February 11, 2009 4:14 PM

Dems: Bush Withdrawal Plan Is Not Enough

(CBS/AP)  Democrats said President Bush's decision to order gradual troop reductions in Iraq isn't enough.

Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island delivered the Democratic response to Mr. Bush's prime-time Oval office address. The former Army Ranger said the president has failed to provide "either a plan to successfully end the war or a convincing rationale to continue it."

"The President rightfully invoked the valor of our troops in his speech, but his plan does not amount to real change," Reed said.

Mr. Bush announced that 5,700 U.S. troops could be home by Christmas and that four brigades - at least 21,500 troops - could return by July.

The president rightfully invoked the valor of our troops in his speech, but his plan does not amount to real change, Reed said.

"Soldiers take a solemn oath to protect our nation, and we have a solemn responsibility to send them into battle only with clear and achievable missions," Reed said.

Read the full transcript of Sen. Reed's speech.
Reed added that Democrats would work to "profoundly change" the U.S. military involvement in Iraq.

"An endless and unlimited military presence in Iraq is not an option," he said. "Democrats and Republicans in Congress and throughout the nation can not and must not stand idly by while our interests throughout the world are undermined and our Armed Forces are stretched toward the breaking point."

Senate Democrats have been discussing legislation to limit the mission. U.S. troops would be restricted to training Iraq's military and police, protecting U.S. assets and fighting terrorists.

© 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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by sjc_1 September 16, 2007 11:32 PM EDT
Bush says 30,000 less troops a year from now to make it seem like he is making progress after more than 4 years of failures.

What it amounts to is that the army can not sustain these levels beyond that time. Rather that admit the truth, he lies and makes it sound like this is all his decision.

What a loser W is. We all suffer the consequences of his overwhelming ignorance ever day.
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by seven-pesos September 16, 2007 12:12 AM EDT
dead-enders in the south refuse to see that they''''ve lost another war...

jefferson davis, lyndon johnson, george bush, jr.

the south has the distinction of losing all the wars they ever started.

ha,ha,ha.

belligerent dixie losers...bush lovers!

the south can''''t be depended upon to do the right thing for america.

ha,ha,ha.

war, hate, christian creeps, republican snakes...

nothing good comes out of the south.
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by me4prezz September 15, 2007 10:33 PM EDT
Sorry, I deleted number 5 because it told me that it was too long to post.
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by me4prezz September 15, 2007 10:32 PM EDT
New Rules for Running for Elected Office Anywhere in the United States of America:

1. You have to write an essay as to why this nation is called the "UNITED STATES of AMERICA". No more of why we are the UNunited States of African-American, Native American, Mexican American, Muslim-American, or any other type of American. If you live here and are LEGAL, you are AMERICAN. Get used to it.

2. You are no longer to call yourself Democrat, Replublican or Independent. From now on, you are all Available For Votes (AFV) and your animal is the EAGLE!

3. You must serve a minimum of 5 years in active combat in a war-torn country without Secret Service, Air Force One, or bodyguards. You will have standard-military issue equipment. Diplomatic immunity won''t save your butt from someone who doesn''t care.

4. If you have ever broken a law and/or been taken to court and/or found guilty of any crime...even if it was stealing a candy bar when you were 5, you are banned from being in a political office. You can''t make the laws if you can''t follow them.

6. If you ever get the notion in your head that taking away the rights given to use by those men and women currently fighting and those who have fought in the name of "safeguarding our freedoms", you will be automotically reinlisted to serve another 5 years in active duty and then a year as a border patrol guard.
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by twylacrat September 15, 2007 5:26 PM EDT
Hwy71S - I cannot believe that you just posted the words "Bush did not lie". Bush can''t speak without lying. I''ve been waiting for him to tell the truth about 1 thing......anything! He simply can''t do it.
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by tx2democrats September 15, 2007 5:18 PM EDT
NO MORE CHEERLEADER PRESIDENTS.

Behind a good man
is an even better woman.



Miss BILL - VOTE HILL!
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by mrqdc September 15, 2007 3:22 AM EDT
If we Democrats elect Hillary as the nominee this is what the General election is goona be about.Since shes running on his experience and accomplishments she has to take the good with the bad.
1.Bills Infedelities (you know the names.)
2.Bills failure to capture Osama bin Laden, after having several chances.
3.Her invovlement with Whitewater +all the other so called scandals
4.Her decision to vote for the Iraq War
5.Her lack of judgement And her speach made before her vote saying Iraq and Alqaeda had connections, though that very report she didnt stated clearly no connection.
6.Norman Hsu
7.Lincoln bed room and all the other money fueled scandals.
8.Allegations she hired She has so much Private Investigators to harass bills girlfriends
Hillary has so much baggage by Nov independants and moderate repubs are gonna be so turned off theyll vote for the independant candidate or the republican.
I hope im wrong but i know im right. And you Know it as well.
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by nyckate September 15, 2007 1:18 AM EDT
I know that the republicans view the democrats like a bunch of wusses cause the dems don''t fight dirty, don''t bash them over the head, and dont'' even really fight back. I know that the dems don''t get down and dirty like the republicans do -- but then again I know that I will never hear any democrat say that the Americans and our soldiers are making very small sacrifices in Iraq and taht future Americans will reap the benefit of these small circumstances.

I know that we''ll never hear any democrat lie to the American people, provide deceptions, mis-information and dis-information as we see Bush do on a regular basis. At this point I am beginning to think that the entire Bush Admin are so badly hard-wired that they are incapable of telling the truth.

I want Bush and his band of incompetents called before congress and made to answer all their lies - starting with the little ones -- like Bush stating that 36 countries have their troops with us in Iraq. As it turns out cause we let Bush get away with one lie after another he has no conscience and all he does now is lie.
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by s1ckd09 September 15, 2007 12:43 AM EDT
Why is it that you guys all follow the same pattern over and over again.

1. Take an unsubstantiated guess at what someone is thinking.

2. Criticize that person for saying it.

3. Believe it like it''s true.

Pathetic that you have to make up stuff to criticize.
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by kansas1946 September 15, 2007 12:08 AM EDT
"I don''''''''t doubt that those were their words; the White House must have verified them before the speech."
************************************
Don''t be too sure about that. Just last week he called the APEC conference, OPEC, and the Australians, Austrians, so no telling what will come out of Bush''s mouth. He might have dreamed he got a letter like that for all we know.
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