 1992.  For more information, contact David Almasi at (202) 543-4110 x11 or [email protected], or visit Project 21’s website at http://www.project21.org/P21Index.html.



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