Dem Leaders To Bush: Not Too Late On Iraq

Letter To President Urges Him Not To Hand Off The War To His Successor

(AP)  Democratic leaders told President Bush on Friday that it's not too late to change course in Iraq and pleaded with him not to hand the war off to the next president.

"We believe there is still time for you to recognize that a change in strategy is necessary to repair the grave damage done to our nation's security," the Democrats wrote.

The letter was intended as advance rebuttal to next week's testimony by Gen. David Petraeus, the top military commander in Iraq, and Ryan Crocker, the U.S. ambassador there. Petraeus and Crocker are expected to say the recent buildup in troops has succeeded in improving security but that more time is needed before more U.S. forces can be withdrawn in significant numbers.

The Democrats said this approach is unacceptable and that they would pursue an alternative policy through legislation. But they face an uphill battle.

Lacking a veto-proof majority, Democrats failed both last year and this year to force Mr. Bush to withdraw troops. The only guarantee to end the war would be for Congress to cut off money for troops while in combat - a position that not enough Democrats support and which Republicans universally oppose.

The lack of options has left Democrats with mostly rhetoric, as it becomes all but certain that the next president will have to manage the war once Mr. Bush leaves office.

"The current Iraq strategy has no discernible end in sight and requires the United States to spend additional hundreds of billions of dollars despite urgent national needs in education, health care, and infrastructure improvement, and when high oil prices have provided the Iraqi government with billions in additional revenue that could pay for their own redevelopment and security," the Democrats wrote.

"This strategy is neither sustainable nor in our broader national security or economic interest," they said.

The letter was signed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, and Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin of Illinois.

[jack3213]

IF PEOPLE CONTINUE TO LEAVE THEIR HEAD IN THE SAND-EG.(TO BE A LIBERAL AT THIS JUNCTURE IN TIME)AND IGNORE THAT THE TOUGH WORK IS ONLY DONE WITH SOMEONE WHO IS CAPABLE OF MAKING IT HAPPEN (MCCAIN) THEY WILL SUFFICATE AND/OR BE VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THE END. CHANGE CAN ONLY HAPPEN OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME- AND IMPULSE CHANGE IS NEVER CHANGE IT IS JUST MORE NONSENSE. THERE IS ONLY ONE THING THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT WILLING TO SEE- THAT IGNORANCE TO THE TRUTH IS NOT AN OUTCOME FOR SUCCESSFUL CHANGE.

[frankbowers]

due to the two''s ignorance and stupid idea to promise gw bush not to impeach him ifshe made speaker of the house he and cheney they lost their only chance of doing anything other than to pray and as all can see that is doing no good so I wish the two would just fade away in to the sunset and I jhope the Senate and the house opens their eyes to the two lousy idiots and replace the two of them as bush could not stop the impeachment but the few republicans in congress can stop all the acts they wish to try to stop the war I do not believe they didn''t want the war to stop I think they wanted it to go on and claim they are doing all they can and we know they have not and will not so tell them to please shut up and leave it alone. Frank Bowers of Austin, TX

[homespunlady]

One other thing Gateway concerning your "facts".

The biggest laugh - Venezuela at $.19 per Gallon? Hugo Chavez really must be sticking in the craw of the WAR PROFITEERS that used IRAQ to JACK UP OIL PRICES.
No wonder they want him put out at ANY cost.

Good hint as to the next WAR TARGET might be.

Will the "summer surprise attack" to insure ANOTHER NEOCON PUPPET is SELECTED be blamed on VENEZUELAN INSURGENT AL-QUAEDA??

Shouldn''t be that hard to twist those "brown people" from SA into al-queda - after all SAUDI/SUNNI BIN LADEN has become "forgotten" while putting out taunts almost weekly and the SHIITES are now called al-queda and BLAMED for 9/11.

[homespunlady]

theGateway1

Thanks for the UNRELATED facts.
Interpreting YOUR "facts" indicates that the unemployment of non-discouraged workers RISES AFTER a "conflict" AKA war.

Hmmm... THIS rise is happening during a war "surge".

That''s ODD - maybe THIS TIME the "war used as employment" strategy hasn''t worked so well.

Also I was pointing out the incongruity that IRAQI CIVILIANS (which DON''T seem to be listed in your gas pricing) pay about ONE TENTH what our military are being GOUGED or PROFITEERED on concerning gas pricing.

Was Interesting though that these prices show where the US stands in the world:
United States $2.88
Kazakhstan $2.75
Russia $2.68
Mexico $2.38
China $2.19
Nigeria $1.92
Saudi Arabia $0.45
Venezuela $0.19

BTW WHERE can I FIND the $2.88 CHEAP GAS you''re showing in your "facts"?
Most of the nation would LOVE to pay that little.

Although it IS enticing to see the nations that Haliburton and the many of the NEOCON ELITE are MOVING TO have such CHEAP GAS.

[homespunlady]

So, all "glorious" SPUN history aside let''s get to the MEAT of the election.

Unemployment, Poverty, lack of Health-care, the number of "discouraged workers" that ARE NOT part of the unemployment picture, and more DEPRESSION INDICATORS are all soaring off the charts.

WHAT are ALL the candidates proposing and what are their Political/Social ACTION Histories in that regard?
THAT is the REAL test of Leadership in my book.

Having served over 20 years in the Military I''m well aware that it''s made up of a VERY DIVERSE cross-section of America and reflects it.

McCain is a PERFECT example as the Bio PROVES.

As a member of a DYNASTIC MILITARY ELITE; his way was PAVED by INFLUENCE through an elite military Ivy-league equivalent school despite SUB PAR PERFORMANCE that would have had ANY non-elite TOSSED OUT.

Sounds like W''s way being paved through Harvard through the INFLUENCE of HIS POLITICAL/BANKING/OIL DYNASTIC FAMILY''S INFLUENCE despite HIS SUB-PAR performance ALSO.

So, what has McCain proposed to alter for the benefit of this nation all the encroaching DEPRESSION INDICATORS?

MORE WAR - the elite has always considered war a "profitable venture" since they are "above the fray".

LET THEM EAT CAKE - another elite concept attributed to Marie Antoinette but also shown by the NERO fiddling while Rome burned story.
McCain puts it in the terms that he doesn''t believe in "bailing out" the POOR but he''s go along with "bail out EXCEPTIONS" for the ELITE.

[ajmarine1]

1

[ajmarine1]

1

[kansas1946]

Oh, so a bigotted black man or a crying first lady would be your choice?


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Posted by TheGateway1 at 09:20 PM : Apr 04, 2008
+ report abuse
*********************************

No, just a "bigoted black man."

[sgtrds]

Don''''t forget, to meet the IQ rating and coward requirements would drain the Congress of all it''''s Democrat leaders and elected officials.

Posted by TheGateway1 at 09:19 PM : Apr 04, 2008

You do realize that no matter how you read that statement it makes absolutely no sense at all, don''t you?

[sgtrds]

January will be here before we know it.

Posted by kansas1946 at 09:16 PM : Apr 04, 2008

You''re assuming that they''re going to leave quietly. I wouldn''t put it past these as*sholes to find some excuse to declare a national emergency, suspend the Constitution (which they already ignore anyway) and cancel the election until "after the war on terror is over."

[termtex01]

"You can''''t expect reason from someone with the maturity of a spoiled third-grader. January will be here before we know it.



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Posted by kansas1946 at 09:16 PM : Apr 04, 2008''

Oh, so a bigotted black man or a crying first lady would be your choice?

[termtex01]

"The only troops that should be sent to the middle east should equal Bushes IQ. That should be about 90. I vote for sending the republican Senate , Bush, Cheney, dumbfeld, Rice and bushes daughters. Let see how they do under fire !!!!!!!

Posted by lugarbow at 07:32 PM : Apr 04, 2008

Of course we''''d have to change the uniform color to yellow so it matches the streak they have down their backs.
Posted by SgtRDS at 09:17 PM : Apr 04, 2008"

Don''t forget, to meet the IQ rating and coward requirements would drain the Congress of all it''s Democrat leaders and elected officials.

Not a bad thing, but they are the last people I''d want defending me.

[termtex01]

"Then he concocted 935 lies ...

Posted by RowdyTexan2 at 05:35 PM : Apr 04, 2008"

Where do you whack jobs keep coming up with 935 lies? Is it like the 35 ''bodies'' in the Clinton closet?

[sgtrds]

The only troops that should be sent to the middle east should equal Bushes IQ. That should be about 90. I vote for sending the republican Senate , Bush, Cheney, dumbfeld, Rice and bushes daughters. Let see how they do under fire !!!!!!!

Posted by lugarbow at 07:32 PM : Apr 04, 2008

Of course we''d have to change the uniform color to yellow so it matches the streak they have down their backs.

[kansas1946]

(AP) Democratic leaders told President Bush on Friday that it''s not too late to change course in Iraq and pleaded with him not to hand the war off to the next president.

"We believe there is still time for you to recognize that a change in strategy is necessary to repair the grave damage done to our nation''s security," the Democrats wrote.
******************************************

Save your breath, Nancy. Bush is a sociopathic liar and not quite running on all cylinders. We will just have to wait for reason to prevail at the Whitehouse. You can''t expect reason from someone with the maturity of a spoiled third-grader. January will be here before we know it.

[termtex01]

"Unemployment for those STILL Looking and NOT YET "discouraged" is 5.1 percent and growing rapidly.
The US is PAYING somewhere around 4 to 5 dollars PER GALLON of fuel IN IRAQ and the Middle East we''''re supposed to be "winning" At WHAT is the BIG question.
Posted by homespunlady at 07:35 PM : Apr 04, 2008"

Let''s use hard facts and data, shall we?

Jobless rates by year: As you see, 5.1 ain''t the highest or lowest it''s ever been by a long shot.
1970 4.9
1971 5.9
1972 5.6
1973 4.9
1974 5.6
1975 8.5
1976 7.7
1977 7.1
1978 6.1
1979 5.8
1980 7.1
1981 7.6
1982 9.7
1983 9.6
1984 7.5
1985 7.2
1986 7.0
1987 6.2
1988 5.5
1989 5.3
1990 5.6
1991 6.8
1992 7.5
1993 6.9
1994 6.1
1995 5.6
1996 5.4
1997 4.9
1998 4.5
1999 4.2
2000 4.0
2001 4.7
2002 5.8
2003 6.0
2004 5.5
2005 5.1
2006 4.6


Fuel prices per gallon: (2007)
United Kingdom $8.37
Netherlands $7.52
Norway $7.33
Belgium $6.95
Denmark $6.95
Germany $6.72
Portugal $6.65
Finland $6.57
France $6.50
Sweden $6.50
Hungary $5.63
Poland $5.63
Slovakia $5.59
Austria $5.40
Ireland $5.40
Slovenia $5.36
Switzerland $5.17
Spain $5.14
Czech Republic $5.10
Greece $4.91
Italy $4.80
Lithuania $4.72
Latvia $4.61
Estonia $4.30
Luxembourg $4.27
Japan $4.16
United States $2.88
Kazakhstan $2.75
Russia $2.68
Mexico $2.38
China $2.19
Nigeria $1.92
Saudi Arabia $0.45
Venezuela $0.19

[homespunlady]

LOVED McCain''s "I''m SORRY" speech today and how he admonished the "JUST WAIT" crowd concerning change.
HAHAHAHA
Does Anybody see the IRONY in those words. I had to do a double take because I missed for a second that his speech was about Dr. King and NOT the Iraq War.
Maybe he IS a Democrat in Disguise. Too bad I DESPISE DECEPTION.

In the mean time while we spend TWO BILLION of BORROWED MONEY in IRAQ enriching the WEALTHY at the EXPENSE of EVERYBODY ELSE.... the DEPRESSION draws CLOSER.

80,000 more JOBLESS in March alone.

Quiet Readjustments UP for the jobless numbers for the past few months.

Unemployment for those STILL Looking and NOT YET "discouraged" is 5.1 percent and growing rapidly.

The US is PAYING somewhere around 4 to 5 dollars PER GALLON of fuel IN IRAQ and the Middle East we''re supposed to be "winning" At WHAT is the BIG question.

The WEALTH GAP has become the WEALTH GRAND CANYON and if you are NOT part of the ELITE get used to picking from the TRASH BINS outside their GATED COMMUNITIES.

Anybody ELSE have PTNIF (Post-Traumatic NEOCON Incompetence Fatigue)?

[lugarbow]

The only troops that should be sent to the middle east should equal Bushes IQ. That should be about 90. I vote for sending the republican Senate , Bush, Cheney, dumbfeld, Rice and bushes daughters. Let see how they do under fire !!!!!!!

[ajmarine1]

The Democrats said this approach is unacceptable and that they would pursue an alternative policy through legislation. But they face an uphill battle.



They had better hurry, Bush will be gone soon.

[ajmarine1]

BaghdadsHere,

Good evening, I saved this for you. I don''t always leave site with my posts, sorry about that. However, I don''t have an agenda. I have supported the war, but will post whatever information I find that I think is of interest. I am always looking for points of view.


This report was prepared more that five years before the attack on the World Trade Center. The report describes regime change in Iraq as an important Israeli strategic objective.


Posted by AJMarine1 at 06:28 PM : Apr 03, 2008

AJMarine,,,As always you"re here once again posting unproven accusations. When you want to tell a lie and you know its a lie you say that your source is a "report". Come on AJ, just tell me who wrote that report? If it was written by any member of the US government did you see his signature on that report?

Posted by BaghdadsHere at 06:47 PM : Apr 03, 2008



This is the site Baghdad.


http://www.sourcewatch.org/inde
x.php?title=Douglas_Feith