Dean's Democratic Radio Address

[MaineDem]

Democratic Radio Address

Dean: We Will Do What the American People Have Asked Us To Do and Bring
Our Troops Home

Washington, DC - Governor Howard Dean, Chairman of the Democratic
National Committee Chairman, delivers the Democratic radio address this
week. Prior to the fourth anniversary of fall of Baghdad on Monday,
Chairman Dean outlined the Democratic plan to get our troops out of the
civil war in Iraq and urged President Bush to work with Democrats to end
the war.

Citing the fact that our military is stretched to a breaking point and
the disgraceful conditions at veterans' hospitals, Dean pointed out that
the American people elected Democrats to hold President Bush accountable
for the incompetence in Iraq. He also pointed out that the Democratic
Congress is funding priorities that Republicans have long ignored.

To listen to his remarks, click here:

http://a9.g.akamai.net/7/9/8082/v001/democratic1.download.akamai.com/8082/audio/
addresses/20070407_GovDeanRadioAddress.mp3



Text of the radio address:

Good Morning. I'm Governor Howard Dean, Chairman of the Democratic
National Committee.

As Americans, we are united in our support for our troops. And because
we support our troops, Democrats have put forward a plan for success in
Iraq. A plan to get us out of Iraq.

We have made it clear that we will work with the President to find a
solution. In response, the President continues to say "my way or the
highway," and Vice President Cheney uses divisive rhetoric to question
the patriotism of members of Congress who disagree with him. That's not
what the country needs right now.

It is time for the President and Republicans in Congress to stop try to
bully their way through this and work with Democrats to end the war.
It's time for the President to show respect to the American people, who
voted overwhelmingly to leave Iraq.

President Bush and his Republican allies did not have a clear plan when
they misled our nation into this war and they do not have a clear plan
to get our troops out. The Republicans sent our brave men and women in
uniform to Iraq without proper body armor, equipment or training.

Our military is now stretched to a breaking point. Just this week, the
Army announced they will send large division units back to Iraq without
giving them at least a year's rest at home, as the Pentagon's standards
require. Because our forces have been so badly depleted, the Pentagon
just yesterday announced they are deploying an additional 12,000
National Guard reserves to Iraq.

The disgraceful conditions at Walter Reed and veterans' hospitals
across the country are an appalling example of the way that President
Bush and Republicans in Congress have failed our men and women in
uniform. Upon returning home from Iraq, too many of our troops face a
system that has been starved of resources for six years, and cannot
adequately provide the care and services our troops deserve.

That is wrong.

The Democratic plan is clear:

· Our plan ensures that American troops have the resources they need to
complete their mission. But the mission itself must change. It's time
for the mission in Iraq to focus on a political solution and not a
military one.

· Our plan says that our brave men and women should not be policing a
civil war. The Iraqis have to be accountable for their own future. Our
troops can't solve their political problems. That's why we have put
forward clear benchmarks that will require the Iraqis to take control of
their own future.

· Our plan includes a phased redeployment of our troops that begins to
bring most of them home, with some remaining in Iraq for a period of
time to be used only for counterterrorism operations, and training of
Iraqi Security Forces to help ensure stability.

· We believe that we should refocus our military efforts on Afghanistan
and on fighting terrorism.

We have presented this plan to President Bush, but he stubbornly
refuses even to discuss it.

We intend to see that the troops get what they deserve and we will not
give President Bush a blank check for a war without end.

Contrary to what President Bush says, Democrats are funding priorities
that Republicans have long ignored. We are providing $96 billion to
ensure troops have the resources they need. We're providing $4.3 billion
to make sure they receive the health care they deserve and we're
providing $2 billion to secure our ports, mass transit and airports.
That's what President Bush calls pork. We call it supporting our
troops.

Seventy one percent of the American people have made it clear they want
to get out of Iraq. The American people are asking: How can the
President continue to ignore our voice and the voices of military
experts?

The answer is that he can't continue this way. He has forgotten the
simple truth that the power he has is not his to keep, it is on loan
from the American people. That's why Democrats have put forward a clear
and reasonable plan to get our troops out of the middle of a civil war
in Iraq.

We have a new Congress in Washington. The American people have elected
us to hold President Bush and the Republicans accountable for the
incompetence in Iraq, the mismanagement at Walter Reed, the purging of
Justice Department officials for partisan gain. We will do what the
American people have asked us to do. We will bring our troops home.

Let's remember this debate is not about President Bush, it's not about
Republicans or Democrats. It's about our brave men and women who serve
America. Together as Americans we have to stand up for our troops. The
best way to do that is to get them out of the middle of a civil war in
Iraq.

I'm Governor Howard Dean, Chairman of the Democratic National
Committee. I wish everyone a happy Easter and Passover holiday as we
remember the sacrifices of our men and women in uniform serving
overseas.

Thanks so much for listening.

###

[JNelson6563]

1. Well said Governor! (again)

Rock on Howard! :yourock:

[Kurovski]

2. K&R.

The link is broken (or not working for me.) But thank you for posting the text.