Democrats target 2002 war resolution

WASHINGTON, Feb. 23 (UPI) -- Democratic leaders in the U.S. Senate have drawn up plans for a measure aimed at repealing the 2002 resolution authorizing the war in Iraq.

The leaders said the resolution would be replaced with a measure restricting the U.S. role in Iraq and beginning the withdrawals of ground troops from the country, The Washington Post reported Friday.

The plan was drawn up during a meeting between Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.; Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Joseph Biden Jr., D-Del.; Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin, D-Mich.; and Sens. John Kerry, D-Mass.; Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.; Jack Reed, D-R.I.; and Russell Feingold, D-Wis.

"I've had enough of 'nonbinding,'" said Kerry, who also said the 2002 war resolution is the Democrats' target.

"The authorization that we gave the president back in 2002 is completely, completely outdated, inappropriate to what we're engaged in today," he said.

The measure suggested to replace the resolution would set March 31, 2008, as the goal for pulling out combat troops. After that date, which is the same set by the bipartisan Iraq Study Group, U.S. troops would be limited to assisting Iraqis with training, border security and counter-terrorism.