Earl Blumenauer: “it is sad that the greatest deliberative body of the world's democracies cannot provide an opportunity to give voice to…”

“it is sad that the greatest deliberative body of the world's democracies cannot provide an opportunity to give voice to the concerns that are shared by Americans. Instead, we are given a White House press release against terror and for staying the course. That is not a plan. It is a bumper sticker. Our troops won the war against Saddam Hussein over a thousand days ago, and they have been paying the price ever since their victory because they were not properly managed, staffed, trained, or equipped. Of course, nobody is in favor of an arbitrary cutoff. On my Web site I detailed an approach that I think ought to be taken to focus our priorities and stop short-changing, for instance, our battle in Afghanistan, slowly spinning outside of control. But it is sad that the Republicans can only think of two choices: stay the course, cut and run. If the White House and the Republican leadership believed in democracy in America as much as they say they do in Iraq, we would be debating the resolution of Mr. Murtha's, for example, here. Americans could see their hopes and their concerns not just debated but acted upon. But, sadly, it is going to take another day and different leadership to give Americans that type of democracy here in Congress. And in the meantime every day our troops will continue to pay the price in Iraq as American prestige is assaulted around the world. It is sad and it is unnecessary, but it is the hand that we have been dealt.”