Barney Frank Will Move to Defund War

Barney Frank Will Move to Defund War Under Democrat President
By Josiah Ryan
CNSNews.com Staff Writer
May 07, 2008

On the Spot (CNSNews.com) - House Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank (D-Mass.) told Cybercast News Service on Tuesday he will move to end the Iraq War with an immediate termination of funding if a Democrat becomes president next year.

"I will move to cut funding immediately," said Frank. "I have already done that. I voted against the war and voted to cut the funding. I would hope a Democratic president would put in place a plan that would begin a total withdrawal."

So far, neither of the Democratic presidential candidates, Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton, has been willing to unambiguously commit to a plan to remove all U.S. troops from Iraq by 2013.

When the Democratic candidates were asked by NBC's Tim Russert, during the Sept. 26, 2007 debate, if they would pledge to withdraw U.S. combat troops by 2013 if they were elected president, neither Obama nor Clinton would make the pledge.

"I think it's hard to project four years from now," said Obama. "It is very difficult to know what we're going to be inheriting," Clinton said.

When Cybercast New Service asked Frank if he believed the U.S. would be out of Iraq by 2013, he said he cannot make any guarantees but that he will do his best to make sure that it happens. "Read the Constitution," he said. "As an individual member of the House, I cannot guarantee anything like that, but I can guarantee you that I will continue to support a withdrawal well before 2013."

House Ways and Means Chairman Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.) also said it is not possible to set 2013 as a definite deadline for withdrawal. "I would say that anyone who gives a guarantee should be committed," he said.

Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), the former presidential candidate, predicted that the Democrats would not take real action to end the war, even if one of their own was elected president. "I don't expect anyone to make a concrete effort to stop the war. We had the first test after the Democrats took over Congress," he said. "Nothing has happened.

"Now this supplemental funding has gone through and the Democrats have actually added $50 billion to the military funding to extend it," he said. "Here, instead of cutting it they are literally saying not only will we give you what you want but we are going to give you even more. They are trying to send out a message that they are less enthusiastic about the war than McCain. They might be, but the war isn't ending anytime soon."

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) agreed that voters can expect very little movement on ending the war from House Democrats, no matter who is elected president. When Cybercast News Service asked Boehner if he thinks that Democrats will move swiftly to cut funding for the war if a Democrat is elected president, he said. "No, I don't, I don't even think they will try."