WP,pg1: Dems angered by troop-cut reports, as they are attacked!

Democrats Cite Report On Troop Cuts in Iraq
Pentagon Plan Like Theirs, Senators Say
By Michael Abramowitz and Thomas E. Ricks
Washington Post Staff Writers
Monday, June 26, 2006; Page A01

Senate Democrats reacted angrily yesterday to a report that the U.S. commander in Iraq had privately presented a plan for significant troop reductions in the same week they came under attack by Republicans for trying to set a timetable for withdrawal.

Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) said that the plan attributed to Gen. George W. Casey resembles the thinking of many Democrats who voted for a nonbinding resolution to begin a troop drawdown in December. That resolution was defeated Thursday on a largely party-line vote in the Senate.

"That means the only people who have fought us and fought us against the timetable, the only ones still saying there shouldn't be a timetable really are the Republicans in the United States Senate and in the Congress," Boxer said on CBS's "Face the Nation." "Now it turns out we're in sync with General Casey."

Sen. Carl M. Levin (Mich.), one of the two sponsors of the nonbinding resolution, which offered no pace or completion date for a withdrawal, said the report is another sign of what he termed one of the "worst-kept secrets in town" -- that the administration intends to pull out troops before the midterm elections in November.

"It shouldn't be a political decision, but it is going to be with this administration," Levin said on "Fox News Sunday." "It's as clear as your face, which is mighty clear, that before this election, this November, there's going to be troop reductions in Iraq, and the president will then claim some kind of progress or victory."...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/25/AR2006062500764.html

instead of being happy that it is happening... they need to change the words to say that even though the bills didn't pass they had great influence on letting the administration know the people aren't happy with what is going on with the war and its time for the people over there to come home. Those repugs still have to face constituents and say I voted to keep your children there.

and how the republicans put their party before the country

Dems should simply applaud Casey's proposed troop reductions. People aren't stupid-- they can see that force reduction is congruent with withdrawal. At the same time, dems should frame troop reductions as a FIRST STEP TOWARD COMPLETE WITHDRAWAL. Let the republicans sputter and whine. All this partisanship is getting in the way of the real task-- ending the war against Iraq.

will pull out some of the troops and claim it's because of some success in iraq. and bfee and the talking heads will say it over and over and over again.

I'm happy to see the Democrats point out the hypocrisy of these thugs in power. It's about damn time they did. IMHO, the Dems have hardly "bitched" enough.

as they put the democrats ideas into the GOP playbook.

Not a lot of original thought on the Republican's part.

George W bush* war are republicans who still support the idiot. Glad to see Democratic party leaders standing up and pointing out the hypocrisy of the repuke bush* lovers. Everything is spin and nothing is substance with these bush* lovers. I'm glad the Democrats are standing up to it.