Reid: U.S. can't win the war in Iraq

Yahoo!News ^ | April 19, 2007 | ANNE FLAHERTY

[Kaslin]

WASHINGTON - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (news, bio, voting record) said Thursday the war in Iraq is "lost," triggering an angry backlash by Republicans who said the top Democrat had turned his back on the troops.

The bleak assessment was the sharpest yet from Reid, who has vowed to send President Bush legislation calling for combat to end next year. Reid said he told Bush on Wednesday that he thought the war could not be won through military force and only through political, economic and diplomatic means.

"I believe myself that the secretary of state, secretary of defense and — you have to make your own decisions as to what the president knows — (know) this war is lost and the surge is not accomplishing anything as indicated by the extreme violence in Iraq yesterday," said Reid, D-Nev.

Republicans pounced on the comment as evidence, they said, that Democrats do not support the troops.

"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 GOP leader Mitch McConnell (news, bio, voting record), R-Ky.

The exchange came as the House headed toward a vote Thursday on whether to demand that troops leave Iraq next year. Last month, the House passed legislation that funded the war in Iraq but ordered combat missions to end by September 2008. The Senate passed similar, less-sweeping legislation that would set a nonbinding goal of bringing combat troops home by March 31, 2008.

Bush said he would veto either measure and warned that troops are being harmed by Congress' failure to deliver the funds quickly.

The Pentagon says it has enough money to pay for the Iraq war through June. The Army is taking "prudent measures" aimed at ensuring that delays in the bill financing the war do not harm troop readiness, according to instructions sent to Army commanders and budget officials April 14.

While $70 billion that Congress provided in September for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan has mostly run out, the Army has told department officials to slow the purchase of nonessential repair parts and other supplies, restrict the use of government charge cards, and limit travel.

The Army also will delay contracts for facilities repair and environmental restoration, according to instructions from Army Comptroller Nelson Ford. He said the accounting moves are similar to those enacted last year when the Republican-led Congress did not deliver a war funding bill to Bush until mid-June.

More stringent steps would be taken in May, such as a hiring freeze and firing temporary employees, but exceptions are made for any war-related activities or anything that "would result immediately in the degradation of readiness standards" for troops in Iraq or those slated for deployment.

White House spokeswoman Dana Perino called the Democrat's stance "disturbing" and all but dared Reid to cut off funding for the war.

"If this is his true feeling, then it makes one wonder if he has the courage of his convictions and therefore will decide to defund the war," she said.

Reid has left that possibility open. The majority leader supports separate legislation that would cut off funding for combat missions after March 2008. The proposal would allow money spent on such efforts as counterterrorism efforts and training Iraqi security forces.

Reid and other Democrats were initially reluctant to discuss such draconian measures to end the war, but no longer.

"I'm not sure much is impossible legislatively," Reid said Thursday. "The American people have indicated . . . that they are fed up with what's going on."

___

Associated Press writer Andrew Taylor contributed to this report.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

There is a book (now available in paperback ):

***********************

Unholy Alliance: Radical Islam and the American Left
(Hardcover)
by David Horowitz

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And reviews:

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Editorial Reviews

Rich Lowry, Editor National Review

David Horowitz is synonymous with pyrotechnics. A historian and polemicist of the first order, he is paid the ultimate compliment --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Davis Hanson, Author, Ripples of Battle

An original look at those who want us to fail in the Middle East, both at home and abroad. The --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

***********************************************************

See all Editorial Reviews

Fascinating Analysis of Leftist Goals, August 13, 2006

Reviewer: N. Sincerity - See all my reviews

A former 1960s radical, Horowitz is well-acquainted with the Leftist mindset. In this book, he strives to explain the modern alliance between left wing progressivists and radical Islamofascists. He argues that this alliance is based on a common desire to destroy Western capitalism. Leftist sympathy with Islamofascist ideas makes no sense from an intellectual point of view, given that countries ruled by radical Islamists are among the most racist, sexist, theocratic states in the world today. However, Leftists have recognized that they can benefit politically from destructive terrorist attacks on the Western world. A West under attack can be made to turn on its leaders in fear and desperation (as they did in Spain after the Madrid train bombings). Only once people reject current government structures can the Left execute its anti-capitalist revolution and build a new reality that mirrors the Leftist view of utopia.

The complete and utter idealogical hypocrisy of the Islamofascist-Leftist alliance is distressing, but as Horowitz reminds us,

Leftists radicals truly believe the ends justify the means.

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[agincourt1415]

Just as Rush said the Democrats OWN DEFEAT!

The Democrats hope for our loss in Iraq.

A vote for a Democrat is a vote for the end of our Country and our way of life.

[epow]

Maybe Dirty Harry should go over to Afghanistan, find Bin Laden, and then formally surrender to him. I'm sure his moonbat constituents would love him for doing that, and would elect him to a lifetime Senate seat.

If the American people are as averse to taking casualties in war as this generation seems to be, there is no hope for ever defeating militant Islam on it's march to world domination.

Better start looking for good buys on burkhas and Fezes folks, because we're gonna need them after the Democrats surrender unconditionally and the Mullahs take over.

[fortheDeclaration]

A vote for a Democrat is a vote for the end of our Country and our way of life.

Very profound words.

In Nov. we will have 'GOP is no different from the Democrats' group yapping how it is better to vote third party and send a 'message' to the GOP.

We lost alot of close elections last Nov. because of the constant whining on how 'bad' the GOP was and now this is what we got instead.

[drzz]

If the GOP doesn’t react properly to this, Reid’s words won’t only be words.

Please join me on the Time mag blog, I gonna send liberals to hell.

[drzz]

I think I have admired McCain since he sang “Bomb, Bomb Iran” on the Beach Boy famous song.

If Bush could sing either, could be great !!!

BOMB, BOMB IRAN

[RVN Airplane Driver]

Gee harry....do you think maybe that the enemy might be encouraged by your words and step up their terrorist activities...and kill more American’s....do you think maybe you can get some TV time on the terrorist networks in the middle east. Ever hear the saying in WWII “Loose lips, sink ships”??

You need to come with me this morning out to DFW and look those young and not so young American troopers climbing off the airplane for a two week R & R and tell them the “war is lost”!! They would correctly label you as a “traitor” and shun you as the despicable piece of human garbage you are.

harry, my contempt for you and your ilk is immeasurable as you are directly responsible for spilling brave young Americans blood and the American people should hold you to account.

[RedEyeJack]

Will trumps wealth every time... The Democrats seek short term political gain at the expense of national security... Any attack on the U.S. from this moment forward will be a result of Reid’s action in showing the terrorists that they can break us without a real military fight... the casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan are significant in that they show our will and now, for the Democrats at least, our breaking point..

[sonic109]

SEDITION
There is a sedition law ..If ever there was a case for it ..........

[RushLake]

In the 2006 elections the 5th column Muslim community in America turned out for the democraps. Reid is living proof of what a pandering dirty bastard politician will do on behalf of terrorists as long as they are there with the money and the votes.

[period end of story]

I was a lowly PFC, unlike your hero.

Very well stated.

[AirBorn]

"....triggering an angry backlash by Republicans ...."

Where?? WHAT " Angry Backlash " ??

Just where the French-Trench has BEEN the Republicans' " Angry Backlash " over all past, negative Demo-Rats Attacks for the last Weeks; MONTHS!

Sometimes I think I am madder at CARL ROVE & the GOP for their Silence and Their not placing in line our own RINOS, then I am over any of Harry Reid's or Pelosi's statements! (IF we had someone on our side with Reid's & Peoplsi's DRIVE-"WE'd" be the ones with all the Press Coverage and all the Sound bites!! or do we have Republicans presently fighting out there ? and the media is not just covering it?!)

Reid & Company are ONLY going to get as much Traction & Attention as the Conservative/Republicans in Office ALLOW them to get!

P.S.- If I hear any other future Conservative candidate even mutter the phrase, " New Tone..." I will take a vacation til after 08' and let the rabble have their way.

[Kaslin]

You need to see this

Shhhh... Iraqis Take Over Operations in Maysan Province

[Griddlee]

Chesty Puller is my hero even tho I was a doggie.

Patton and Chesty wouldn't’ stand for Michael’s demoralizing, defeatist talk.