Kennedy, Leahy Blast Bush's Iraq Wake-Up Call

[Bob Geiger]

In the wake of a press conference today that had George W. Bush babbling such inanities as "my view is the only way we lose in Iraq is if we leave before the job is done" and asserting that "Al Qaeda is on the run" despite the unknown whereabouts of the guy who attacked us on September 11 -- you know, that dude named bin Laden? -- Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) was quick to call Bush on his contrived, newly-discovered flexibility on Iraq.

“It’s deeply disturbing that it takes a close election – not in Iraq, but in America – to get this White House to even talk about flexibility and changing course," said Kennedy. "American and Iraqi deaths didn’t do it. The growing insurgency and increasing sectarian violence didn’t do it. The conclusion in April by our intelligence community that the Iraq war is a rallying cry for anti-American extremism didn’t do it. Only the prospect of losing his rubber stamp Congress and the President’s own low polls seem to penetrate the wall of denial around 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue."

Kennedy also rebutted Bush's recent claim that his longstanding stay-the-course mantra has been a figment of 300 million Americans' imaginations.

"Sadly, the bottom line is that it's still a stay-the-course strategy from the White House. The President may have abandoned the label but he has not abandoned the failed strategy," said the Massachusetts Senator.

Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) also responded quickly, saying that Bush's mild admission that things may not be going just peachy in Iraq and his replacement of the notion of a troop-withdrawal timeline with the word "benchmark," are clearly a function of the looming midterm elections.

“For years the President has said his policy in Iraq is to ‘stay the course’ and he ridiculed anyone who urged him to change course," said Leahy, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee. "Now, as the crisis worsens and November nears, he declares that ‘stay the course’ is no longer operative. He has conveniently changed his words, but not his policies."

Leahy's strongest response was for Bush's claim that the midterm elections should be decided on the economy and on "who will best protect this country."

“It is appalling that after spending hundreds of billions of taxpayers’ dollars and sacrificing 2,700 American lives, our country is less secure today," said Leahy. "The Bush-Cheney Administration’s bad decisions and poor planning have squandered our resources and our opportunities to make America safer."

"Imagine how different today’s world would be if the Bush-Cheney Administration had not diverted our forces to Iraq and if we had put muscle into capturing Osama bin Laden and rebuilding Afghanistan."

You can read more from Bob at BobGeiger.com.

Update: Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) just issued this statement on Bush's press conference today:

"The President’s head-in-the-sand approach to the worsening situation in Iraq is undermining our national security. While his rhetoric may have changed, the President gave no indication that he would change his failed policy in Iraq. The President says he doesn’t want Iraq to become a terrorist haven like Afghanistan was under the Taliban, but his failed Iraq-centric approach has resulted in a recent resurgence of the Taliban in Afghanistan. We need a new policy for Iraq that includes a timetable for the redeployment of U.S. troops from Iraq so we can focus on the threats to our national security around the world."

[NRaleighLiberal]

1. They nailed it....and it is consistent with this misadministration.

They DO NOTHING for the American People, they do nothing for the world, they do nothing for their consituency, they do nothing for the troops - unless it is politically expedient to do so. Their deadlines are all false deadlines that are not of need, but of fear of losing power. They are complete failures at anything but spin.

[IWantAChange]

2. the only 'figment' is the size of Dubyha's brain pan

I only wish the Dem's had started the current strategy of pulling no punches and calling a liar a liar sooner - let's hope America takes heed and votes them out.



:kick: :kick: :kick:

[Dr Fate]

3. Are they going to say this to swing-voters on TV- or is this net-text only?

We cant point to text on the net and say : "Look- DEMS are "blasting" at Bush"

Are they going to say any of this on TV? I dont see how net-text on obscure websites is a "blast" at anyone unless swing-voters see it.

[badgerpup]

4. But I thought Bush said that the election WASN'T about him...

...maybe just about the way he's screwed the country over.
Yeah, that's it.

[caledesi]

5. Kennedy remark should be our next ad...

It’s deeply disturbing that it takes a close election – not in Iraq, but in America – to get this White House to even talk about flexibility and changing course.

[Dr Fate]

6. Let's just cross our fingers and hope swingvoters find it on the web.

Once they stumble across a few obscure websites, they will surely get our version of the facts.

[SaveOurDemocracy]

7. This needs to be said loud and clear ...

on national TV. Strong, undeniable statements:


Kennedy:

It’s deeply disturbing that it takes a close election – not in Iraq, but in America – to get this White House to even talk about flexibility and changing course," said Kennedy. "American and Iraqi deaths didn’t do it. The growing insurgency and increasing sectarian violence didn’t do it. The conclusion in April by our intelligence community that the Iraq war is a rallying cry for anti-American extremism didn’t do it. Only the prospect of losing his rubber stamp Congress and the President’s own low polls seem to penetrate the wall of denial around 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Leahy:

"The Bush-Cheney Administration’s bad decisions and poor planning have squandered our resources and our opportunities to make America safer...

Imagine how different today’s world would be if the Bush-Cheney Administration had not diverted our forces to Iraq and if we had put muscle into capturing Osama bin Laden and rebuilding Afghanistan.

[civildisoBDence]

8. In 2004, Obama called this "the politics of cynicism"

The government is a big candy store for these assholes.

Newsprism

[ProSense]

9. Leahy and Kennedy are great!

We began an important fight because together we know the time has come for a Congress that shares responsibility for getting us into Iraq to take responsibility for helping to get us out. We know it is not enough to argue with details or logistics, with the manner of the conflict’s execution or the failures of competence, as great as they are. It is essential to fight to set a date to withdraw American forces.

That’s why this June with Russ Feingold, we fought for an up or down vote on the Kerry-Feingold amendment to withdraw US combat forces from Iraq by July 1, 2007. We made it clear that our soldiers have done their job. It is time for Iraqis to do their job – it’s time for Iraqis to stand up for Iraq. It’s time for Iraqis to want democracy for themselves as much as we want it for them. Click here to read our plan.

Hundreds of thousands of you in the johnkerry.com community have shown your support for our plan for Iraq. You signed our petition and urged your Senators to stand with us. With your help, we stood up to the Bush Administration’s aimless and failed course in Iraq.

On June 22, 2006 the Senate voted on the Kerry-Feingold amendment. Thirteen courageous Senators stood with us, and we want to thank them for their leadership:

Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-HI)
Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), co-sponsor
Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL)
Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA)
Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-HI)
Sen. James Jeffords (I-VT)
Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA)
Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), co-sponsor
Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ)
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR)

The fight is not over until we have changed course in Iraq. November 7th will be a day of reckoning for the administration’s broken course in Iraq.

[TheCowsCameHome]

10. Damn near crashed the car when I heard Idiot say Al Qaeda is on the run

Is he for real? No joking, does he believe that?