Harry Reid raises the stakes in the funding standoff
According to the AFP, Harry Reid finally lays it on the line.
Separate from the truth of that statement, this is a major event in the domestic politics of Iraq. It certainly carries the risk that Democrats might be labelled defeatists, but it also substantially shifts the foundation of the argument.
Suddenly, in the midst of it all, the White House will be asked to show some evidence that the war is not, in fact, past tense, permanent case, lost.
Of course, the personal attacks should soon follow.
(This comes just a day after Reid and Pelosi met with Bush. In that meeting, Bush reportedly "bristled" when Reid compared Iraq to Vietnam in the emperor's presence, so, I think it's no surprise that Reid brought up Vietnam today, too.)
It's getting nasty. Who's on the better footing here?
Later: This AP article has a taste of a Republican response.
"I believe ... that this war is lost, and this surge is not accomplishing anything, as is shown by the extreme violence in Iraq this week," Reid told journalists.
Separate from the truth of that statement, this is a major event in the domestic politics of Iraq. It certainly carries the risk that Democrats might be labelled defeatists, but it also substantially shifts the foundation of the argument.
Suddenly, in the midst of it all, the White House will be asked to show some evidence that the war is not, in fact, past tense, permanent case, lost.
Of course, the personal attacks should soon follow.
(This comes just a day after Reid and Pelosi met with Bush. In that meeting, Bush reportedly "bristled" when Reid compared Iraq to Vietnam in the emperor's presence, so, I think it's no surprise that Reid brought up Vietnam today, too.)
It's getting nasty. Who's on the better footing here?
Later: This AP article has a taste of a Republican response.
"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 in the United States Senate has declared the war is lost," said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican.
posted by mikevotes at
1:18 PM
2 Comments:
I'd give the edge to Reid, only because his statement is truthier than Bush's.
By
Lew Scannon, at 4:48 PM
That's what I'm feeling, too, and that the Bush "support the troops" etc is wearing very thin, but I feel the need to ask because I'm hardly an impartial judge.
I have agreed with the Reid position long before Reid did, and have bristled at the Bush war position since day 1.
So, my sense of how people might react is skewed. If they only knew what I know.....
Mike
By
mikevotes, at 5:10 PM
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