Not All The Dems Are Spineless

And neither is our Pinko Commie Bastard Senator:

Vermont's congressional delegation rejected Gen. David Petraeus' assertion Monday that the U.S. military surge in Iraq has been successful.

Petraeus, the U.S. commander in Iraq, told key House panels that the surge has reduced violence in Iraq and withdrawing troops could lead to chaos. He recommended troops not be reduced to pre-surge levels until next summer so Iraqi leaders will have more time to create a stable government.

"The conclusion I reached as a listener is that Gen. Petraeus came in on behalf of the administration requesting a sixth and seventh year of the war," Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., said in an interview. "But the fundamental question that Congress and the American people have to ask is whether a military approach to refereeing a civil war is wise and effective. There has never been a situation where a third party successfully refereed a civil war."

Welch said the federal government should begin withdrawing U.S. troops immediately.

"What we have is a failed strategy from the White House that has to be changed," the congressman said.

Petraeus and Ryan Crocker, the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, will testify before the Senate today.

Sens. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., made it clear they will not change their fierce opposition to the war.

"I will continue to demand a timetable for the withdrawal of our troops, a withdrawal which should be completed within the next year," Sanders said. "Although we must continue to support the Iraqi government and their military so that they can defend themselves, the time to begin bringing home our American troops is now."

Leahy said the costly war has diverted resources away from the fight against terrorism.

"Six years ago, our troops had cornered Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan," Leahy said. "Then the Bush administration diverted our military resources to Iraq, and he slipped away. He remains on the loose today, and terrorism has increased worldwide. Meanwhile, the war in Iraq has lasted longer than World War II, squandering hundreds of billions of U.S. tax dollars. The president wants to keep the pedal to the floor in this war, dumping the Iraq mess onto the next president's doorstep."

Now if only I could convince Peter to impeach the lying architects of the war he's against.

ntodd