Nancy Pelosi: Surge, What Troop Surge? Oh, That Troop Surge … It Failed

Pelosi: “Surge” Has Failed, Really? Petraeus Report Doesn’t Matter

(Vanderbilt – ‘07)

Could Democrats Face Iraq Backlash?

As reports come in suggesting the “surge” is producing some military but not political results, some conservatives are raising the possibility that Democrats will face a backlash from the voters for their staunch opposition to the Iraq war. Those hopes could be bolstered by a report in the Wall Street Journal’s “Washington Wire” column, which notes that by “50%-45%, Americans express confidence the U.S. commander in Iraq,” Gen. David Petraeus, “will provide an objective assessment of situation on the ground. By 36%-13%, public holds positive rather than negative view of Petraeus. Proportion saying the troop ‘surge’ is helping grows to 29% from 24% in April.”

Pelosi: Petraeus Report Doesn’t Matter

Jane Harman, a hawkish…” well, for a Democrat, a hawk, “… California Democrat and chairman of the Homeland Security intelligence subcommittee, ‘The military victories are just episodic.’  Rep. Charlie Wilson, a freshman Democrat from a conservative blue-collar Ohio district, said he ‘would definitely need monumental proof, not just an isolated improvement.’  The remarks echo the opinion of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, California Democrat, who aides say is ‘not willing to concede there are positive things to point to’ in Iraq.”

Others stories:

• Democrats’ defeatism might be defeated by success
• Romney sees hope in Bush’s Iraq strategy
• Romney wants “surge of support” for Iraq troop surge

UPDATE I: Transcript: Secretary of State Rice on ‘FNS’ – August 5, 2007

WALLACE: All of Washington is waiting for the progress report that comes in mid-September from General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker.

From what you’ve seen so far, how is the surge going and does it justify keeping more troops in Iraq into 2008?

RICE: Well, the president will get this report and then we will be able to chart a coherent way forward, but I think that there are many very good elements here.

Clearly, the security situation with American forces working closely with Iraqi forces has improved some.

Clearly, the situation in Anbar, which just a little while ago was considered the epicenter of Al Qaeda’s activities, has really turned, and there we’re working with locals.

Clearly, too, we have a lot of work to do on the political side. But, Chris, I would not underestimate the importance of the continuing work of the leaders of these very powerful parties in Iraq working through the presidency council, with the prime minister, to try to forge a compromise on some of these very essential elements.

So I think there are some very good elements. There are clearly some — there’s a lot more work to do, but we will see what General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker report.

But obviously, the president is looking to chart a way that is coherent, a way that stabilizes Iraq, and a way that exercises our obligations to the region to leave the region more stable with a stable Iraq at its center.

Read the full transcript HERE.

Democrats Upset Over Republican’s Trying to Stop “Earmarks”

 The Democratic leaders over at the House of Representatives, most prominently David Obey and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, are mad at the Republicans for trying to stop earmarks being hidden from the public. Earmarks are pork projects that legislators put into legislation to bring pork home to their constituants.

Here is Brendan Miniter of the Wall Street Journal discussing it.

The Washington Post Spanks Nancy Pelosi

Last week we mentioned how Nancy Pelosi was try playing politics with troop funding and then racing off to meet the enemy the Syrians. We received numerous comments saying how Republicans were on the trip and that we were way ahead of ourselves in criticizing Pelosi.

Well, if that is the case, then the Washington Post must have been infiltrated by Right Wing Zealots and taken over the editorial page. The Speakers disgraceful attempts at shuttle diplomacy are showing the world what a lightweight she is and also how dangerous the Democratic Speaker of the House can be when she tries to participate in international discussions.

With terms such as Pratfall, ludicrous, foolish, Pelosi has shown that she has visions of grandeur way beyond her capabilities. A champaign ego on a beer intellect.

And you know if Jimmy Carter is backing the trip it has to be a complete mess.

Pratfall in Damascus
Nancy Pelosi’s foolish shuttle diplomacy

HOUSE SPEAKER Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) offered an excellent demonstration yesterday of why members of Congress should not attempt to supplant the secretary of state when traveling abroad. After a meeting with Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad in Damascus, Ms. Pelosi announced that she had delivered a message from Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that “Israel was ready to engage in peace talks” with Syria. What’s more, she added, Mr. Assad was ready to “resume the peace process” as well. Having announced this seeming diplomatic breakthrough, Ms. Pelosi suggested that her Kissingerian shuttle diplomacy was just getting started. “We expressed our interest in using our good offices in promoting peace between Israel and Syria,” she said.

Read more

Pelosi Plays Politics With Troop Funding, Then Off To Meet With the Enemy

Nancy Pelosi has to be one of the stupider people to hold office. Thank god most of the media backs her otherwise she would be chased out of her Speaker’s role by the irate mob. But with a liberal media’s backing, her horrible behavior is being shielded and well hidden.

First, she allows billions of dollars to be added to a troop funding bill and sets timetables that are so unrealistic that a veto is guaranteed by the President. Don’t tell me President Bush could pass this, it would be impossible morally or politically. So Pelosi is playing hard core politics with troop funding. I do not like that part, but politics is a rough sport and I can live with it in the short term.

But then to go Syria in the midst of this battle over troop funding has to teeter on the edge of treason. We know that Syria is one of our enemy’s in the Middle East supplying aid and supplies to the enemy. They are not an ally in the region but a hostile combatant. For someone of her political stature to go and have meetings with them will empower an entity actively working against our military.

So in one week Nancy Pelosi has hurt the morale of our fighting men and women and raced off to meet their de facto enemy? Tell me that there isn’t something very wrong with this picture.

Pelosi will not be the first member of Congress in recent months to travel to Syria, but as House speaker she is the most senior.
White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said the speaker “should take a step back and think about the message that it sends.”
“This is a county that is a state sponsor of terror, one that is trying to disrupt the Senora government in Lebanon and one that is allowing foreign fighters to flow into Iraq from its borders,” Perino said.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad “probably really wants people to come, and have a photo opportunity, and have tea with him, and have discussions about where they’re coming from. But we just think it’s a really bad idea,” Perino said.
Pelosi’s office did not immediately return a call seeking comment on why she was not heeding administration warnings. via the AP

Nancy Pelosi the Global Warming Environmentalist … Planes and SUV’s … Size Does Matter

Nancy Pelosi prior to the 2006 mid term elections stated that when Democrats took power in Washington, DC that the status quo would change. The American people would see a difference in how things are done. Yea … right. Madame Speaker Pelosi, when it comes to air planes issued … I guess size does matter. So much for maintaining the status quo and yet worse, increasing expenses for the American tax payer.

The Department of Defence yesterday sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that puts limits on the size of the plane she may use to travel across the country and restricts the guests she can bring, The Washington Times has learned. The letter from the Pentagon yesterday cites specific U.S. Code that government policy does not include the routine use of military aircraft for the speaker of the House.  “Nonstop service is not guaranteed, meaning she’s getting Hastert’s plane and nothing bigger,” the congressional source said, referring to the commuter jet Mr. Hastert began using for security reasons after the September 11 terrorist attacks.  But the administration official said Mrs. Pelosi “wanted to be able to fly between Washington and the West Coast nonstop.” (Washington Times)

Pelosi: I Want an Aircraft That Will Reach California

Is security really the issue? QandO seems to think otherwise. Many of us do. The Blue Crab Boulevard has some suggestions for Pelosi One, take a look … some nice alternatives to chose from.

Read more