Pelosi: 'Benchmarks Without Consequences and Enforcement Are Meaningless'

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This is how to chain Bush to his capitulation today . . .


WASHINGTON, May 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Speaker Nancy Pelosi
issued the following statement today in response to President Bush's
remarks on the war in Iraq, in which he said he would accept benchmarks:

"The President has long said he supports benchmarks; what he fails to
accept is accountability for failing to meet those benchmarks. Benchmarks
without consequences and enforcement are meaningless, a blank check. The
American people, retired military commanders, and a growing bipartisan
majority in both the House and the Senate reject giving President Bush a
blank check to pursue the war in Iraq.

"The President has failed to properly budget for the war and vetoed the
Iraq Accountability Act, which provided more money for the troops than the
President requested. This week, he threatened to veto the current bill,
which would fully fund our troops, honor our commitment to our veterans,
and hold the Iraqi government accountable. Vetoing one Iraq accountability
bill and threatening to veto another is not the kind of cooperation the
American people voted for last November."

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=ind_focus.story&STORY=/www/story/05-10-2007/0004585974&EDATE=THU+May+10+2007,+04:20+PM

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1. kick

:kick:

[mmonk]

2. We sent our representatives for a change in direction.

All we've gotten is escalation. Words.

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4. Our party is in NO position to dictate ANYTHING on Iraq

It's just not credible when folks suggest otherwise. This is a political system where, in the House, there are 500 different notions of the correct way to move forward, even if the majority of our* party shares many of the same goals.

It may be frustrating, but there isn't ANY other system in out country where we are able to come together to reconcile the myriad divergence of ideas, proposals, and initiatives from the many different sectors of the nation. It's just not as easy as some would like us to believe. These folks in our party are working toward an end to the occupation. They should be supported in their efforts, recognizing that our system of government is one of compromise, and not so much geared toward (or tolerating of) dictating actions from any quarter. They are working hard. They deserve credit for that.

[mmonk]

3. Sorry, I'm in a bad mood.

But at least I'm kicking your post.;)