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State's Senators Blame Politics
By Chris Casteel
The Oklahoman
March 16, 2007
Oklahoma's senators said they view the debate on the war in Iraq as a political exercise, and that's why they were among only nine senators who voted against having the debate on a resolution calling for U.S. troops to be withdrawn by March 2008.
"It's 100 percent political,” said Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Tulsa, on Wednesday.
He called the resolution an attempt "to micromanage the war by a bunch of people who don't know where Iraq is.” Inhofe said, "I think we have military generals and skilled people to make these decisions.”
Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Muskogee, said the debate was "all politics and not policy.”
"The only thing Congress can do that will truly make a difference is cutting off funding,” Coburn said.
If the Senate wants U.S. troops pulled out of Iraq, he said, senators should use a spending bill to eliminate funding for the mission. "No matter where you are on the war, the resolution doesn't mean anything,” he said.
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