Reid: "This War Is Lost"

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) made a blunt assessment today about the Iraq conflict: “Now I believe myself … that this war is lost.”

Reid told reporters that he delivered that message to President Bush during their meeting Wednesday at the White House regarding a $120 billion war spending bill.

“The surge is not accomplishing anything, as indicated by the extreme violence in Iraq yesterday,'' Reid said.

Republicans reacted swiftly to Reid’s comments.

“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 Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).  “I can’t begin to imagine what their families will think. Surely this isn’t the consensus position of Senate Democrats.”

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) called the comments “wrong” and “irresponsible.”

The criticism seemed unlikely to faze Reid.

“I told George Bush what he needs to hear, not what he wants to hear,” Reid said. “I did that and my conscience is great.”