From those tireless purveyors of defeat at the Associated Press:

Senior Democrat: Iraq strategy failed


By ANNE FLAHERTY, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON - Sen. Carl Levin, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said Wednesday that the U.S. troop buildup in Iraq has failed because it hasn’t achieved its primary goal of sparking political reconciliation among that country’s rival sectarian groups.
His pessimism was shared by senior Republican John Warner, who said the war is still not going as well as hoped. The two senators spoke at the onset of a hearing on the Pentagon’s $588.3 billion budget request for the 2009 budget year, which begins Oct. 1.
Testifying were Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Defense Secretary Robert Gates.
“For years, the Iraqi leaders have failed to seize the opportunity our brave troops gave them,” Levin said.
“It is long past time that the Iraqi leaders hear a clear simple message: We can’t save them from themselves. It’s in their hands, not ours, to create a nation by making the political compromises needed to end the conflict,” he added.Levin said that message is “not the language of surrender” but “common sense pragmatism.” …

It’s only a question of time before Hillary or Obama hand the terrorists their easily won victory.All in the name of “common sense pragmatism.”
</img>
</img> </img> </img> </img> </img>


(Source Link)