Iraq, the US Chamber rejects Bush 

“No to send new troops”

WASHINGTON – As expected, the House of Representatives rejected – with 246 votes in favor and 182 against – the new strategy of President George W. Bush in Iraq: the democratic majority, with the votes of some Republican representatives, today approved a motion binding that “disapproves of the decision” to send an extra contingent of 21,500 soldiers to Baghdad.

In the document the Chamber reiterates that in any case it will not cut funds for troops in Iraq. The president, as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, does not need the approval of the Congress for the management of soldiers, the allocation of funds is a matter of exclusive jurisdiction of the Chamber and the Senate. However, the position taken by the parliamentary body has a strong symbolic value.

February 16, 2007