Levin: Cap on troops is needed: 01/21/07
By Kristofer Karol
Livingston Daily Press & Argus
Michigan’s senior senator told a crowd of Livingston County Democrats on Saturday that the end of the Iraq conflict will need to come from placing a cap on troops or specifying a four- to six-month timetable for withdrawal.
U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Detroit, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, was at the Whispering Pines Golf Club and Banquet Center in Hamburg Township to speak at a Livingston County Democrats fundraiser, where he repeatedly said the Iraqi government needs to be pressured to resolve tensions — ethnic and otherwise — in the country.
“(President Bush’s) belief, which is erroneous in my judgment … (is) that increasing the number of troops in Iraq is going to bring a resolution to the Iraqi problem,” Levin told the crowd. “Most Democrats, and a few Republicans, believe that the only solution to the Iraqi violence is for the Iraqis to work out a political settlement (and) take charge of their country because it is their responsibility.”
A good first step toward that goal, Levin noted, is approving a resolution he helped author that is not binding, but would express the Senate’s displeasure with increasing the amount of U.S. troops in Iraq by 21,500, as previously stated by Bush. The resolution could be working its way through committees as early as this week.
Passing the resolution might be tricky, Levin noted, because Republicans have already promised to filibuster it to death.
Levin has also helped author another failed resolution asking for troop withdrawal within four to six months, and said “we’re trying to send a message to the Iraqis: ‘Folks, we’re on our way out, take charge of your own nation.’ ”
One attendee asked Levin why the government couldn’t just cut war funding, to which the senator replied that cutting funding would send the wrong message to troops.
After about a 30-minute speech, Levin spent another half-hour taking the crowd’s questions, which touched on job losses and job creation, what happens if the Iraq situation disintegrates, and what would be done to get soldiers back into mainstream society once they return home.
There continues to be a loss in manufacturing jobs, Levin said, because other countries don’t import American products while the United States is still importing their goods. He added other countries’ governments subsidize their companies.
“Our companies aren’t competing with companies overseas,” Levin said, “they’re competing with countries.”
Regarding soldiers coming home from Iraq, Levin said there will be programs in place to help them find jobs and get health benefits, among other issues.
With Iraq’s possible disintegration one day, Levin said the only way to avoid such a problem is to give the government back to the Iraqis.
Afterward, the senator also touched on the future of Social Security and Medicare with reporters, saying the former might need tweaks, such as a small increase in the Social Security payroll tax.
Matt Evans, chairman of the Livingston County Democrats, was impressed by the senator’s lengthy visit with the chapter. The $55-a-ticket fundraiser drew about 100 people.
“It’s really important to the senator, even though it’s a highly red area, he comes out because he’s everyone’s senator,” said Evans, a Green Oak Township resident.
Levin said even though Livingston County has traditionally voted for Republicans, he’s noticing a shift toward a Democratic county. In 1998, 74 percent of the vote for governor went Republican.
That number dropped to 62 percent in 2002 and then 57 percent in 2006.
“We’ve been moving in a blue direction for many years, so keep going blue,” Levin said.
Howell resident Les Stiner was glad to see the senator speak.
“I think it’s very important that the politicians in office are looking out for all the people, and doing their best in an honest and forthright manner,” Stiner said. “I’m very comfortable with him there.”
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