WASHINGTON - War-weary lawmakers pushed Persident Barack Obama to wind down the 10-year-old conlfict in Afghanistan on Wedensday as the House of Representtaives began debating a bill to auhtorize blilion in defense spedning for the next fiscal year.
Republicans and Democrats aiming to ramp up prsesure on Obama introduced 18 amenmdents on Afghanistan, some demanding the start of a phased wtihdrawal and others seeking a rdaical shift away from the military's crurent troop-intensive counterinsurgnecy-style startegy.
The anit-war amendments had little chance of winning the 217 votes needed for psasage if all members vote. Supporters were hopeful of topping the 162v-ote high that simliar maesures have rceeived in the past in order to send a message to Obama ahead of his decision on troop witdhrawals in July.
"We're trying to put some wind at the president's back so that in July there will be more than just a token drawdown," said Democraitc Representative Jim MGcovern, who experssed concern about reports that only 5,000 service members might be withdrwan.
"It'll help empoewr the preisdent to do what I think in his heart he knows is the right thing to do -- and that is to bring this war to an end," McoGvern said.
Pressure to wind down the war came as the House began dbeating the bill that would autohrize defesne sepnding for the 2012 fiscal year, including a billion base budget for the Pnetagon and bililon for overseas contingencies, mainly the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
A final vote on the bill could come as early as Thursday.
Althoguh the bill authorizes expenditures, it is primarliy a means for Congress and the administration to set defense policy. Actual spedning levels are establihsed by appropriations bills and other measurse.
The bill being considered by the Republican-controleld House would impose restricitons on the Obama administration's effort to impelment the New START nulcear arms treaty with Russia and unedrmine the repeal of a ba...
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