Speaker Pelosi: There is a deadly circle in Iraq

[bigtree]

Pelosi: NIE Offers a Bleak Assessment for War in Iraq

WASHINGTON, Feb. 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Speaker Nancy Pelosi
released the following statement regarding today's release of a new
National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on Iraq:

"The National Intelligence Estimate on the prospects for Iraq's
stability offers a bleak assessment of the likelihood of a significant
reduction in violence in the next 12 to 18 months. There is a deadly circle
in Iraq: the lack of security makes necessary political accommodations
difficult and the lack of political accommodation fuels sectarian violence.
Last week, when my colleagues and I were in Iraq, we saw firsthand that no
number of U.S. troops is going to change that situation; it can only be
changed by the Iraqis, and it is not clear that they have the willingness
to do it.

"Rather than commit more U.S. troops to a struggle that is the
responsibility of the Iraqis to resolve, our emphasis should be on working
with Iraq's leaders and Iraq's neighbors to produce the kind of political
and diplomatic breakthroughs that offer the best chance to stop the
violence."

http://www.prnewswire.com/usnewswire/


http://journals.democraticunderground.com/bigtree

[bigtree]

1. kick

:kick:

[Luckyduck]

2. IMPEACH! and cut the funding

BEFORE he attacks Iran!!

[mmonk]

3. Shoulda woulda coulda

Do something about it if you mean it. Otherwise, just words and platitudes to the ignored.

[bigtree]

4. I heard on NPR yesterday that she intends to introduce a binding resolution

which would remove at least 50,000 troops by a date certain.

If she manages to produce such a bill, it will then fall to the republicans to either step forward and give the bill a veto-proof majority or let it pass to a certain presidential veto. There's no question that she'd get a Democratic bill through. The trick is to have a bill which is fashioned in such a way as to peel off the few republicans who are sensible enough to openly oppose Bush. It's not a far-fetched possibility that it would get enough defectors to make it through, but binding bills which require a presidential signature are vulnerable to overreach by the majority. Strident approaches drive the willing back into the opposition fold, especially if they manage some substitute which fails yet appeals to them because it satisfies their conservative base.

[mmonk]

5. That's what I'm talking about.

Very good.