Yesterday, Majority Leader Harry Reid said what a lot of Americans are thinking -- that George Bush lost the war in Iraq. In response to that realistic assessment, Republicans are attacking Harry Reid today, because that's what they do. Instead of dealing with the Iraq issue, the Republicans attack their opponents. The opposite of losing is winning. So, how many Republicans will go on the record saying that George Bush is leading us to victory in Iraq? That might be a question for reporters to ask Republicans today. Instead of just parroting GOP talking points that smear Reid, ask if we're winning.
Meanwhile, another Republican Senator is finally admitting the U.S. needs to have a plan to get out of Iraq. Olympia Snowe has been something of a Maine maverick (unlike her counterpart Susan Collins who consistently sticks with Bush). Snowe is the third Republican Senator to acknowledge that we need a withdrawal plan:
In another sign of Republican unease with the president's Iraq policies, a third GOP senator expressed support Thursday for pulling U.S. forces out of Iraq under certain conditions.So, when does Olympia Snowe start getting trashed by the loyal Bushies? And where is Susan Collins? Why is Collins still supporting Bush on Iraq?
Sen. Olympia J. Snowe announced she would sponsor a bill to require American commanders to plan a withdrawal within 120 days of the bill's enactment, unless the Iraqi government meets a series of benchmarks.
"The Iraq government needs to understand that our commitment is not infinite," said Snowe, a moderate from Maine who frequently departs from the party line.
President Bush has insisted that Congress not impose any limits on his conduct of the four-year-old war. But Snowe has taken issue with that view.
"It is our business as well," she said Thursday.
