For five years, the Republicans on Capitol Hill have resisted any oversight of Bush's disastrous Iraq policy. Yesterday, the Senate Republicans sabotaged the chance to start a debate. But, they can't stop it. House and Senate Democrats are on the move with tactics and strategies to thwart Bush. The President has never had to answer for his failed war. Those days are over:
Democratic critics of the Iraq war seized the offensive at both ends of the Capitol on Tuesday, disclosing plans for a symbolic rejection by the House of President Bush's decision to deploy additional troops and filing legislation in the Senate to require withdrawal of U.S. military personnel.The entire policy has been irresponsible -- and note to Gates and the GOP: we've already lost the chance to be successful in Iraq. It's a failure. That's why the Democrats have to take control of the mess. That's why the Democrats won in November.
"We're going to stand by our soldiers, but we're not going to stand by a failed policy that exposes more of our soldiers to death and suffering," said Sen. Richard Durbin of Illinois, rebutting charges that the war's critics may be undermining the morale or even the safety of U.S. forces.
Democrats pressured Bush to change course as Defense Secretary Robert Gates told lawmakers that U.S. forces might be able to start leaving Iraq before the end of the year - if daunting conditions including subdued violence and political reconciliation are met.
He also said that the buildup in troops is "not the last chance" to succeed in Iraq and added, "I would be irresponsible if I weren't thinking about what the alternatives might be."
