When Will Bush Listen?

Washington, DC - While President Bush continues to distance himself from the important recommendations of the Baker-Hamilton Commission, both the American people and our military commanders are supporting the work of the bipartisan group. A recent Newsweek poll found that Americans back the study group's "recommendations by a two-to-one margin," and that sixty-two percent of Americans "want the Bush administration to set a timetable for withdrawal." [Newsweek, 12/9/06]

At the same time, the Joint Chiefs of Staff "are recommending that the United States change its main military mission in Iraq from combating insurgents to supporting Iraqi troops and hunting terrorists," according to the Washington Post. Among the Joint Chiefs, there is also "growing concern about the erosion of the U.S. military's ability to deal with other crises around the world because of the heavy commitment in Iraq and the stress on troops and equipment." [Washington Post, 12/14/06] Democrats have argued for some time that the President's disastrous handling of the Iraq War has hurt our military readiness. Regardless of these facts, President Bush refuses to change course and has even delayed his announcement of a "new way forward."