Harry Reid's Blog - March 2007
Since January more than 100,000 of you have visited GiveEmHellHarry.com and participated in actions aimed at changing the course in Iraq. Yesterday your hard work paid off and I can't thank you enough.
By a vote of 48-50, the Senate rejected a Republican amendment that attempted to strip vital language from the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill. By turning back that challenge, we paved the way for legislation calling for a phased redeployment of U.S. forces from Iraq in 120 days, with the goal of redeploying most combat forces by the end of March 2008.
There is still a lot of work left to do and George Bush has threatened to veto this bill. However, yesterday was a significant step in our effort to change course in Iraq and make America more secure.
With one vote, Senators sent a message that the time has come to find a new way forward in this intractable war. After more than four years - in which over 3,100 of our brave soldiers have been killed and tens of thousands of more have been wounded it is time:
- to set benchmarks.
- to send a clear signal to the Iraqis that they must take responsibility for securing their country.
- to start redeploying our troops.
- for a new direction in Iraq.
George Bush and his fellow Republicans are once again faced with a choice between staying the course in Iraq, or listening to a majority of the House, the Senate and the American people.
Thank you for all of your efforts. We would not have succeeded without your support.
By a vote of 48-50, the Senate rejected a Republican amendment that attempted to strip vital language from the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill. By turning back that challenge, we paved the way for legislation calling for a phased redeployment of U.S. forces from Iraq in 120 days, with the goal of redeploying most combat forces by the end of March 2008.
There is still a lot of work left to do and George Bush has threatened to veto this bill. However, yesterday was a significant step in our effort to change course in Iraq and make America more secure.
With one vote, Senators sent a message that the time has come to find a new way forward in this intractable war. After more than four years - in which over 3,100 of our brave soldiers have been killed and tens of thousands of more have been wounded it is time:
- to set benchmarks.
- to send a clear signal to the Iraqis that they must take responsibility for securing their country.
- to start redeploying our troops.
- for a new direction in Iraq.
George Bush and his fellow Republicans are once again faced with a choice between staying the course in Iraq, or listening to a majority of the House, the Senate and the American people.
Thank you for all of your efforts. We would not have succeeded without your support.
Democrats believe, as do an overwhelming majority of the American people, that President Bush needs to change course in Iraq. We can't stay in Iraq forever. The question becomes whether we'll continue to follow the president's failed strategy or whether we work to change course.
Will the Senate sit silent, or will we bring stability to Iraq and bring our troops home from a protracted civil war?
Democrats have always been unified on these principles.
The mission in Iraq has changed and, therefore, so must U.S. policy change. Troops should not be policing a civil war. The current conflict in Iraq requires a political solution.
Listen to what General Petraeus said today from Iraq: "The war cannot be won militarily. It can only be won politically."
We further believe that Iraq must take responsibility for its own future, and our troops should begin to come home.
That's why, yesterday, I introduced a joint resolution calling for the president to change course and bring stability to Iraq by beginning a phased redeployment of U.S. forces from Iraq in 120 days, with the goal of redeploying combat forces from Iraq by the end of March of next year.
A limited number of troops would remain for the purposes of force protection, training and equipping the Iraqi troops, and counterterrorism activities.
Truly changing course in Iraq will require Republican cooperation and support. So far, Republicans have chosen to greenlight the escalation.
Hopefully, Senate Republicans will join the American people in opposing the president's flawed policies in Iraq. They must put doing the right thing above protecting the president.
Will the Senate sit silent, or will we bring stability to Iraq and bring our troops home from a protracted civil war?
Democrats have always been unified on these principles.
The mission in Iraq has changed and, therefore, so must U.S. policy change. Troops should not be policing a civil war. The current conflict in Iraq requires a political solution.
Listen to what General Petraeus said today from Iraq: "The war cannot be won militarily. It can only be won politically."
We further believe that Iraq must take responsibility for its own future, and our troops should begin to come home.
That's why, yesterday, I introduced a joint resolution calling for the president to change course and bring stability to Iraq by beginning a phased redeployment of U.S. forces from Iraq in 120 days, with the goal of redeploying combat forces from Iraq by the end of March of next year.
A limited number of troops would remain for the purposes of force protection, training and equipping the Iraqi troops, and counterterrorism activities.
Truly changing course in Iraq will require Republican cooperation and support. So far, Republicans have chosen to greenlight the escalation.
Hopefully, Senate Republicans will join the American people in opposing the president's flawed policies in Iraq. They must put doing the right thing above protecting the president.
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