Republican National Committee Release - 04 24 2007 Research

April 25, 2007

GENERAL REVERSAL Politically Expedient Reid Undercuts Experienced Military Commander After Voting For His Confirmation _______________________________________________________________________

On January 26, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) Voted With His Colleagues To Unanimously Confirm Gen. David Petraeus To Be The Top Military Commander In Iraq: Sen. Reid Voted For Gen. Petraeus’ Confirmation. (Petraeus Confirmation, Roll Call Vote #33: Approved 81-0: R 37-0; D 42-0; I 2-0, 1/26/07, Reid Voted Yea)

Now, As Gen. Petraeus Is Set To Brief Congress, Reid Said He Won’t Believe What He Says: CNN’s Dana Bash: “[President Bush] has also said that General Petraeus is going to come to the hill and make it clear to you that there is progress going on in Iraq, that the so-called surge is working. Will you believe him when he says that?” Sen. Reid: “No. I don’t believe him.” (CNN’s “The Situation Room,” 4/23/07) REID VS. PETRAEUS ON TIMETABLES Gen. Petraeus Warned That Timetable For Withdrawal Would Embolden Enemies: Gen. Petraeus: “I'm not sure that hard and fast deadlines are useful in the sense of providing the enemies out here, you know, just a time to which they have to hang tough and then know that we would be gone.” (PBS’ “The News Hour With Jim Lehrer,” 3/4/07) Four Days Later, Reid Introduced Legislation To Establish A Timetable For Withdrawal: “In The Senate, Majority Leader Harry Reid…Sponsored A Joint Resolution…That Would Set A Non-Binding Goal Of Withdrawing Most Troops By March 2008.” (John M. Donnelly and Tim Starks, “Iraq Timetable Gains Momentum,” Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 3/12/07)

REID VS. PETRAEUS ON THE STRATEGY IN IRAQ Gen. Petraeus Has Consistently Urged Lawmakers To Allow The Strategy He Is Implementing Time To Succeed: Gen. Petraeus: “We are, in any event, still in the early days of this endeavor. An endeavor that will take months, not days or weeks, to fully implement, and one that will have to be sustained to achieve its desired effect.” (Gen. David Petraeus, Press Conference, 3/9/07)

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Gen. Petraeus: “We have noted that there's only about 60 percent, still, of the surge forces on the ground … It will be in mid-June or so when all of the forces will be in place and we can see the effects of the real surge and even then it will take some time, we think, before you can actually develop what that capability will provide you.” (Gen. David Petraeus, Press Conference, 4/19/07)

But Sen. Reid Concluded That The Strategy Had Failed Before It Was Even Fully Implemented: Sen. Reid: “The President's policies have failed and his escalation endangers our troops and hurts our national security.” (Sen. Reid, “Reid: America Cannot Afford Bush Strategy Any Longer,” Press Release, 4/3/07)

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Sen. Reid: “It has now been three months, and despite the President's happy talk, no progress has been made. The Paid for by the Republican National Committee. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. 310 First Street SE, Washington, D.C. 20003

time for patience is long past.” (Sen. Reid, Remarks At The Woodrow Wilson Center, Washington, D.C., 4/23/07) REID VS. PETRAEUS ON WAR FUNDING Gen. Petraeus Said That A Lack Of Funding Would Impact His Mission: Gen. Petraeus: “If those resources are not forthcoming, then obviously, it would have an impact on us.” (PBS’ “The News Hour With Jim Lehrer,” 3/4/07)

Sen. Reid Co-Sponsored Legislation To Cut Off All Funding For The Troops: “Harry Reid Announced…That He Would Co-Sponsor The Strongest Antiwar Bill Floating Around The Capitol -- One That Would Cut Off Funding For The Iraq War Within A Year And Set A Hard Deadline For Withdrawing Troops.” (Lois Romano, “Reid Surprises Allies, Opponents Alike With Stance on Antiwar Bill,” The Washington Post, 4/12/07)

REID VS. PETRAEUS ON THE CONSEQUENCES OF WITHDRAWAL During His Confirmation Hearing, Gen. Petraeus Said A Precipitous Withdrawal Would Lead To Ethnic Cleansing, And No Positive Outcomes: Gen. Petraeus: “I think that sectarian groups would obviously begin to stake out their turf, try to expand their turf. They would do that by greatly increased ethnic cleansing … There is the possibility, certainly, of an international terrorist organization truly getting a grip on some substantial piece of Iraq … and a number of other potential outcomes, none of which are positive.” (Gen. Petraeus, Committee On Armed Services, U.S. Senate, Hearing, 1/23/07)

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Sen. John McCain (R-AZ): “And eventually, there’s every likelihood of a scenario of chaos?” Gen. Petraeus: “Absolutely. Yes, sir.” (Gen. Petraeus, Committee On Armed Services, U.S. Senate, Hearing, 1/23/07)

Sen. Reid (D-NV) Laughed Off The Consequences Of Withdrawal From Iraq: Reporter: “If we pull out, will it leave the region in worse shape than it was in?” Reid: “[Laughter]” (Sen. Harry Reid, Press Conference, 4/3/07)

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Click Here To Watch Reid Laugh At Key Iraq Question

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