Reid Responds To Bush: "Running Out Clock On Failed Strategy"
Harry Reid responds to Bush's speech:
"Tonight President Bush announced his plan to keep at least 130,000 troops in Iraq indefinitely, demonstrating that he is trying to run out the clock on his failed strategy and leave the hard decisions to the next president."For months the American people, a bipartisan majority of Congress and countless military experts have called for a new way forward in Iraq, but the President has offered only a commitment to endless war that will continue to take American lives, deplete our treasury, and divert our focus from fighting an effective war on terrorism against Osama bin Laden and his Al Qaeda operatives.
"After almost five years, tonight was just more of the same. It's not progress nor is it the strategy for success our troops deserve. And as long as President Bush keeps them in harm's way without clear purpose or achievable goals, Democrats will keep fighting to responsibly end this war."
Comments (4)
barbara wrote on September 13, 2007 9:50 PM:Umm, Mr. Reid? "(After almost five years), tonight was just more of the same"?
Sir, after eight months, the Democratic Congress is doling out more and more and more of the same. No impeachment for impeachable offenses. No end in sight to this appalling, immoral war.
I want to believe that by clapping my hands, Tinkerbell will live again. But my hands are raw and my belief has been sorely tempted.
I believe it is time to stop "calling for" an end to madness and "doing" something concrete about it. I am going to draft benchmarks for the United States Congress. Stand by!
mrgavel wrote on September 13, 2007 10:14 PM:The Constitution requires that two-thirds of the Senate vote to impeach a President. Assuming that you could get articles of impeachment out of the House, you still wouldn't get them passed in the Senate. We just don't have the votes and all this bitching and moaning isn't going to get us the votes.
KY3 Democrat wrote on September 14, 2007 12:27 AM:The only other thing the Democrats can do to stop the war is to defund it, but that would not assure that Bush would actually obey the law. He could still hold troops in the field as a political counterweight. Yes, Mr. Bush would use the lives of soldiers in a game of partisan "chicken", you know he's capable.
What Mr. Reid is trying to do is GET BUSH BACK UNDER POLITICAL CONTROL. Anything else he does would tend to further fracture the country and weaken the Democrats. Forget impeachment, that's a tool that Pelosi will not and should not pick up.
Senator Reid is getting Bush back under control by applying mounting pressure on the Republicans, who are starting to crack. They are not cracking fast enough to suit you or me, to be sure, but the Repubs are reportedly in a state of despair. They are facing being shut out of national government for the next generation. If they value their place at the table, they will sooner or later show more reality-based thinking than they've shown till now.
Taking the army and the national treasury out in the field and getting it shot up for no measurable good is becoming the Republican legacy. Sooner or later, they are going to wake up, look at the political wasteland they've created, toss out the theo-cons and the neo-cons, and rip Bush a new asshole as only they have the power to do.
Joseph wrote on September 14, 2007 6:51 AM:Must the Democrats fight the Republicans and their own base? Whatever happen to standing behind your Party? Harry Reid and Nancy Polosi have very difficult decisions to make concerning this war.
Without the votes to do anything constructive, the Democrats must do something they don't feel comfortable with. They have to stalemate the congress and force troops withdrawal. This is a strategy that could use support. Yet, because the Democrats didn't figure out how to beat this crazy president and his loyal Republican congressmen and senators, their Party have begun to implode. You can find their Party members attacking their leaders with the same labels the Republican Party uses.
I am from the "old school" that lives by a principle. This principle is as follows: Never give your enemy the fuel to defeat you. The only thing the Republicans should see is a united Democratic Party. We need the Republicans out of the White House because Bush has made the political playing field unbalanced. This unbalance must be undone, and without the Democratic control of the executive branch, this cannot be undone. The Democrats must stay united throughout our decision processes.
Joseph
