Kirk Watson: “this week we learned that the Army refused to release a report it commissioned from the RAND Corporation on the mistakes…”

“this week we learned that the Army refused to release a report it commissioned from the RAND Corporation on the mistakes made in the planning and the implementation of the Iraq war. We all know that mistakes were made. However, it's important that the Bush administration hear from independent voices exactly why the war in Iraq did not go as the administration planned. The RAND report, uncovered by the New York Times earlier this week, chided both President Bush and then-National Security Adviser, Condoleezza Rice, for not resolving differences between the State Department and the Pentagon. It also highlighted the administration's failure to develop a single national plan that integrated 'humanitarian assistance, reconstruction governance, infrastructure development and postwar security.' Madam Speaker, the Bush administration has a lot of lessons to learn but refuses to listen to any independent critiques. I would hope the administration would take this report seriously and would also conclude that the status quo in Iraq cannot continue. It's time that we bring our troops home.”