.Webb rips Bush over Iraq policy
Calling Iraq "this quagmire," Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Jim Webb yesterday said President Bush would rather play politics than bring home American troops.
Webb, who is opposing Republican Sen. George Allen, a Bush ally on Iraq, said in the Democratic response to the president's weekly radio address that it is not disloyal to the troops to criticize the war.
"As the occupation of Iraq has continued to drag on, some of our most distinguished retired generals, as well as many members of Congress with strong loyalties to our military, have suggested different approaches for America to remove itself from this quagmire," Webb said.
In selecting Webb to reply to Bush, Democrats are providing Webb a national forum from which he could elevate his candidacy, boost fundraising and transform the Virginia campaign into a referendum on the president and Iraq.
Webb also said, "Some say that speaking out against a war is disloyal to the troops. Whoever says that should consider what it's like to be a troop, wishing someone would speak the truth."
Webb, a Marine combat veteran of Vietnam and a Navy secretary under President Ronald Reagan, has urged withdrawal from Iraq, saying the conflict diverts resources from the crackdown on terrorism. Webb opposes a timetable to pull out American forces.
More than 2,500 U.S. troops have died in Iraq, including nearly 80 from Virginia.
In his remarks, Webb referred to a chorus of retired generals -- including several who served in Iraq -- as well as prominent members of Congress who have said that the White House and the Pentagon have mismanaged the war, now in its fourth year.
"Rather than weighing these suggestions fairly as Americans, this administration constantly chooses to play politics, dismissing well-intentioned concern with such trivial phrases as 'cut and run,'" Webb said.
He continued, "We need to bring the Iraq war to an early and honorable end. We need to begin bringing our troops home soon, as the first step toward a complete military pullout from that country.
"We must do this in order to free up our dedicated military people to fight the war we need to win -- the war against international terrorism -- and so that we have the mobility to confront the other strategic challenges, such as the threat of an emerging China."
TimesDispatch
Webb, who is opposing Republican Sen. George Allen, a Bush ally on Iraq, said in the Democratic response to the president's weekly radio address that it is not disloyal to the troops to criticize the war.
"As the occupation of Iraq has continued to drag on, some of our most distinguished retired generals, as well as many members of Congress with strong loyalties to our military, have suggested different approaches for America to remove itself from this quagmire," Webb said.
In selecting Webb to reply to Bush, Democrats are providing Webb a national forum from which he could elevate his candidacy, boost fundraising and transform the Virginia campaign into a referendum on the president and Iraq.
Webb also said, "Some say that speaking out against a war is disloyal to the troops. Whoever says that should consider what it's like to be a troop, wishing someone would speak the truth."
Webb, a Marine combat veteran of Vietnam and a Navy secretary under President Ronald Reagan, has urged withdrawal from Iraq, saying the conflict diverts resources from the crackdown on terrorism. Webb opposes a timetable to pull out American forces.
More than 2,500 U.S. troops have died in Iraq, including nearly 80 from Virginia.
In his remarks, Webb referred to a chorus of retired generals -- including several who served in Iraq -- as well as prominent members of Congress who have said that the White House and the Pentagon have mismanaged the war, now in its fourth year.
"Rather than weighing these suggestions fairly as Americans, this administration constantly chooses to play politics, dismissing well-intentioned concern with such trivial phrases as 'cut and run,'" Webb said.
He continued, "We need to bring the Iraq war to an early and honorable end. We need to begin bringing our troops home soon, as the first step toward a complete military pullout from that country.
"We must do this in order to free up our dedicated military people to fight the war we need to win -- the war against international terrorism -- and so that we have the mobility to confront the other strategic challenges, such as the threat of an emerging China."
TimesDispatch
posted by madtom at 8:04 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home