Congress' reaction to Bush speech

[AllyCat]

This was on the Beeb. It was hard to not interject my own thoughts into the Dem comments:

NANCY PELOSI, HOUSE SPEAKER, DEMOCRAT

President Bush outlined a status quo strategy that leaves at least 130,000 American soldiers in harm's way as part of a 10-year occupation of Iraq.

The American people reject the president's call for an enduring relationship with Iraq that is based on leaving our troops in the middle of a deadly civil war for at least 10 years.

The president failed to answer how maintaining 130,000 soldiers in Iraq would strengthen our military, make us safer, or how he would pay for its additional $700bn cost.

--------

That's easy Nancy: you will all approve the $700B cost, just like you always do.
--------

HARRY REID, SENATE MAJORITY LEADER, DEMOCRAT

After almost five years, tonight was just more of the same.

It is not progress nor is it the strategy for success our troops deserve.

And as long as President Bush keeps them in harm's way without clear purpose or achievable goals, Democrats will keep fighting to responsibly end this war.

-------

Right, we wouldn't want to move them out too quickly, Harry. If we don't act "responsibly", we'll incite civil war. Oh wait, there already is a civil war.

-------

The comments from Clinton and Obama are milquetoast at best. I would love to see something that indicates leadership from them since they are both running for POTUS.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6994529.stm

[unhappycamper]

1. uhc reaction to Bush speech

[PetrusMonsFormicarum]

2. Not that he has my vote, but . . .

Obama's latest endorser, Zbigniew Brzezinski, onetime National Security Advisor to Pres. Jimmy Carter, appeared on Jim Lehrer's PBS News hour to comment on BushCo's company statement--uh, speech. Zbig is an eloquent man, and a realist. He voiced Obama's plans for the region and it sounded a lot more comprehensive than anything this Ass Clown Administration has ever put forward. Politically inexperienced Obama may be, but his choice of of advisors says a lot about the man. Aside from Kucinich, the only current candidate I can truly support, Obama seems to be stepping up.

[AllyCat]

3. I hope that's right. I just wish Obama would articulate it.

Maybe there was more to the comment than what was on the Beeb.

[ShortnFiery]

4. Yes, and send Retired General Zinni as an envoy for Middle East Reconcilliation.

Ret. General Zinni is considered "by the vast majority of factions" within the M.E. - as a fair broker. :thumbsup:

http://www.npr.org/programs/morning/zinni.html

The Middle East peace process, in my mind, has to be a higher priority. Winning the war on terrorism has to be a higher priority. More directly, the situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Central Asia need to be resolved, making sure Al Qaeda can't rise again from the ashes that are destroyed. Taliban cannot come back. That the warlords can't regain power over Kabul and Karzai, and destroy everything that has happened so far.

Our relationships in the region are in major disrepair, not to the point where we can't fix them, but we need to quit making enemies we don't need to make enemies out of. And we need to fix those relationships. There's a deep chasm growing between that part of the world and our part of the world. And it's strange, about a month after 9/11, they were sympathetic and compassionate toward us. How did it happen over the last year? And we need to look at that -- that is a higher priority.

[Hydra]

5. Any mention that this continuing occupation is illegal

and should not be prolonged?