During his Thursday press conference, Randy Kuhl claimed that he's in favor of benchmarks in Iraq. As reported here earlier, the benchmark provisions of H R 1591 seem like the least objectionable part of that bill. Those benchmarks put pressure on the Iraqi parliament, which is planning a two-month summer recess even though few of their legislative goals have been accomplished.
So does this mean that Kuhl would support a version of H R 1591 with benchmarks but without withdrawal deadlines? Probably not. The benchmark bill that Kuhl cosponsored, H R 1062, requires the President to report progress in Iraq to Congress. But the bill includes no penalty if the Iraqis don't meet the benchmarks. In contrast, H R 1591 holds back half of Iraqi reconstruction funding until benchmarks are met.
Kuhl claims that "[t]he bill allows us to, if they don't meet the benchmarks, remove [...] support". Since there's no funding language in the bill, I think that claim is a stretch at best, and intentionally misleading at worst.
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I find this interesting since the first comment at the Town of Milo meeting (Penn Yan) was from the Chair of the Republican Party, who is also a member of the American Legion. He thanked Randy for supporting the President of the latest vote of money to Iraq, and reported that the American Legiona and VFW sent a joint statement supporting the passage of the money with 'no strings attached'.
He then reminded the audience that Randy has always supported the Veterans. This is not what the Disable American Veterans (DAV) says.
I'll bet there weren't any protesters wearing bloody sheets at the Milo meeting, either.