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April 20, 2007
Reid: U.S. Can't Win The War In Iraq
Reid: U.S. can't win the war in Iraq
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Thursday the war in Iraq is "lost," triggering an angry backlash by Republicans who said the top Democrat had turned his back on the troops.
The bleak assessment was the sharpest yet from Reid, who has vowed to send President Bush legislation calling for combat to end next year. Reid said he told Bush on Wednesday that he thought the war could not be won through military force and only through political, economic and diplomatic means.
"I believe myself that the secretary of state, secretary of defense and — you have to make your own decisions as to what the president knows — (know) this war is lost and the surge is not accomplishing anything as indicated by the extreme violence in Iraq yesterday," said Reid, D-Nev.
Republicans pounced on the comment as evidence, they said, that Democrats do not support the troops.
"I can't begin to imagine how our troops in the field, who are risking their lives every day, are going to react when they get back to base and hear that the Democrat leader of the United States Senate has declared the war is lost," said Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.
The exchange came as the House headed toward a vote Thursday on whether to demand that troops leave Iraq next year. Last month, the House passed legislation that funded the war in Iraq but ordered combat missions to end by September 2008. The Senate passed similar, less-sweeping legislation that would set a nonbinding goal of bringing combat troops home by March 31, 2008.
Bush said he would veto either measure and warned that troops are being harmed by Congress' failure to deliver the funds quickly.
The Pentagon says it has enough money to pay for the Iraq war through June. The Army is taking "prudent measures" aimed at ensuring that delays in the bill financing the war do not harm troop readiness, according to instructions sent to Army commanders and budget officials April 14.
While $70 billion that Congress provided in September for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan has mostly run out, the Army has told department officials to slow the purchase of nonessential repair parts and other supplies, restrict the use of government charge cards, and limit travel.
The Army also will delay contracts for facilities repair and environmental restoration, according to instructions from Army Comptroller Nelson Ford. He said the accounting moves are similar to those enacted last year when the Republican-led Congress did not deliver a war funding bill to Bush until mid-June.
More stringent steps would be taken in May, such as a hiring freeze and firing temporary employees, but exceptions are made for any war-related activities or anything that "would result immediately in the degradation of readiness standards" for troops in Iraq or those slated for deployment.
White House spokeswoman Dana Perino called the Democrat's stance "disturbing" and all but dared Reid to cut off funding for the war.
"If this is his true feeling, then it makes one wonder if he has the courage of his convictions and therefore will decide to defund the war," she said.
Reid has left that possibility open. The majority leader supports separate legislation that would cut off funding for combat missions after March 2008. The proposal would allow money spent on such efforts as counterterrorism efforts and training Iraqi security forces.
Reid and other Democrats were initially reluctant to discuss such draconian measures to end the war, but no longer.
"I'm not sure much is impossible legislatively," Reid said Thursday. "The American people have indicated . . . that they are fed up with what's going on."
UPDATE: Video of Reid added
Wild Thing's comment..........
Proof that treasonous scumbag Reid works for our enemies! Hey Reid, because of your and the other Democrat support for al-Qaeda you are giving the American people to the Islamic Fascist. I am sure that you have secured your place in the new Sharia Law Government.
Just as Rush said the Democrats OWN DEFEAT! The Democrats hope for our loss in Iraq. A vote for a Democrat is a vote for the end of our Country and our way of life.
Harry Reid isn’t worthy of licking the bottoms of our troops boots after they’ve been on patrol in the slums of Baghdad. Reid can be reached 888-355-3588 (which is the Congressional switchboard).
Posted by Wild Thing at April 20, 2007 12:47 AM
Comments
Heartless Harry is a moron.
You can't release a timeline for withdrawal because that gives the enemy an edge.
Walter Cronkhite said Vietnam was unwinable.
We were winning it, but oh that liberal left had their agenda adn fouled it all up.
Whatever happened to "Let's roll..." and "Rally 'round the flag, boys"?
This is our country--I don't want to be part of another.
And another thing, what does Heartless Harry think the troops are thinking right now--our government has given up on them and that they're all losers.
My two nephews, David and Jeffrey and my niece Joanna are NOT losers. They chose this life and they love it.
Heartless Harry needs to shut his piehole and stop putting the President on the defensive.
Posted by: Lynn at April 20, 2007 05:45 AM
Another thing--how would Heartless Harry like for someone to tell him that his pay was being cut off for the "common good" and that the senate is being eliminated?
He needs to think how that would make him feel.
Posted by: Lynn at April 20, 2007 06:27 AM
Before the last election, Mike Ditka was considering running for the Senate. If he had won, we would have had ONE Senator that knew what it takes to win.
Can you imagine the arguments in the Senate chamber...Ditka would've been in Harrys face. And that would be worth the price of admission.
Senator Harry 'Stool-Sample' Reed and the rest of his feckless fecal friends are literally destroying American credibility as a world power.
He says we can't win, who has he talked to that told him we can't win, Has he talked to the troops, have they told him, we can't win, has he talked to the Generals on the ground, have they told him we can't win.
I want to know where Senator Stool-Sample gets his information. Did he have an epiphany one night, during one of his less than honest Real Estate Deals, that we can't win.
This piece of garbage is the leader of the Senate ? It is no wonder this country is in trouble.
Posted by: Mark at April 20, 2007 07:55 AM
I see that Reid is going in for a small operation to have a small window placed in
his belley Button.As it stands now he trips and fall when he walks around with his head up his
Ass..This should Help him see where he is going.
Posted by: Tincan Sailor at April 20, 2007 11:46 AM
Just tried to make a call on the 888# and
was told it was disconected,Just like Rosie
they can dish it out but can't take it...
Posted by: Tincan Sailor at April 20, 2007 11:52 AM
As long as republicans do nothing to rid the government of the likes of al Qaeda in D.C. leader harry "pusgut" reid and his traitorous ilk, than our troops will be brought home as whipped pups once again.
Pathetic loser dennis "the donk" kucinich is trying to impeach vice president Cheney for who knows what reasons but the repubs let pelosi, reid and a whole garbage dump full of donks get away with treason on a daily basis!
That, to me, makes the republican party culpable of treason.
Posted by: Dan at April 20, 2007 12:36 PM
Reid always looks unhappy. Or maybe he just looks dead.
Posted by: TomR at April 20, 2007 08:07 PM
Lynn, I wish a ton of Republican leaders would blast Harry Reid big time for what he said. Not just a little but a lot. I want him punished somehow for what he said , how he is. I don't know how but it just gets me so angry for our troops sake how his words cut into them. It breaks my heart and angers me at the same time.
Posted by: Wild Thing at April 21, 2007 12:36 AM
Mark oh how I would love to see that. Mike Ditka takingon Harry Reid. I would even pay to see it.
Posted by: Wild Thing at April 21, 2007 12:37 AM
Tincan Sailor thank you for letting me know about the phone number. Your right they dish it out but they can't take it. sheesh
Posted by: Wild Thing at April 21, 2007 12:40 AM
Dan, your right yes they do and I agree they have been given the OK by our side. In not speaking out against this, not doing something about it they condone it.
Just like on the weekend political talk shows and heck the ones during the week too. We never hear outrage from Republicans ONLY outrage from the Dems and it makes me sick and angry.
Posted by: Wild Thing at April 21, 2007 12:47 AM
Tom, LMAO he does look dead doesn't he.
Posted by: Wild Thing at April 21, 2007 12:48 AM
