Colin Powell on Iraq: Staying the course isn't enough

President Bush, Joe Lieberman and the war hawks who stubbornly refuse the accept the reality of the situation in Iraq.

With over thousands of dead American and hundreds of billions of dollars, the United States is stuck in the middle of a bloody civil which seems to have no end in sight. Yet, people like Joe Lieberman continue to cheerlead a president who is leading the country in a wrong direction.

Now, even the former Secretary of the State Colin Powell sees the writing on the wall and says the obvious.

The United States and allies can not resolve the current sectarian violence in Iraq, former Secretary of State Colin Powell said today during a lecture in Minneapolis.

"Only the Iraqi people can resolve this," Powell said.

[...]

In Iraq, "staying the course isn't good enough because a course has to have an end," Powell said.

Wow, Powell sounds like someone I know and he issued this statement.

"Secretary Powell is the latest expert to say that it is time for a change, and Connecticut deserves a straight answer from Senator Lieberman about why he continues to ignore these experts by pushing a failed 'stay the course' strategy," said Lamont. "Last week, our intelligence agencies said 'stay the course' is endangering our security. Early this week, Bob Woodward reported that the administration has misled the American people about the reality on the ground in Iraq. Now, a distinguished military and diplomatic leader like Colin Powell is saying stay the course is a failed policy. When will Joe Lieberman finally face reality?"

Immediately after the Democratic Senate primary, Lieberman aired a campaign ad claiming "I want to help end the war in Iraq." But he has voted against every major legislative effort to pressure the Bush administration to develop an exit strategy. A month after making his pledge to "help end the war in Iraq," Lieberman gave a speech declaring his support for the President's "stay the course" policy. Lamont, by contrast, has said he supports efforts to redeploy American troops and force the Iraqi leadership to begin assuming responsibility for the country's security.

"How much more does America's national security have to be compromised before Senator Lieberman stops being an apologist for the Bush administration?" Lamont said. "We now have one of the Bush administration's own national security icons saying it is time for a change. Connecticut deserves a senator who actually listens to our military and intelligence officials - not one who is so reliant on the Bush White House that he refuses to start pushing for a change in a war that is harming our country's security."

Lieberman has skipped half of all U.S. Senate votes on Iraq - and cast the deciding vote against legislation to force the Bush administration to report to Congress on efforts to stabilize Iraq. Lieberman last week pledged to "get tough" with the Iraqi leadership, and then the next day the Hartford Courant reported he "had a pleasant conversation" with the Iraqi president - a conversation where he did not demand the Iraqis take responsibility for their security.

Had enough? Then help spread the word about Ned Lamont and lets vote for a change.