Yesterday, CJnyc pointed me to an article from before the Iraq war when the Senate was debating the original resolution authorizing the use of force.

By Julie Hirschfeld Davis SUN NATIONAL STAFF Originally published October 10, 2002 WASHINGTON - The U.S. Senate ground to a halt yesterday as one West Virginia Democrat, his hands trembling and his voice raised, refused to yield the floor. Sen. Robert C. Byrd, the 84-year-old master of Senate rules and procedures and fierce protector of congressional prerogatives, was issuing a plea as the senators debated a measure authorizing President Bush to attack Iraq. "Give the Senate more time," the silver-haired Byrd implored. "We are being hurried into making a decision that is premature."

And on Thursday, Senator Byrd issued a four page press relase announcing that he would be offering a binding resolution that would:

. . .make it clear that the U.S. military commitment to Iraq is not open-ended and that the Congress must retake its war powers -- powers that were handed away to presidents without any check or balance in the October 2002 use of force resolution.

Said Byrd:

Although the President believes he can act without the support of the people, the Congress must not submit to such hubris. The work of the Congress must be the work of the people, and there is no more important issue before our country today than finding a way out of the quagmire in Iraq.

Byrd suggests that the non-binding resolutions are a first step, and that his forthcoming resolution should be seen as a progression. As the Congress moves forward to consider a new budget, it seems very likely to me that Byrd will insist on attacing conditions to further funding for the Iraqi War. He obviously has a mind to end our involvement there as soon as possible. Byrd is probably the most powerful Senator, and he has the respect, ability, and track record to make what he wants to happen to money happen. He can and will make Minority Leader Mitch McConnell look like a soccer ball as far as understanding of Senate procedure is concerned. Our best ally in ending the war in Iraq may also be our grand old man. Originally Posted at DailyKos

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