Democrats praise military progress [Dick Durbin, Bob Casey and Jack Reed. Even Sen. Carl Levin]

Yahoo ^

[Sub-Driver]

By KIMBERLY HEFLING, Associated Press Writer 35 minutes ago

One senator said U.S. troops are routing out al-Qaida in parts of Iraq. Another insisted President Bush's plan to increase troops has caused tactical momentum.

One even went so far on Wednesday as to say the argument could be made that U.S. troops are winning.

These are not Bush-backing GOP die-hards, but Democratic Sens. Dick Durbin, Bob Casey and Jack Reed. Even Sen. Carl Levin, chairman of the Senate Armed Services committee, said progress was being made by soldiers.

The suggestions by them and other Democrats in recent days that at least a portion of Bush's strategy in Iraq is working is somewhat surprising, considering the bitter exchanges on Capitol Hill between the Democratic majority and Republicans and Bush. Democrats have long said Bush's policies have been nothing more than a complete failure.

The Democrats' choice to acknowledge the military's progress in Iraq signals support for the troops, a message that voters want to hear. But they still heap criticism on Bush and his Iraq strategy, which promises to be a prominent issue in next year's presidential election.

All of Washington is waiting for the September assessment from Gen. David Petraeus, the U.S. commander in Iraq, and Ambassador Ryan Crocker about the Bush administration strategy. Bush has called the plan a "surge" because it poured thousands more troops into the country.

A key component of the January plan was that there be political progress in Iraq. Last week, the chief lawmaking body in Iraq went into recess until September without accomplishing much of what U.S. leaders had hoped they would.

[Sub-Driver]

Huh?

[edcoil]

“Dick Durbin, Bob Casey and Jack Reed. Even Sen. Carl Levin”

All these cowards can go to hell.

[Shqipo]

Holy cut and run from all that surrender talk, Batman!

[NeoCaveman]

They must have seen newer polling data than we have. Vote whores.

[Old Sarge]

Too little, too late, Senators. Focus-group-tested sound bites might work for your liberal voters, but not me. You are beyond redemption.

[oneamericanvoice]

Huh? My word exactly. They are up to something as usual. This is in advance of ANSWER's demonstration on the Mall starting September 15th. If they can't defeat the truth once, then they will try to steal the thunder. Democrats...the cult of deceit.

[crazyhorse691]

One even went so far on Wednesday as to say the argument could be made that U.S. troops are winning.

---

I find it hard to believe that Yahoo news even printed that statement...it goes against all their standards.

[camas]

maybe they do not like clinton????

[oneamericanvoice]

They must have seen newer polling data than we have. How low can they go???? Not much more room according to Zogby's 3%! But let's challenge 'em to see if they can't break their personal best!

[rfp1234]

Hedging their bets.

[Brilliant]

So what’s their angle? What do they have to gain politically by doing this? We know that they must be up to something. That’s all they care about—political gain.

Maybe the polls have convinced them that it’s time to support the war effort. Maybe they are simply falling in line behind Hillary’s talking points. And Hillary is doing it because she wants to compete with conservative GOP candidates for the pro-American vote.

[mdittmar]

Srew them,they have nothing I want to hear.

[kromike]

The truly sad thing is that every single one of these damned hypocrites can easily call a press conference and state that they've always believed in the Surge, that the troops would be victorious, ad nauseaum.

And the slimy Tired Old Media will just quietly nod their heads in agreement and report it in glowing, fawning terms.

Blechhh...

[Sub-Driver]

It’s syndicated via AP

[small voice in the wilderness]

What about that quagmire we were in?

This doesn't pass the smell test. Not even a little.

[Chode]

there's pigs and monkeys flying around someplace right bout now...

[CarryingOn]

They’ve finally found a part of the war effort that they don’t want to blame on Bush.

[lexington minuteman 1775]

CYA time for democrats?

[crazyhorse691]

Next thing you know Reuters will be saying something nice about Pres. Bush....naw, ain’t gonna happen.

[AlphaOneAlpha]

It appears the answer is quite clear. The Dems recognize that they have fully exposed that are the party that loathes the military. So, this is a cheesy way of trying to look as though they support our troops, but that the real problem is that the Iraqi gov’t isn’t getting their job done, so we need to quit and bring our sons and daughters home.

Simple minded tactics from simple minded people...and it will resonate with the simple electorate. God help America.

[infidel29]

...Democratic Sens. Dick Durbin, Bob Casey and Jack Reed. Even Sen. Carl Levin... said progress was being made by soldiers.

HOLY CRAP! Someone's found Bob Casey!

[ripley]

“democrats praise military progress.”

maybe they’re hiding behind reasonableness because they betrayed their socialist, totalitarian hand too soon, thinking that a great victory was coming.

maybe the victory’s a bit further in the future and they have to do a quick molting act before they’re seen for what they are.

[Old Sarge]

Simple minded tactics from simple minded people...and it will resonate with the simple electorate. God help forgive America.

There, fixed it.

[jrooney]

These scum realize the train is bearing down the tracks fast at them and they are trying to survive the impact. It is going to be bad for dems shortly politically and they are hoping to walk away with at least few limbs (my apologies to any amputees) to still fight GW on the war.

[popdonnelly]

They deserve a stern rebuke from the Daily KOS and from DU.

[shield]

Maybe they're getting something about Americans.

The very thought of losing is hateful to Americans!!! General Patton.

[popdonnelly]

They were for the war before they were against the war before they were for it.

[Turret Gunner A20]

Weren’t these some of the rats who just a week or two ago were threatening to get the troops out of there by cutting off their funding?

[Bahbah]

So what’s their angle?

That's my question. They have an action line. We just don't know what it is yet. It may be that they'll cling to the "no political progress" hook and say, well, yes, our troops are just fine and quite valiant, but how long will we have them protecting this useless bunch of politicians (I could say something about that), so they must come home anyway, even if they have been successful.

[Free Vulcan]

HAHAHAHA! No word I see though from General Betrayus, aka Senator Harry Reid.

[AlphaOneAlpha]

Can’t argue with your editing Sarge. How true....pathetically sad, but how true.

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

“No word I see though from General Betrayus, aka Senator Harry Reid.”

---

Very appropos nickname.

[Old Sarge]

“General Betrayus” - I like that!

[Free Vulcan]

Stolen fair and square from stm!

[noname07718]

What do Reid, Kennedy, or Kerry say?

[Free Vulcan]

I’ve put a request to stm to email that to Rush.

[CyberAnt]

It’s a ruse!

What they will really say is - THERE’S NO “POLITICAL” PROGRESS - SO THE SURGE IS A FAILURE.

[Kakaze]

This is the set -up.....

They will praise military progress and the troops, then...

To a man, woman or whateever, they will say " As valiant as the military progress is, theres been no POLITICAl progess, and we cannot leave our troops in a endless war"

Thats what this is all about. Hell last week Feingold said on fox news sunday " I will never accept the surge , I already know iraq is and will be a failure."

Same game as always, snatching defeat from victory all to condense power, by scaring and shamming the populace.

[missnry]

Exactly... this is their Trojan Horse moment. They will go in for the kill in the very near future.

[BobS]

Right. "A key component of the January plan was that there be political progress in Iraq."

OUR Congress is telling the Iraqi Parliament to make progress!??

The Iraqis must be joking and back-slapping about that! OUR Congress has a lower approval rating than most legislative bodies in the world. Don't think they don't know that!

[Western Phil]

“Sens. Dick Durbin, ... “

I can’t believe this. Dicky has been an al-Qaida fellow traveler from the very start. It must be first of April.

[Recovering_Democrat]

SCREW THEM!

They have done NOTHING but denigrate our troops. Hell, DICK Turban even accused them of being like Nazis. They need to drink A REAL big cup of STFU.

[Recovering_Democrat]

SCREW THEM!

They have done NOTHING but denigrate our troops. Hell, DICK Turban even accused them of being like Nazis. They need to drink A REAL big cup of STFU.

[steveyp]

Set up. The troops are doing wonderfully, the political process in Iraq is undermining their success, we need to pull them out per our timeline.

I hate Durbin.

[goldstategop]

The Democrats are belatedly realizing their Cut N Run defeatist position isn't playing political dividends with the American people. So they want to move away from it even if it will anger their fringe kook base. Saner heads in the Democratic Party understand McGovernizing themselves as they are doing, is a recipe for political disaster.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[april15Bendovr]

Ping

Looks like a little back peddling by demagoguing Democrats

[infidel29]

Yeah, they’re also still talking about censure and impeachment of the Pres. for his “failed strategies”.