Sen. Reid: U.S. 'now an occupying force' in Iraq
 The leader of the Democratic majority in the U.S. Senate is describing the American presence in Iraq as "now an occupying force."
Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) held a press conference today shortly after the Senate moved to formally debate the war in Iraq -- specifically a measure calling for President Bush to pull American troops from Iraq by the end of March 2008.
"What we are doing in Iraq is policing an intractable civil war," Reid said sternly to the press, as Sens. John Kerry (D-MA), Joe Biden (D-DE) and others stood beside him.
"We believe that this is wrong, we Democrats believe that," said Reid. "We believe the President should be held accountable," he continued, "for a new direction in Iraq." He panned the Republican plan for Iraq as being just a blank sheet piece of paper.
"We are now an occupying force," Reid said grimly. "The United States an 'occupying force,' it's hard for me to say those words."
Additional remarks by Reid at the press conference follow the video below.
Additional remarks from Sen. Reid's press conference...
#
Last November, the American people demanded a new direction at home and abroad. That is what today’s debate is about. Democrats have been pushing for this debate for months because we understand this is the most important issue facing the country.
President Bush has signaled that his plan for Iraq is to commit our men and women to policing an open ended civil war.
Democrats disagree and are unified behind holding the President accountable for a new direction in Iraq.
And Senate Republicans? To this date they have offered no plan other than to endorse the President's flawed policies.
America cannot stay in Iraq forever. Iraqis must begin to take responsibility for their own future. We know there is no purely military solution in Iraq, and that American troops should not be policing a civil war. That's why Democrats will fight to transition the mission and redeploy our troops.
Senate Republicans – if they vote with the President – are endorsing committing our troops to an open ended civil war. They have isolated themselves, ignoring the will of their constituents and the American people. Protecting the President has been more important to them than working towards ending this conflict.
Senate Republicans have a choice to make: At the end of this debate they will vote to either keep our troops mired in an open-ended civil war or they can vote with the American people in an effort to force President Bush to change course.
#
[Editor's note: An earlier story regarding Senate debate on Iraq incorrectly reported that the Senate would be debating the pullout of most combat troops in 30 days. The pullout would take place at the end of March 2008, not March 2007. RAW STORY regrets the error.]
|
