Editorial Boards Across the Country On Iraq
Rocky Mountain News: Bush’s Farwell Tantrum
By Paul Campos
May 1, 2007
“Whatever one thought of the original decision to invade Iraq, the political question the nation now faces could not be clearer: Should we ask our troops to continue to fight this war, and our children to pay for it through future tax increases…
“The American people have already answered that question, and their answer is ‘No.’… Every opinion poll shows that, by large majorities, Americans support the efforts of Democrats to force President Bush to begin withdrawing our troops…
“In the end, President Bush's failure to heed the will of the people isn't so much an act of principle, but rather an outburst of sheer peevishness. With Democrats in control of Congress, he's no longer getting a blank check to fund his military adventures.”
The Miami Herald: Congress Declares Vote of No Confidence
May 1, 2007
“By sending President Bush an Iraq spending bill with a timetable for withdrawal, Congress has declared itself unequivocally against the war even though the nation's troops are still on the battlefield. This is an unmistakable, and we believe deserved, vote of no confidence in the way the administration has managed the war…
“Congress is responding to the popular will and, more important, fulfilling a constitutional duty.”
The Journal Gazette: Bush, Congress Must Work Together on Iraq
By Lee H. Hamilton
April 30, 2007
“Yet the founders of our nation never envisioned an unfettered president making unilateral decisions about American lives and military power. They did indeed make the president the commander in chief, but they gave to Congress the responsibility for declaring war, for making rules governing our land and naval forces, for overseeing policy, and of course the ability to fund war or to cease funding it. In other words, they set up a constitutional balance of powers that requires cooperation between both branches of government…
“But Congress can and should serve as an essential resource and participant in policy-making.”
The Wichita Eagle: Iraq Vote Signals New Reality
April 28, 2007
“Top American generals have long said essentially the same thing: The Iraq war will not be won militarily…
“Bush remains the commander in chief. But most Americans believe the president has no clear strategy for success in Iraq. And the last election was a clear mandate for a different direction in Iraq…
“Whatever the merits of the withdrawal timelines, it's clear that a war conducted without the support of the American people has little chance of success.
“Congress' vote is a sign that time is running out for President Bush's Iraq strategy.”
Austin American-Statesman: Bush, Congress Arm-Wrestle on Backs of American Troops
April 28, 2007
“It's hard to accept that American troops - whose rotations in Iraq have just been increased by three months, to 15-month tours - must remain in mortal danger in Iraq indefinitely if the Iraqi government feels free to the leave the Baghdad heat for two months of vacation…
“Some Republicans in Congress, while opposed to withdrawal dates, agree that the Iraqi government should be given certain benchmarks to meet or else risk U.S. withdrawal. So, Democrats appear to have some negotiating leverage with the White House even after this promised veto…
“Bush's biggest problem right now may be that the American people know, at gut level, that it's wrong to keep putting all that burden on the troops and their families while at home we debate the merits of the performers on "American Idol" and celebrate the Dow Jones stock index hitting the 13,000 mark. The president can veto withdrawal deadlines for now, but there will be no veto of this deadline: November 2008.”
Portland Press Herald: Blunders Leave Troops With No Hope of Success - The Press Herald/Telegram Withdraws Its Support for Military Operations in Iraq
April 29, 2007
“But in supporting this war, we made a tremendous error. We believed the president and his team possessed the skills and judgment needed to make the mission a success. We were wrong.
“The president has so botched the job in Iraq that it has become clear to all but the most stubborn observers that a military victory there is unlikely. Even if one believes the United States has the resources to turn things around, the president's performance has been so poor that he has lost the confidence of the American people. As such, it will be impossible for him to rally the support necessary for a costly and sustained military effort in Iraq…
“The very real concern expressed on these pages days ago that a withdrawal could lead to Iraq becoming a haven for terrorists remains. If that happens, American lives will be put at greater risk at home.
“But staying in Iraq to contend with that risk assumes there remains a chance to succeed. The obstacles to that success - the largest of which is the president's incompetence - are simply too daunting.
“Instead, it is better to bring our troops home in a phased, but steady withdrawal. This does not mean the war on terror is lost. It means that we must make a strategic retreat and change our approach.”