thedrifter
04-20-07, 06:58 AM
War in Iraq is lost, senator says
House upholds timetable
By Anne Flaherty - The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Apr 20, 2007 6:28:48 EDT
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 — the most pointed yet from Reid — came as the House voted 215-199 to uphold legislation ordering troops out of Iraq next year.
Reid said he told President Bush on Wednesday he thought the war could not be won through military force, although he said the U.S. could still pursue political, economic and diplomatic means to bring peace to Iraq.
“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 before the House voted to endorse legislation it passed last month that would fund the war in Iraq but require 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.
“Our troops won the war clearly, cleanly and quickly,” said Rep. David Obey, D-Wis., chairman of the Appropriations Committee. “But now they are stuck in a civil war,” and the only solution is a political and diplomatic compromise. “And there is no soldier who can get that done,” he added.
The House voted mostly along party lines to insist congressional negotiators trying to reconcile the House and Senate bills retain the firm timetable. One Republican — Rep. Wayne Gilchrest of Maryland — sided with 214 Democrats in voting in favor of the 2008 deadline. Nine Democrats broke ranks and voted alongside 190 Republicans against setting a timetable.
Despite the vote, which was orchestrated by Republicans to try to embarrass Democrats, aides said Democrats were leaning toward accepting the Senate’s nonbinding goal. The compromise bill also is expected to retain House provisions preventing military units from being worn out by excessive combat deployments. However, the president could waive these standards if he states so publicly.
Bush pledged to veto either measure and said troops were being harmed by Congress’ failure to deliver the funds quickly.
Ellie
House upholds timetable
By Anne Flaherty - The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Apr 20, 2007 6:28:48 EDT
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 — the most pointed yet from Reid — came as the House voted 215-199 to uphold legislation ordering troops out of Iraq next year.
Reid said he told President Bush on Wednesday he thought the war could not be won through military force, although he said the U.S. could still pursue political, economic and diplomatic means to bring peace to Iraq.
“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 before the House voted to endorse legislation it passed last month that would fund the war in Iraq but require 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.
“Our troops won the war clearly, cleanly and quickly,” said Rep. David Obey, D-Wis., chairman of the Appropriations Committee. “But now they are stuck in a civil war,” and the only solution is a political and diplomatic compromise. “And there is no soldier who can get that done,” he added.
The House voted mostly along party lines to insist congressional negotiators trying to reconcile the House and Senate bills retain the firm timetable. One Republican — Rep. Wayne Gilchrest of Maryland — sided with 214 Democrats in voting in favor of the 2008 deadline. Nine Democrats broke ranks and voted alongside 190 Republicans against setting a timetable.
Despite the vote, which was orchestrated by Republicans to try to embarrass Democrats, aides said Democrats were leaning toward accepting the Senate’s nonbinding goal. The compromise bill also is expected to retain House provisions preventing military units from being worn out by excessive combat deployments. However, the president could waive these standards if he states so publicly.
Bush pledged to veto either measure and said troops were being harmed by Congress’ failure to deliver the funds quickly.
Ellie