Posted on 01/19/2007 12:51:42 PM PST by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - In a critique the White House labeled as "poisonous," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (news, bio, voting record) charged Friday that President Bush is wading too deeply into Iraq and said it should not be "an obligation of the American people in perpetuity."
Pelosi said Bush "has dug a hole so deep he can't even see the light on this. It's a tragedy. It's a stark blunder."
White House spokeswoman Dana Perino retorted that Pelosi's comments were "poisonous," referring to the portion of Pelosi's statement that asserted Bush is rushing new troops there and betting that Congress won't cut off funds once they're in battle.
"It's certainly not in keeping with the bipartisan spirit and civility that the Democrats pledged and that we looked forward to," Perino said. "Speaker Pelosi was arguing in essence that the president is putting young men and women in harm's way for tactical political reasons. She's questioning his motivations rather than questioning his policies."
Democratic support is building around a resolution that would rebuff Bush's plans for more troops to Iraq, and more Republicans are looking for ways to sign on to the measure.
As the White House scrambled to secure the dwindling backers of Bush's war policies on Capitol Hill, Republican Sen. Gordon Smith (news, bio, voting record) of Oregon signaled that a simple wording change could persuade him to join the Democrats.
Pelosi said House Democrats would back a Senate Democratic resolution declaring that the troop increase is "not in the national interest of the United States." Senate leaders expect to begin action on the nonbinding measure next Wednesday.
Senate Democrats, backed by two Republicans, unveiled legislation Wednesday that criticized Bush's decision. "It is not in the national interest of the United States to deepen its military involvement in Iraq, particularly by escalating the United States military force presence in Iraq," the nonbinding Senate measure states.
Smith said his reluctance to back the resolution hinged on the word "escalating," which he said is a partisan term that unnecessarily inflames the issue. He said he is working with Sens. Susan Collins (news, bio, voting record), R-Maine, and Ben Nelson (news, bio, voting record), D-Neb. on a "constructive, nonpartisan resolution that expresses the opposition of the Senate to the surge."
Pelosi's attack came as Lee Hamilton, the Democratic co-chairman of the Iraq Study Group, told a House panel that Bush's plan to deploy 21,500 additional troops to secure Baghdad and Anbar province would delay progress in training Iraqi security forces.
The bipartisan Iraq Study Group recommended removing U.S. combat troops by early next year, and changing the U.S. mission from security to training and logistical support of Iraqi troops.
"You delay the date of completion of the training mission. You delay the date of handing responsibility to the Iraqis. You delay the date of departure of U.S. troops" from the region, Hamilton told the House Foreign Affairs Committee about the buildup.
Bush and senior administration officials have been laboring to limit Republican defections.
"He said, 'If you can help us out, I really appreciate your help,'" Sen. Wayne Allard (news, bio, voting record), R-Colo., said after a White House meeting with the commander in chief.
Republican lawmakers in both houses are expected to draft alternative legislation, in part to give party members a measure to support rather than merely oppose what Democrats draft. Officials said one possibility under discussion is an alternative that supports the troop increase as long as the Iraqi government meets certain conditions.
Administration supporters have expressed concerns the president faces a bipartisan repudiation of significant proportions.
So far, Republican Sens. Chuck Hagel (news, bio, voting record) of Nebraska and Olympia Snowe (news, bio, voting record) of Maine have said they back the resolution.
Sen. Norm Coleman (news, bio, voting record), R-Minn., echoed Smith's opposition to the troop increase but also said "there are some things in the resolution I don't agree with, and so we're kind of looking at language."
Bush's meeting with lawmakers was his third session in as many days as he struggles to build support for an increase in troops for a war that is opposed by the public and played a role in Republican setbacks in last fall's elections. National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley traveled to the Capitol to meet with House Republicans.
___
Associated Press writers David Espo, Matthew Daly, Barry Schweid, Jennifer Talhelm and Fred Frommer contributed to this report.
Granma Mimi's words must be sweet music to the terrorists in Iraq.
This woman is positively venomous. I truly am asotnished by her lack of confidence in our armed forces and her country. Shame on her.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) talks during a news conference on the legislation passed in the first 100 legislative hours of the 110th Congress in the Capitol in Washington January 18, 2007. At left is House Democratic leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD). REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque (UNITED STATES)
She may be the first woman speaker and she may also be the last.......in her party at least......
It's a tragedy. It's a stark blunder.
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much the same can be said for the 100 hours and what the dem agenda, if enacted, would do to America.
Of course the American public put this woman where she is, and polls show the American public doesn't support the surge and 1/3 don't want us to win. The American public simply wants instant gratification. The Iraq War is a difficult task, but not everything always happens immediately or exactly the way we want them to. You don't just give the moment difficulty is reached. And the stakes are high in the Middle East in terms of creating in the long run a healthier civilization there that doesn't go around killing infidels for a living.
Why are we so sure she is a female?
What a stupid witch Pelosi is...
hmmm, she does represent San FRancisco, after all, good point.. lol. ;-)
Norm's No on ANWR didn't warm the cockles of my heart, being a native Minnesotan and all
...and every time an American serviceman (or woman) dies, the Democrat "leadership" smiles.
Do you suppose Queen Nan expected bows and curtsies after her proclamation.
Get used to it, George.
I guess the 1/3 won't mind fighting for their own lives on theirs and our own streets... or expecting the military and local law officials to do it for them.
Thank you American Sheeple for allwoing this Moonbat to assume the postion of power she has. I hope you all are the last to complain and cry when we get attacked again. I suspect, like with 9/11, you will be the very first to cry on CNN or whatever MSM outlet that "we should have done more to stop it." We never have or never will with the Rats in some sort of control of our foriegn/military policy.
Next Wednesday? LOL! They are already there! This is nothing more than yapping Chihuahuas singing to their moonbat voter base while actually doing NOTHING!
"perpetuity"
I heard Obama use that word yesterday. Must be the Dim's *word of the week*
She sure gives the whole concept of women in politics a very negative connotation. She could set the "feminist movement" back about 100 years!
Cat fight ahead. People will begin to wonder if this is the way Hillary would govern as well. She will not let that perception stand.
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