Lynn C. Woolsey: “the administration's war in Iraq has failed. It has failed to make the world safer from terrorism. And, actually, it has…”

“the administration's war in Iraq has failed. It has failed to make the world safer from terrorism. And, actually, it has made the world less safe and more susceptible to acts of terror. Who should be held accountable for this mess? The war is not going well. Over 740 brave American soldiers have already lost their lives as a result of this deadly conflict, not to mention the innocent Iraqi civilians who have been killed and the thousands of troops injured. The Pentagon just released a report that 18,000 American troops have been evacuated from Iraq for medical reasons. That is 18,000, or one-seventh of the number currently stationed in Iraq. This speaks to a systematic failure of leadership, Mr. Speaker. And, sadly, examples of this failure are widespread and easily recalled: the failure to secure Iraq's borders; the failure to prevent postwar looting; and the failure to provide the security necessary for reconstruction. In fact, the recent abuse of POWs at the Abu Ghraib Prison is yet another example of failed leadership by the Bush administration. But one of the most shameful aspects of our involvement in Iraq, our greatest failure of all, I believe, is the failure to adequately provide our soldiers with the equipment, the guidance, and the leadership they need to ensure their survival and their success in Iraq.”