Reid, Pelosi reject Kennedy's calls for set withdrawal

The Washington Times ^ | February 1, 2005 | Stephen Dinan

[vivabushchick]

Congress' top two Democrats said yesterday that there should not be a set schedule for pulling troops out of Iraq, contradicting Sen. Edward M. Kennedy's call on Thursday for the United States to withdraw 12,000 troops immediately and complete a full withdrawal by early 2006. "As far as setting a timeline, as we learned in the Balkans, that's not a wise decision, because it only empowers those who don't want us there. And it doesn't work well to do that," said Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat. On Thursday, Mr. Kennedy, Massachusetts Democrat, gave a speech calling for an immediate withdrawal of some troops as a way of showing that the United States does not intend to be an occupying force and then called for the military to come up with a plan for complete pullout in early 2006. But House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, California Democrat, who joined Mr. Reid for a "prebuttal" to President Bush's upcoming State of the Union address, said the critical element is having a clear set of goals. "It's not about a calendar; it's about performance," Mrs. Pelosi said when asked whether she agreed with Mr. Kennedy's call. But she said the administration still hasn't laid out a clear set of performance goals so Americans can judge progress. "But if you have no plan, no road map, no standards, it's very hard to judge whether you have succeeded and whether it's time to come home," she said.

[vivabushchick]

“…House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, California Democrat, who joined Mr. Reid for a "prebuttal" to President Bush's upcoming State of the Union address, said the critical element is having a clear set of goals. "It's not about a calendar; it's about performance," Mrs. Pelosi said when asked whether she agreed with Mr. Kennedy's call. But she said the administration still hasn't laid out a clear set of performance goals so Americans can judge progress. "But if you have no plan, no road map, no standards, it's very hard to judge whether you have succeeded and whether it's time to come home," she said.”

Hello! No plan, no roadmap, no standards? Where does this woman hang out, in a cellar? Perhaps with the likes of David Orr, Guardian, UK, editorial February 20, 2003 ” Bushes Time Table Unraveling http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/0220-01.htm ” LOL!

Operation Iraqi Freedom, check. Saddam Hussein captured, check. Reconstruction, check. Interim government, check. Prisoner abuse investigated and trial, check. IRAQI ELECTIONS 1/30/2005, CHECK AND DOUBLE CHECK.

[Cornpone]

You don't possibly suggest there is confusion in the democratic ranks do you? (/sarcasm;-)

[My2Cents]

[sgtbono2002]

These three dingbats dont have anything to do with our troops anyway , why dont they shut the hell up and let the legitimately elected president of the United States do his job.

These 3 individuals are irrelevent.

[N. Theknow]

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy's call on Thursday for the United States to withdraw

Withdraw is what Joe and Ethel should have done.... A LOT!

[meandog]

RATS jumping sinking ship...er, ah, sinking Oldsmobile that is ...?

[anniegetyourgun]

Oh my.....I'm persuaded.....

[keysguy]

A few of the major rats have figured out that Teddy the Swimmer is just about through, for good.

[SF Republican]

Lets hear a hallelujah for a Kennedy bitch slap

[NRA2BFree]

Ah yes, this is where the RATS start eating their own! I can hardly wait to see Kennedy's reaction. :)

[dirtbiker]

A few of the major rats have figured out that Teddy the Swimmer is just about through, for good

Took 'em long enough. I knew this about 20 years ago....

[My2Cents]

They should let the Swimmer sleep with the fishes, politically speaking.

[Common Tator]

Some things seem quite interesting. The Republicans conrol the Senate. That means they can control when confirmation hearings take place.

When Condi Rice was first announced as the new Secretary of State they announced that she would have confirmation hearings in November or early December. Then it got changed to the week before the Iraq Elections. Why?

Presidnet Bush has had only held about 16 press conferences since he took office over 4 years ago. He held one just hours before the Iraq Election ... Why? The media ran clips of the Democrats trashing Bush for the Quagmire in Iraq and they ran clips of Bush saying the voting would go well. They did this just hours before the voting began. Why?

Democrats decided to use the confirmation hearings to trash Bush on the quagmire in Iraq. Then after the hearings Frist was kind enourgh to grant nearly 10 hours time on the Thursday and Friday before the Election in Iraq so the Democrats could trash President Bush on Iraq. Why did Frist give in so quickly.

Click here for the tator take on the Democratic and Repubican Strategies concerning the Iraq Election

[niteowl77]

Sooner or later, Sub-Mariner will reach the point where his own party considers him too big a liability to run around loose. Maybe we can see that day from here.

Suppose he'll go quietly?

[Loyal Buckeye]

Mr. and Mrs. Harry Pelosi make such a delightful couple.

[Puckster]

So the Chappaquiddick fat boy has had his comeuppance.

[gatex]

"Today it is 10 times easier to divide and conquer the Republicans in the Senate than it was just a week ago."

Very interesting analysis, but what does this sentence mean? -- Did you mean to say Democrats ?

[vivabushchick]

good likeness

[vivabushchick]

Retro Recall

[PilloryHillary]

Nice match, but the joker is actually more attractive than Nancy Pelosi!