BlockBlackwater and War Funding

by: Matt Stoller

Mon Apr 21, 2008 at 15:49

After years of seeing the House pushed around by President Bush, Speaker Nancy Pelosi has learned to say no.

The California Democrat's refusal last month to schedule a vote on a warrantless surveillance bill that the president favors, followed by her decision this month to scuttle a fast-track vote on a U.S.-Colombia trade agreement have shifted some power to the eastern end of Pennsylvania Avenue.

But those tough stands also have raised expectations among antiwar activists and some lawmakers on the larger issue coming in the next two weeks: funding for the war in Iraq.

"What she's done is show people you can stand up to Bush and it's not the end of the world," said Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), a prominent opponent of the Iraq war. "She reminded the rank-and-file here not only do we matter, but we're an equal branch of government, and she reminded the president we're no longer a cheap date."

Added Rep. James P. Moran Jr. (D-Va.), a member of the Appropriations subcommittee responsible for war funding: "She's got a hot hand right now. We want to make sure she keeps that momentum going."...

Democratic leaders have repeatedly said that, in the end, U.S. troops in the field will be funded. But expectations are high that finally Congress will be able to extract a significant policy concession for that money.

It is quite obvious that Congress will pass war funding, the only question is whether Democrats get something out of it.  It would be quite useful to go after Blackwater, the company that even Defense Secretary Gates acknowledged is operating at "cross-purposes to our larger mission in Iraq".

The Courage Campaign, the remarkable online organizing group in California, has already successfully fought Blackwater in Portrero, California, preventing them from opening a large facility designed to help privatize and militarize the Southern border.  It's time to take the fight to the next level.