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Skriven 2007-04-20 23:31:04 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (0704207) for Fri, 2007 Apr 20
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Setting The Record Straight: Sen. Reid's Inconsistent And Conflicting
Statements
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For Immediate Release April 20, 2007

Setting The Record Straight: Sen. Reid's Inconsistent And Conflicting
Statements General Petraeus Believes Military Action Is Necessary For
Political Reconciliation To Occur, And More Troops Are Needed To Secure
Baghdad

’’White House News

’’’’’ Setting the Record Straight

"Yesterday, Sen. Reid said the war 'is lost.'’ Today, Sen. Reid has tried
to back off from that egregious comment using smoke and mirrors.’ It's
impossible to figure out where the Democrats stand and there's no telling
what Sen. Reid will say tomorrow."

 White House Deputy Press Secretary Dana Perino, 4/20/07

Sen. Reid's Inconsistent And Conflicting Statements

Today, Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) tried to align himself with Gen. Petraeus:
"General Petraeus, the commander on the ground, has said so himself.
’Twenty percent [of the war in Iraq] can be won militarily and 80 percent
has to be won through our diplomatic efforts, politics, and economics. ’I
repeat: the only way to succeed lies through a comprehensive political,
diplomatic and economic strategy. ’So says the commander on the ground
there, General Petraeus."’(Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV), Remarks, 4/20/07)
  ž Gen. Petraeus told the Senate that securing Iraq is "necessary" for a
    political solution to occur.’"It is, however, exceedingly difficult for
    the Iraqi government to come to grips with the toughest issues it must
    resolve while survival is the primary concern of so many in Iraq's
    capital.’ For this reason, military action to improve security, while
    not wholly sufficient to solve Iraq's problems, is certainly necessary.
    And that is why additional U.S. and Iraqi forces are moving to
    Baghdad." (Armed Services Committee, U.S. Senate, Hearing, 1/23/07)
  ž Gen. Petraeus also said additional troops are necessary to get the job
    done.’ SEN. MCCAIN: "Suppose we send you over to your new job, General,
    only we tell you that you can't have any additional troops. Can you get
    your job done?"’ GEN. PETRAEUS: "No, sir."’ (Armed Services Committee,
    U.S. Senate, Hearing, 1/23/07)

Today, Sen. Reid claimed the President said this afternoon that "victory is
imminent."’(Sen. Harry Reid, Remarks, 4/20/07)
  ž President Bush actually said: "General Petraeus has been carrying out
    this new strategy for just over two months. He reports that it will be
    later this year before we can judge the potential of success. _ Since
    the security operation began, we have seen some of the highest casualty
    levels of the war. And as the number of troops in Baghdad grows and
    operations move into even more dangerous neighborhoods, we can expect
    the pattern to continue. We must also expect the terrorists and
    insurgents to continue mounting terrible attacks."’(President George W.
    Bush, Remarks, Grand Rapids, MI, 4/20/07)

Today, Sen. Reid claimed "no one wants us to succeed in Iraq more than
Democrats."’(Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV), Remarks, 4/20/07)
  ž Yesterday, Sen. Reid said the war "is lost."’(Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV),
    Remarks, 4/19/07)

Today, Sen. Reid claimed the President this afternoon "attacked those of us
with the courage to ask the tough questions."’(Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV),
Remarks, 4/20/07)
  ž President Bush actually said: "It's also very important in this debate
    to understand that even though we have our policy differences _ we
    don't think either of us are not patriotic citizens. _ So when you hear
    the debate, in my perspective it's because of  I just disagree with
    the notion that when we have troops in harm's way that there ought to
    be a _ kind of political process with strings attached to a piece of
    legislation that goes to fund our troops. As I say, there's ample time
    to discuss right or wrong. I don't believe there's ample time to delay
    funding for men and women who have volunteered."’ (President George W.
    Bush, Remarks, Grand Rapids, MI, 4/20/07)

President Bush Consistently Emphasizes The Importance Of Political
Reconciliation

Today, President Bush said: "We fully recognize that there has to be
political progress and economic progress, along with military progress, in
order for that government to succeed." (President George W. Bush, Remarks,
Grand Rapids, MI, 4/20/07)

Yesterday, President Bush said: "I told _ Prime Minister Maliki this week
on a secure video: You have an obligation to your people, and to our
people, for that matter, to do the hard work necessary, to show people that
you're capable of getting your government to move forward with political
reconciliation."’ (President George W. Bush, Remarks, Tipp City, OH,
4/19/07)

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