De-Authorization

Hillary Clinton just added a new wrinkle to the Iraq debate.

SENATOR CLINTON: Madam President, I rise to join my colleague and friend, Senator Byrd, to announce our intention to introduce legislation which proposes that October 11, 2007 -- the five year anniversary of the original resolution authorizing the use of force in Iraq -- as the expiration date for that resolution.

As Senator Byrd pointed out, the October 11, 2002, authorization to use force has run its course, and it is time to reverse the failed policies of President Bush and to end this war as soon as possible.

Earlier this week, President Bush vetoed legislation reflecting the will of the Congress and the American people that would have provided needed funding for our troops while also changing course in Iraq and beginning to bring our troops home.

I believe this fall is the time to review the Iraq war authorization and to have a full national debate so the people can be heard. I supported the Byrd amendment on October 10, 2002, which would have limited the original authorization to one year and I believe a full reconsideration of the terms and conditions of that authorization is overdue. This bill would require the president to do just that.

This is the same legislation that Bill Richardson called for in San Diego. And it's very powerful. The situation in Iraq today bears no resemblance to the situation in October 2002. The 2002 authorization is outdated. It says nothing about a civil war. It says nothing about sectarian violence. It says everything about weapons of mass destruction and Saddam Hussein. This is a no-brainer.

There is a problem with the alphabet soup legislation from all of these different candidates that kind of negates consensus. That's also good in a way, because the attacks on the status quo come from a variety of different angles. I would support this legislation.