Appealing To Liberal Base, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) Pushes Another Timetable For Withdrawal; Promises Other Measures To Micromanage The War:
"A Still-Divided House Approved Legislation Thursday To Withdraw Most U.S. Troops From Iraq By April. ... The House Approved The Measure ... 223-201, With 10 Democrats Breaking From Their Leaders ..." (Patrick O'Connor, "House Approves Yet Another Withdrawal Measure," The Politico, 7/12/07)
Pelosi Plans On Bringing "An Array" Of Legislation To The Floor To Micromanage The War. "[Pelosi] promised to bring 'an array of legislation' to the floor challenging the administration's war policy ..." (Patrick O'Connor, "House Approves Yet Another Withdrawal Measure," The Politico, 7/12/07)
- "[P]elosi ... Is Working Hard To Make Sure That The Fiery Liberal Wing Of The Democratic Party Remembers That She Is One Of Them. She Is Also Going Out Of Her Way To Reassure Opponents Of The War That She Is On Their Side." (Jonathan E. Kaplan, "Rep. Pelosi Reminds The Left That She's On Its Side," The Hill, 6/28/07)
- "[W]ith Congress's Approval Rating Plummeting Following Its Passage Of An Iraq War-Spending Bill Without A Troop-Withdrawal Timeline, The Speaker Is Signaling That Democrats Will Be More Forceful In Challenging The President." (Jonathan E. Kaplan, "Rep. Pelosi Reminds The Left That She's On Its Side," The Hill, 6/28/07)
Pelosi Is Substituting Her Own Judgment For The Advice Of Generals On The Ground:
General David Petraeus, The Top Military Commander In Iraq: "[I]f I could only have one at this point in Iraq, it would be more time." (Ralph Peters, "'Lifting The Pall'," New York Post, 7/10/07)
- Gen. Petraeus: "[T]here are no shortcuts. Success in an endeavor like this is the result of steady, unremitting pressure over the long haul. It's a test of wills, demanding patience, determination and stamina from all involved." (Ralph Peters, "'Lifting The Pall'," New York Post, 7/10/07)
"Army Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, Commander Of U.S. Troops In Provinces Just South Of Baghdad, Warned That Any Move To Withdraw The Additional Troops In The Coming Months Would Allow Insurgents To Rebuild Their Capabilities And Plunge The Iraqi Capital Into Even More Violence." (Noam N. Levey, "Republican Discord On Iraq Grows," Los Angeles Times, 7/7/07)
- "'It Would Be A Mess,' Lynch Said, Echoing The Views Of Other Senior Commanders -- Including Army Lt. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, The Day-To-Day Commander Of U.S. Operations, Who Has Estimated That Iraqi Forces Would Not Be Ready To Assume Security In Baghdad Until Spring.'" (Noam N. Levey, "Republican Discord On Iraq Grows," Los Angeles Times, 7/7/07)
Pelosi Has Consistently Been Criticized For Attempting To Micromanage The War:
Los Angeles Times: "It's absurd for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ... to try to micromanage the conflict, and the evolution of Iraqi society, with arbitrary timetables and benchmarks." (Editorial, "Do We Really Need A Gen. Pelosi?," Los Angeles Times, 3/12/07)
The Washington Post: "In short, the Democratic proposal to be taken up this week is an attempt to impose detailed management on a war without regard for the war itself." (Editorial, "The Pelosi Plan For Iraq," The Washington Post, 3/13/07)
