House OKs Plan to Withdraw US Troops

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Iraqi government is achieving only spotty military and political progress, the Bush administration conceded Thursday in an assessment that war critics quickly seized on as confirmation of their dire warnings. Within hours, the House voted to withdraw U.S. troops by spring.

The House measure passed 223-201 in the Democratic-controlled chamber despite a veto threat from President Bush, who has ruled out any change in war policy before September.

"The security situation in Iraq remains complex and extremely challenging," the administration report concluded. The economic picture is uneven, it added, and the government has not yet enacted vital political reconciliation legislation.

As many as 80 suicide bombers per month cross into the country from Syria, said the interim assessment, which is to be followed by a fuller accounting in September from Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. military commander in the region.

"I believe we can succeed in Iraq, and I know we must," Bush said at a White House news conference at which he stressed the interim nature of the report.

Describing a document produced by his administration at Congress' insistence, he said there was satisfactory progress by the Iraqi government toward meeting eight of 18 so-called benchmarks, unsatisfactory progress on eight more and mixed results on the others.

To his critics—including an increasing number of Republicans—he said bluntly, "I don't think Congress ought to be running the war. I think they ought to be funding the troops."

Our base must keep the intensity. Each member of FR who says they supports our warriors (well, if you mean it...take action). Call Washington DC (as many members as you can on the GOP side).

Demand they stand firm behind our warriors and our CinC GWB. Lets see the same intensity for guarding our warriors down range flanks against the DEM Congress that was shown for the 30yr in the making immigration issue.

Here's a link to every member and how to contact them. Lets roll!

http://www.conservativeusa.org/mega-cong.htm

This "vote" points out what a bunch of cowards the 'rats (and and 4 or 5 repubicans) really are. They have to know that this stupid "law" will never become law. They only want to show their own stupid supporters that they really showed Bush, by golly.

If they are serious about bringing the troops home...they will defund the army. They can do that by just not putting money in the army's bank....

which they will never do...making them double cowards......

and most of them are ugly too.

Ultimately, it wouldn’t have gotten this bad if the admin made a clear and convincing case for the war, and adapted as circumstances changed.

After the 2004 election, the admin was largely out to lunch on the issue, sticking to 2003 talking points. As the end of 2005 rolled around, they lost control of the narrative, the domestic critics began capitalizing on it, and here we are - Iraq won’t be a democracy and the mission will almost certainly fail, at least partly because of a premature retreat.

As sucky as the dems are, the admin has nobody to blame but themselves,

I would agree in some measure, that PART of the problem is the poor communications coming out of this administration. The guy prior to Tony was HORRIBLE (I can’t even remember his name).

But much of the blame MUST lie with our “american media”. They hate this president so much they lie constantly. They present the news throught their liberal agenda; they want President Bush to lose the war, they could care less about the consequences as long as the loss is attributable to President Bush.

Look at CNN who aired the sniper video they received dirctly from the terrorists, and called it “news”.

Look at MSNBC, well....no don’t, they are worthless..nothing but hate speech and lies.

Look at ABC and how they reported what President Bush said about Val Plame today in his press conference, they are implying that BUsh was referring to Libby, when we all know he was referring to Armitage. Had Armitage reported to the President, as he had been requested to do so, instead he told Powell, who also didn’t tell the President, none of this would have happened to Libby.

Look at NBC, Chris Matthews, David Schuster, Tim Russert, Andrea Greenspan, and David Gregory are ALL involved in the railroading of LIbby. They were working hand in glove with the DNC to spread the lies of Wilson as truths. Wilson is the liar, but NBC/MSNBC still refuse to report that fact.

Even FNC can’t get the story straight half the time; they have been inundated with liberals who reports views not news.

So, although I believe that President Bush has not used the bully pulpit as he should have, I don’t put all the blame on him.

I believe he should address a joint sesssion of Congress in early Sepatember, at 9pm, carried by all the networks on the state of the war on terror.

And, to hell with all the stupid republicans who work against this administration, rather than in support of it. The Generals/Senators are wasting our time and money with the current “debate” and votes on Iraq. There job is to fund or defund, not to “redefine the mission”. They have turned the Senate into a joke, a disgraceful and embarrassing one at that.

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