Politico reports that both House Republican Leader John Boehner and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell will have comments on President Obama’s speech today, pointing out the success of the surge, our troops, and General David Petreaus, and noting how many Democrats opposed this plan. “‘Some leaders who opposed, criticized, and fought tooth-and-nail to stop the surge strategy now proudly claim credit for the results,’ Boehner says in remarks prepared for delivery to the American Legion’s 92nd national convention, in Milwaukee. ‘[T]oday we mark not the defeat those voices anticipated – but progress.’ . . . “McConnell underscores the contribution of President George W. Bush's troop ‘surge’ in Iraq: ‘By adopting the Bush administration's plan for winding down the war and transitioning security responsibilities to the Iraqi military over time, the president has enabled us and the Iraqis to build on the gains our troops have made. … Thankfully, we can say today that our troops, the surge, and the Petraeus plan all succeeded where many in Washington thought they would fail.’”
Indeed, Democrats continually branded the surge a “failure.” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) famously declared, “[T]his war is lost and … the surge is not accomplishing anything.” Then-Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) said, “It has failed.” Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) said, “President Bush promised us his troop surge was going to improve security and allow Iraqis to stabilize their own country, but that is not working.” Then-Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) vented, “This whole notion that the surge is working is fantasy.” And a year after the surge was announced, then-Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) said, “ Tonight we heard President Bush ay that the surge in Iraq is working, when we know that's just not true.”
Many Democrats even attempted to stop the surge before it could get underway. Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) announced early on, “The surge has to be stopped. It is a reckless, almost mindless approach to a desperately difficult situation.” And he proceeded to introduce multiple bills and amendments that would have cut off funding for troops in the field.
In fact, beginning in 2007, Congressional Democrats forced more than 40 votes to either require troops to withdraw, to micromanage forces instead of letting the generals adapt to conditions on the ground, or to outright condemn the surge strategy.
Where would our troops, where would Iraqis, and where would the United States be today if we had listened to the democrats In 2007?
SEN. RUSS FEINGOLD (D-WI): “And What The Feingold-Reid Amendment Was -- Started With Was A Proposal To Use The Power Of The Purse To Try To Use Congress' Power To Bring This Mistake To An End.” (Sen. Feingold, Press Conference, 5/16/07)
S.AMDT. 1098 KEY PROVISION:/b> “PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS. -- No funds appropriated or otherwise made available under any provision of law may be obligated or expended to continue the deployment in Iraq of members of the United States Armed Forces after March 31, 2008.” (S.Amdt.1098, Roll Call Vote #167, Cloture Motion Rejected 29-67; R 0-48; D 28-19; I 1-1, Obama & Biden Voted Yea, 5/16/07)
S.AMDT.2924 KEY PROVISION: “Use of Funds.-- No funds appropriated or otherwise made available under any provision of law may be obligated or expended to continue the deployment in Iraq of members of the United States Armed Forces after June 30, 2008.” (S.Amdt.2924, Roll Call Vote #345, Cloture Motion Rejected 28-70; R 0-49; D 27-20; I 1-1, Obama Voted Yea, 9/20/07)
S.AMDT.3164 KEY PROVISION: “Use of Funds.— No funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be obligated or expended to continue the deployment in Iraq of members of the United States Armed Forces after June 30, 2008.” (S.Amdt.3164, Roll Call Vote #362, Cloture Motion Rejected 28-68; R 0-46, D 27-21, I 1-1, Biden Voted Yea, 10/03/07)
S.AMDT.3875 KEY PROVISION: “Use of Funds. - No funds appropriated or otherwise made available under any provision of law may be obligated or expended to continue the deployment in Iraq of members of the United States Armed Forces after the date that is nine months after the date of the enactment of this Act.”(S.Amdt.3875, Roll Call Vote #437, Amendment Rejected 24-71; R 0-49; D 24-21; I 1-1, 12/18/07)
S.AMDT.2924 KEY PROVISION: “Use of Funds.-- No funds appropriated or otherwise made available under any provision of law may be obligated or expended to continue the deployment in Iraq of members of the United States Armed Forces after June 30, 2008.” (S.Amdt.2924, Roll Call Vote #345, Cloture Motion Rejected 28-70; R 0-49; D 27-20; I 1-1, Obama Voted Yea, 9/20/07)
S.AMDT.3164 KEY PROVISION: “Use of Funds.— No funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be obligated or expended to continue the deployment in Iraq of members of the United States Armed Forces after June 30, 2008.” (S.Amdt.3164, Roll Call Vote #362, Cloture Motion Rejected 28-68; R 0-46, D 27-21, I 1-1, Biden Voted Yea, 10/03/07)
S.AMDT.3875 KEY PROVISION: “Use of Funds. - No funds appropriated or otherwise made available under any provision of law may be obligated or expended to continue the deployment in Iraq of members of the United States Armed Forces after the date that is nine months after the date of the enactment of this Act.”(S.Amdt.3875, Roll Call Vote #437, Amendment Rejected 24-71; R 0-49; D 24-21; I 1-1, 12/18/07)
“By adopting the Bush administration's plan for winding down the war and transitioning security responsibilities to the Iraqi military over time the President has enabled us and the Iraqis to build on the gains our troops have made.”
“As some of you may know, the President tonight is expected to declare the end of U.S. combat operations in Iraq. As the Senator from a state that has carried a very heavy burden in this war, I think we can all say this is very welcome news. This is a time to be grateful for the incredible sacrifices the men and women in the armed forces have made, are making, and will continue to make on our behalf in the struggle against terrorism.
“But I think we should also be thankful that another President had the determination and the will to carry out the plan that made tonight's announcement possible. You might recall that the surge wasn't very popular when it was announced. You might also recall that one of its biggest critics was the current President. One of his colleagues said the war was already a lost cause, implying, of course, that any further efforts on the part of our troops would be in vain.
“So it makes it easier to talk about fulfilling a campaign promise to wind down our operations in Iraq when the previous administration signs the security agreement with Iraq to end our overall presence there.
“It sure makes things easier when you reject your own campaign rhetoric about how the surge—the Petraeus plan—shouldn’t happen and wouldn’t work.
“It makes things easier when you reject the left-wing calls for defunding our troops in the field and instead continue the policies put in place by the previous administration and keep the same Secretary of Defense and until recently Gen. Petraeus to help guide our efforts there.
“By adopting the Bush administration's plan for winding down the war and transitioning security responsibilities to the Iraqi military over time the President has enabled us and the Iraqis to build on the gains our troops have made.
“This bilateral relationship must also be managed realistically, and based on conditions on the ground as we move forward. Much hard work remains in Iraq. And this President could very well find himself negotiating a new security agreement next year.
“But thankfully we can say today that our troops, the Surge, and the Petraeus Plan all succeeded where many in Washington thought they would fail.”
Tags: Iraq War, remembering, Democrat opposition, Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Republican support, military troops, funding, John Bohner, Mitch McConnell To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
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