Today, the Bush Administration released it's interim report on the Iraq escalation, and the report confirmed what many Democrats have known all along: not much is mellow with Mesopotamia. According to the report, Iraq has seen "satisfactory" progress on only 8 of the 18 benchmarks. Faced with these failing grades for the Bush escalation plan and overwhelming support among Garden State voters for a new direction in--or, rather, out of--Iraq, Republican Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) is getting worried:
As the interim report to Congress reflects, the Iraqi government is failing to meet reasonable benchmarks and expectations to govern its own country. I am extremely disturbed and increasingly impatient that the political will of the Iraqi Prime Minister and his government does not match the military will and unwavering dedication of our servicemen and women. If the Iraqi government continues to fail to make measurable progress, our military involvement and any future mission in Iraq must be carefully re-examined.
Today, he has a chance to back his words up with his vote. The House will vote later this afternoon on a bill that will bring most US troops home from Iraq by April 1, 2008.
In fact, today's vote marks a chance for all of the New Jersey Republicans, who have voted with the President on every major Iraq war vote since 2002, to face the reality that most of their constituents already understand: we need to bring our troops home from Iraq, and we need to start now. |
