Dodd bill would cap Iraq troop levels - Navy News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Navy Times

Dodd bill would cap Iraq troop levels

Legislation capping the number of U.S. troops deployed in Iraq at about 130,000 was introduced Wednesday by Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a potential candidate in the 2008 presidential campaign.

Dodd’s bill would put a cap in place by prohibiting funding for any additional troops.

Dodd is not the first lawmaker — nor will he be the last — to propose legislation aimed at undercutting the Bush administration’s announced plan for a 21,500 increase in combat troops in Iraq in an attempt to bring growing sectarian violence under control. Other proposals in play would demand a withdrawal of all combat troops in four to six months, or would cut off all funding — which would have the effect, if binding, of forcing an immediate withdrawal. There also is talk about having a simple and nonbinding resolution expressing opposition to the increase in troop levels without forcing any changes, which might draw bipartisan support.

Dodd’s bill, however, tackles the troop increase head-on by capping troops at the number deployed in Iraq on Jan. 16, and requiring a vote by Congress to deploy any additional troops.

In a statement, Dodd said part of his aim is to ensure Congress has a say in Iraq policy.

Senate Democratic leaders, including armed services committee chairman Carl Levin of Michigan and foreign relations committee chairman Joseph Biden of Delaware, are drafting a nonbinding “sense of Congress” resolution opposing the troop increase that Levin said will be designed to gain Republican votes. Dodd will offer his binding legislation to limit funds as an amendment, his aides said.

“The president seems determined to continue his failed policy in Iraq by escalating U.S. military involvement there,” Dodd said. “The president no longer has the luxury of dismissing Congress. Congress is a co-equal branch of government and the time for blank checks is over. Congress needs to act urgently on this matter before we send additional troops into harm’s way.”

Caps similar to what Dodd is proposing have been used in the past to limit deployments when Congress disagreed with executive branch plans for specific military operations, including in Vietnam in 1973, Lebanon in 1983, Europe in 1984 and in Colombia in 2000.

“Leadership demands that I, and others who think the president is on the wrong track, not simply stand up and say so but act to stop it from occurring by enacting legislation to require that Congress specifically authorize any augmentation of U.S. forces in Iraq,” Dodd said.

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