U.S. House vote forced on immediate pullout of troops in Iraq
{{date|November 19, 2005}}

[[Image:USRepDuncanHunter-cropped.JPG|right|thumb|165px|Duncan Hunter]]
Rep. [[w:Duncan Hunter|Duncan Hunter]] ([[w:Republican Party (United States)|R]]-[[w:California|CA]]) on Friday called a vote in the [[w:United States House of Representatives|House]] on a nonbinding resolution to immediately withdraw troops from Iraq. The one-sentence resolution read: "It is the sense of the House of Representatives that the deployment of [[w:Post-invasion Iraq, 2003–2005|United States forces in Iraq]] be terminated immediately." 

Democrats in the House called the resolution a political stunt, saying that it misrepresented the comments of Rep. [[w:John Murtha|John Murtha]] ([[w:Democratic Party (United States)|D]]-[[w:Pennsylvania|PA]]), who a day before said "Our troops have become the enemy. We need to change direction in Iraq."  Murtha, a decorated [[w:Vietnam War|Vietnam War]] veteran and a retired [[w:United States Marine Corps|Marine]], had called for a six-month withdrawal of US forces in Iraq during a news conference on Thursday.

The House chamber debate was highly partisan and emotionally charged. At one point in the debate, Rep. [[w:Jean Schmidt|Jean Schmidt]] ([[w:Republican Party (United States)|R]]-[[w:Ohio|OH]]) said a Marine colonel in her state of Ohio telephoned and asked her to "send Congress a message: Stay the course." Schmidt said, "He also asked me to send Congressman Murtha a message: Cowards cut and run. Marines never do." At this, Rep. [[w:Harold Ford, Jr.|Harold Ford, Jr.]] ([[w:Democratic Party (United States)|D]]-[[w:Tennessee|TN]]) and other Democrats surged toward the Republican side of the chamber in anger.  "You guys are pathetic! Pathetic!" yelled Rep. [[w:Marty Meehan|Martin T. Meehan]] (D-[[w:Massachusetts|MA]]).

Many Democrats angrily and repeatedly shouted for Jean Schmidt to "take her words down!" She did, when order was restored to the chamber, rise and say, "My words were not directed at any member of the House," and asked that her comments be retracted from the record. House rules forbid members to impugn the integrity of other members.

The vote failed, 403-3. The three House members who voted for the resolution's passage were [[w:José Serrano|Jose E. Serrano]] (D-NY), [[w:Cynthia A. McKinney|Cynthia A. McKinney]] (D-[[w:Georgia|GA]]) and [[w:Robert Wexler|Robert Wexler]] (D-[[w:Florida|FL]]).

==Previous related news==
*{{Wikinews|title=American War Hero congressman wants U.S. troops out of Iraq soon
|date=November 17, 2005 }}

== Sources ==
*{{source|url=http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/special_packages/iraq/13206311.htm
|title=Lawmakers reject immediate troop withdrawal from Iraq
|author=Liz Sidoti
|pub=San Jose Mercury News
|date=November 18, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/19/national/19military.html?hp
|title=Uproar in House as Parties Clash on Iraq Pullout
|author=Eric Schmitt
|pub=New York Times
|date=November 19, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://www.cbc.ca/cp/world/051119/w111906.html
|title=House of Representatives spurns calls for immediate U.S. pullout from Iraq
|author=Liz Sidoti
|pub=CBC
|date=November 19, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-usiraq19nov19,0,3274909.story?coll=la-home-headlines
|title=House Erupts in War Debate
|author=Maura Reynolds
|pub=Los Angeles Times
|date=November 19, 2005}}
*{{source|url= http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5020508
|title=Murtha's Moment: Not Soon Forgotten
|author=Andrea Seabrook
|pub=National Public Radio
|date=November 19, 2005}}

<!--
*{{source|url=
|title=
|author=
|pub=
|date=}}
-->

{{Publish}}

{{archive}}
[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:United States]]
[[Category:Iraq]]
[[Category:North America]]
[[Category:Republican Party (United States)]]
[[Category:Democratic Party (United States)]]
Duncan Hunter
Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) on Friday called a vote in the House on a nonbinding resolution to immediately withdraw troops from Iraq. The one-sentence resolution read: "It is the sense of the House of Representatives that the deployment of United States forces in Iraq be terminated immediately." 

Democrats in the House called the resolution a political stunt, saying that it misrepresented the comments of Rep. John Murtha (D-PA), who a day before said "Our troops have become the enemy. We need to change direction in Iraq."  Murtha, a decorated Vietnam War veteran and a retired Marine, had called for a six-month withdrawal of US forces in Iraq during a news conference on Thursday.

The House chamber debate was highly partisan and emotionally charged. At one point in the debate, Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-OH) said a Marine colonel in her state of Ohio telephoned and asked her to "send Congress a message: Stay the course." Schmidt said, "He also asked me to send Congressman Murtha a message: Cowards cut and run. Marines never do." At this, Rep. Harold Ford, Jr. (D-TN) and other Democrats surged toward the Republican side of the chamber in anger.  "You guys are pathetic! Pathetic!" yelled Rep. Martin T. Meehan (D-MA).

Many Democrats angrily and repeatedly shouted for Jean Schmidt to "take her words down!" She did, when order was restored to the chamber, rise and say, "My words were not directed at any member of the House," and asked that her comments be retracted from the record. House rules forbid members to impugn the integrity of other members.

The vote failed, 403-3. The three House members who voted for the resolution's passage were Jose E. Serrano (D-NY), Cynthia A. McKinney (D-GA) and Robert Wexler (D-FL).
Politics and conflicts United States Iraq North America Republican Party (United States) Democratic Party (United States)