Howard Dean On Fourth Anniversary Of Baghdad's Fall

Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean offered the following comments today on the fourth anniversary of the American capture of Baghdad, and I am sure the White House is just loving them:

“Today’s anniversary is another grim reminder of the Bush Administration’s tragically incompetent conduct of the war in Iraq. Four years after the fall of Baghdad, the war that was supposed to be a ‘cakewalk’ has disintegrated into a civil war with our brave men and women in uniform stuck in the middle. Americans now know that President Bush and his Republican allies did not have a clear plan when they misled our nation into this war, nor do they have a clear plan to get our troops out of it. They sent our soldiers into battle without proper body armor, equipment or training, and forced our wounded heroes to recover in disgraceful conditions at Walter Reed and other veterans' hospitals across the country.

“Last November, the American people said ‘enough’ and demanded a new direction. Democrats are standing up for our troops by offering a clear and reasonable plan to get our troops out of the middle of the Iraqi civil war, hold President Bush and the Republicans accountable for their incompetence in Iraq, and end the mismanagement at Walter Reed. But President Bush and Vice President Cheney continue to bully their way through this, saying it’s their way or the highway and questioning the patriotism of those who disagree with him. That's not what the country needs right now. It is time for the President to work with us on finding a solution that includes a real plan for success in Iraq, supports our troops, and refocuses on the war on terrorism.”