Reid's Statement Following Senate's Vote on Iraqi Amendments

[kpete]

Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Reid Statement on Iraq

Washington, DC - Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid delivered the following statement at a press conference today following the Senate's vote on Iraq amendments.

“Let me tell you the President’s strategy in Iraq - no plan and no end in sight. Our troops deserve better. That’s why Democrats forced Republicans to admit that “staying the course” is not an option.

“As stated in the amendment, the Senate just voted overwhelmingly to change the policy of the United States with regard to Iraq. Republicans admitted what Democrats have been saying all along – the administration’s strategy is aimless and rudderless. It’s a victory for our troops and the American people. If Democrats hadn’t acted, our Republican colleagues would have been fine going along with the administration’s “no plan, no end” approach.

“The contrast between Democrats and the Bush Administration could not be clearer. Democrats offered a clear way forward and a strategy for success in Iraq. Rather than trying to score political points and mischaracterizing the Democratic amendment with language that isn’t even in there, we think the top priority of Republicans should be succeeding in Iraq.

“Democrats know that the road to success requires a plan and accountability from the administration. That’s all we’ve asked for, and our troops deserve nothing less.”

http://atrios.blogspot.com/

[fooj]

1. Give 'em hell, Harry!

Peace.

[electropop]

2. He just tells the truth...

and it seems like hell to them.

[km1550]

7. The cons ...

are just digging themselves a larger grave.

Unfortunately, it's taking our American troops with them.

[Just Me]

8. Welcome to DU, km1550!!!

:hi:

[Straight Shooter]

19. You have a way with words, km1550.

That was quite a bone-chilling statement.

Welcome to DU. :hi:

[newyawker99]

29. Hi km1550!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[bunkerbuster1]

3. Harry "My balls are enormous" Reid, I thank you.

and I loved this line:


Democrats forced Republicans to admit that “staying the course” is not an option

[texpatriot2004]

4. Harry Reid has a posse. n.t

[MsUnderstood]

5. wait a minute--reid cant be a democrat

He said plan and strategy. Everyone knows the democrats have no plan. Just ask all the media and political analysts. The democrats can only complain, not provide clear direction for our future. . .sheesh.

*sarcasm off*

[bunkerbuster1]

6. I loved a line in today's NYTimes story

and I quote:

The plan stops short of a competing Democratic proposal that moves toward establishing dates for a phased withdrawal of troops from Iraq. But it is built upon the Democratic approach and makes it clear that senators of both parties are increasingly eager for Iraqis to take control of their country in coming months and open the door to removing American troops.

Yes, we have plans, we have proposals, and the other side is willing to work with them. take that, asswipe pundits!

[ninkasi]

27. Oh, yeah, I loved that line, too...

It gives credit to Dems, rather than letting the Cons try to steal credit. The most important thing, of course, is to get out of Iraq, and get our troops home. Once they are here, our next priority should be taking proper care of their needs.

[mzmolly]

15. He hee.

;)

[tigereye]

9. good for him

although I keep going back to Powell's apparent statement to * regarding the invasion of Iraq, "you broke it, you bought it."

How will the Iraqi's avoid the civil war that already seems to have broken out? I wish someone had read some British history PRIOR to the invasion.

[PurpleChez]

11. Did Powell really say (something like) that?!? Dang.

It's so sad. Whether or not he deserved the reputation Powell used to be one of the more respectable guys in the Republican camp. Then he sold his soul to get in good with the Chimperor. I wouldn't trust him to water my plants while I was on vacation.

[DUBYASCREWEDUS]

18. I think the saying was

"You break it; you own it"

[tigereye]

24. that's it

I think it was in the New Yorker....

[PurpleChez]

34. Dagnabbit....

I don't have an ounce of sympathy for him, but it must have made him ill to stand up at the UN and float the world what he knew was a whole gigantic raft of shit. Cognitive dissonance of that magnitude can make your brain explode.

[Stand and Fight]

17. Actually...

I think the words are, "You break it, you pay for it."

Other than that, you are dead-on target, tigereye. :hug:

[Carolab]

31. Actually, it WAS "you break it, you own it".

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1844476

[PurpleChez]

10. It would be fun to watch the thugs descend into chaos and anarchy

if they weren't murdering thousands in the process.

[thereismore]

12. Do I hear "NO PLAN, NO END" buzzphrase? I like it! et

[Mr_Spock]

13. Yay!

Glad we are getting out of that hell-hole someday

[PretzelWarrior]

14. AWWEESOMMEE!! just what some on here were saying....

that the message NEEDED to go out: "this was a Democratic position all along and we finally got the GOP to come around on this."

Let's hope this will be "IN TIME" for many troops. but "TOO LATE" for GOP election hopes in many, many congressional districts around the country.

[mzmolly]

16. * Republicans admit that “staying the course” is not an option. *

Yep.

Go Harry!

[mistertrickster]

20. Senate votes to get regular updates, according to The Times

http://nytimes.com/2005/11/15/politics/14cnd-congress.html?hp&ex=1132117200&en=65a4b64a754021de&ei=5094&partner=homepage

Hey, I got your updates right here: it's all gone to shit.
Next week, ditto. Next year, ditto.

As Col. Paul Hackett says, "the war's over--it's not going to get any better than this."

[mistertrickster]

21. Self delete--accidental multiple posts

[mistertrickster]

22. Triple post, my bad . . .

[DUBYASCREWEDUS]

23. MSNBC

Has a live vote at and is asking the question: Should U.S. have timetable for withdrawal? So far the Democratic response is winning 67% to 33%

[twaddler01]

25. Well said

Thanks Harry! :thumbsup:

[FighttheFuture]

26. The Rethuglicans are now goosestepping away from Bu$hitler...

Keep pounding them Harry. Keep on reminding all that these were Democratic issues and proposals for months, if not years!!!

Don't worry about alternative plans right now. Just BE the Opposition!! As Rudepundit so eloquently said:

The right loves to say any time the Democrats resist or block a Republican bill or nominee or idea, "Well, Democrats, why don't you tell us what you'd like to do? What's your plan?" That's like a rapist getting kicked in the nuts by his potential victim and then asking her, "Well, okay, since you don't want to be fucked, what would you like to do?" The only proper response is not for the victim to suggest alternate activities ("Well, rapist, we could play a lively game of whist"), but to say, "I'd like you to be dead. No, no, even better, I'd like you to be buried alive. In a small coffin. Filled with scorpions. And covered in shit."

Resistance is an agenda. ...

http://rudepundit.blogspot.com/2005/11/rude-advice-to-democrats-resistance-is.html

[msongs]

28. well done! now demand bush quit pimping GI's in his photo ops nt

[Voltaire99]

30. Better than nothing, but not by much.

The House version of the bill has none of the detention/torture requirements of the Senate measure, which can easily be stripped in conference.

And as for timetables, all the Senate bill does is urge Bush to outline a plan.

Oooh! A plan outlined by Bush. That'll really help.

The Democratic Party should be working ceaselessly to end the war rather than throwing weight behind half-assed measures. And for fuck's sake, stop the crowing already; not a goddamn thing will have been accomplished until this futile, lost war is ended.

[AuntiBush]

32. Give 'um Hell, Harry!

Someone beat me to my favorite line! Hope they don't stop.

[Maestro]

33. Delete

Wrong thread.