The President Gets an "F" on Iraq

by: Frank Lautenberg

Wed Feb 07, 2007 at 07:13:12 PM EST

This afternoon on the Senate floor, I commented on President Bush's Iraq policy. I'd like to share some of the remarks with you.

Madam President, we just heard a debate about debates. And it strikes me that this world war that we're conducting here doesn't get to the fact that we are losing people every day in Iraq. 27 Americans died in a weekend, and our friends on the other side want to discuss the rules and the process.
Instead of being able to agree that there was a nonbinding resolution being proposed about whether or not you want to see this surge a la escalation of the war in Iraq, our friends were so conscience-stricken that they wanted to resort to more words and amendments. Why couldn't we just we have just passed or discussed that amendment, nonbinding resolution, and let it go and let the debate then continue, bring on the debate?
But no, this is the press relations battle that was just discussed by our colleague. That's not what we're looking for. We are looking to save lives -- American lives -- but we can't get to the subject because there is a question about what the rules ought to be. The rules ought to be the decency of our consciences here and let us make decision that will save lives and ease the pain on American families.
Madam President, this was an unfortunate dynamic that we saw this week: Republican colleagues determined to block the opportunity for the Senate to vote on the President's war escalation policy for Iraq. Just when the American people want this Congress to stop the President's misguided plan, our colleagues on the other side are hard at work to shut down that opportunity.
What they're afraid of is that we will confirm our support for the troops that are there now and any assertion, any insinuation that that isn't the truth is a foul lie. We are just as anxious to support the troops. We are more anxious in many ways because we call for equipment to be available to protect our troops, we call for the vehicles to be properly armored, we called for the body armor to be developed, but we didn't hear any complaints about the misdeeds of the contractors who weren't doing what they were supposed to. They weren't even monitored. We're going to talk about that.
Our friends in the minority can delay this debate and I hope the American public understands what is going on. Delay the debate. Don't let us come to the conclusion. Don't let the president see that a majority of this Senate does not want this escalation to take place. They'll delay this debate and vote for now, but it's going to happen eventually. It will happen because he American people are understandably frustrated with the President's conduct and mishandling of this war.
Madam President, our children are taught a lesson in school: if you do things wrong and you don't pass your courses, don't change your ways, don't listen to advice, you get an "F" on your report card. In the view of many of the American people -- most of the American people -- President Bush has gotten an "F" on his report card on the handling of the situation in Iraq. But he and the Vice President refuse to be held accountable and his allied in the Senate are blocking us from holding him accountable here. It's not a good lesson for our nation's young people. They see that if they don't do their work, they fail the course, and the President has not done his work, and he ought not to get a positive grade for his job thus far.

Frank Lautenberg :: The President Gets an "F" on Iraq

Tags: Iraq, Frank Lautenberg, George W Bush, (All Tags)

Print Friendly View

Send As Email

The President Gets an "F" on Iraq | 8 comments

You are correct, of course. (4.00 / 1)

Now, please DO something about it, sir. I would like to see some "spine," for a change. Words are cheap. It is "actions" that count!

by: krose @ Thu Feb 08, 2007 at 03:43:56 AM UTC

stop the President's war (4.00 / 1)

Just when the American people want this Congress to stop the President's misguided plan, our colleagues on the other side are hard at work to shut down that opportunity.

You're absolutely right in recognizing that the American people oppose the escalation and in fact want this war brought to an end.

I hope that means that regardless of how you vote on any non-binding legislation, you will support Senator Feingold's Iraq Deployment Act of 2007 which would bring our troops home safely within 6 months.

by: Juan Melli @ Thu Feb 08, 2007 at 04:03:39 AM UTC

Will you take a pledge to vote NO on more spending for '07? (4.00 / 1)

We met with your staffer, Joel Rubin on Jan 29th and did not get a commitment that you would not vote to give Bush the extra $100 billion he is asking for to continue funding escalations and whatever else through September. There is plenty of money already allocated to the DOD to keep the troops in the field and more with plenty of 'wiggle' room according to AEI scholars who study Congress, eg. Norm Ornstein who was here at Eagleton last week.

Please take a pledge to stop funding the war in Iraq, and sign on to whatever legislation the Senate comes up with (Byrd's SR 39?) to stop any 'escalation' to Iran.

by: kwilkinson @ Thu Feb 08, 2007 at 05:29:36 AM UTC

Senator, please: (4.00 / 1)

This is the second dirty, ugly, unnecessary war in my lifetime. Enough. It serves no purpose than to sack the Treasury and enrich cronies. And, apparently, cull the herd. This maladministration seems to be quite focused on culling any herd it can, by any means it can bring to bear.

It must stop. Make. It. Stop.

That, sir, is why Democrats carried the day in November. No other reason comes close.

The nom de plume has a long and distinguished history.

by: Tandalayo Scheisskopf @ Fri Feb 09, 2007 at 05:02:16 AM UTC

Senator Lautenberg: It's Time to Start Playing Hardball (0.00 / 0)

Bush/Cheney are incorrigible.

They will NOT be stopped by "non-binding" resolutions. These men are hell bent of "staying the course".

They are "smart" and aggressive, their tactic of dealing with the November elections by actually asking for MORE troops was/is PERVERSELY brilliant. Lucifer himself couldn't have devised a more clever ruse.

The same old BS is working all over again. If you try to stop Bush/Cheney you are accused of "not supporting the troops". As long as Rove keeps THAT FRAME on the situation you are WEAK; even in the majority.

Can you imagine how Republican would react if the shoe were on the other foot, and a Democratic president were pulling this bullshit!?!

They would be calling him a liar and a traitor at best and an absolutely mentally defective incompetent at worst. Either way, those would be grounds for impeachment.

The Bush/Cheney administration is either criminal or suffers from delusions in that they are overwhelmingly out of touch with the national consensus of reality. Again, either way; they need to be fired.

We can't afford the luxury of allowing these two miscreants remain in office until 2008. We've already lost too many lives, spilt too much blood and pissed away too much money. BORROWED money that y(our) grandchildren will be paying interest on into their adulthood

Senator Lautenberg, ENOUGH is ENOUGH. I beg you to treat his issue as if the very lives of you and of your family and grand children depended on it!

As it is now; the Bush/Cheney policies only promise to CREATE more and more real terrorism for generations to come.

This insanity and stupidity is a feeding frenzy feeding on itself in such a way that our very democracy is in danger of becoming irretrievably compromised.

The only thing that will motivate a real change of course in Iraq is a credible threat of Impeachment and Removal From Office if they don't back off.

Any Republican congresspeople who wish to make their political beds with Bush/Cheney and "go down with the ship" have that option...but I suspect few will take it.

READ THE POLLS SENATOR LAUTENBERG!!!

The PEOPLE of this country see through all the bullshit that Bush has foisted upon us.

You aren't stupid or naive; stop giving Bush/Cheney and respect or credence. THEY DON'T DESERVE IT!!!

What if I'm wrong; what if a move to play real hardball were to fail and the Bush/Cheny invasion/occupation of Iraq were to "successfully" proceed and our all out move to stop it failed???

I say to that unlikely scenario SO WHAT! There are times in life when you MUST do what is right and not what is easiest...and this situation with this insane war and this unethical and deluded administration is one of those times when a "Courageous Profile" is demanded.

by: Nick Lento @ Fri Feb 09, 2007 at 05:55:26 AM UTC

by: you @ soon

To post this comment click here:
Otherwise click cancel.

You must enter a subject for your comment

The problem (0.00 / 0)

in the Senate is Joe Liebermann. He wants war with everyone Israel's Likud Party wants eliminated.
Look for Holy Joe to be thrown out of the Senate Democratic Caucus for calling every Democratic Senator a terrorist sympathizer. With Tim Johnson still hospitalized, that would give the Republicans the majority.
Another possibility is for Cheney to leave office and Bush naming Liebermann as VP, thus allowing Connecticut's Republican governor to name a Republican to replace Holy Joe.
That would be the new, foreskin reattached, Joe Liebermann.
(deliberate misspelling of Liebermann)

Restore democracy and the Constitution for which it stands.

by: The Wizard @ Mon Feb 12, 2007 at 15:15:42 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

by: you @ soon

To post this comment click here:
Otherwise click cancel.

You must enter a subject for your comment

Thank you, Senator (0.00 / 0)

Thank you for your constant and tireless work in trying to hold this administration accountable. Many times you speak out on the floor of the Senate to say the things other Senators are afraid to say. You always vote with our principles in mind.
And, thank you for going to Washington again when we needed you most. I am proud to have you as my Senator.
Please fight hard to make sure this President is held accountable for the epic horror he has created in Iraq. I cannot stand the thought of even one more NJ son or daughter sent into harm's way. Our children have become cannon fodder while this Karl Rove inspired adventure to get Bush re-elected has spawned a hellish civil war.
We need grownups back in the White House. Until then, it will have to be the House and Senate that get our country back on course. It will have to be Senators like you who lead the way.

One Vote. Yours. It really does matter.

by: carolh @ Fri Feb 09, 2007 at 20:52:41 PM UTC

by: you @ soon

To post this comment click here:
Otherwise click cancel.

You must enter a subject for your comment

The President Gets an "F" on Iraq | 8 comments