They may not be for preemptive war, but they’re all for trashing a war report that hasn’t even been issued by General Petraeus.

Congressional Democrats are trying to undermine U.S. Army Gen. David H. Petraeus’ credibility before he delivers a report on the Iraq war next week, saying the general is a mouthpiece for President Bush and his findings can’t be trusted.

“The Bush report?” Senate Majority Whip Richard J. Durbin said when asked about the upcoming report from Gen. Petraeus, U.S. commander in Iraq.”We know what is going to be in it. It’s clear. I think the president’s trip over to Iraq makes it very obvious,” the Illinois Democrat said. “I expect the Bush report to say, ‘The surge is working. Let’s have more of the same.’ “The top Democrats — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California — also referred to the general’s briefing as the “Bush report.”

Rep. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said Gen. Petraeus’ report was potentially compromised by the White House’s involvement in drafting it.

I know you Democrats have yet to accept it, but Bush is the Commander-In-Chief of the United States Armed Forces. Of course he’ll have a hand in drafting a war report.

Republicans bristled at the pre-emptive strike against the report.

“Are these leaders asking the American people to believe that the testimony of a commanding four-star general in the U.S. Army should be discarded before it’s even delivered?” said Brian Kennedy, spokesman for House Minority Leader John A. Boehner, Ohio Republican.

Yes. They don’t want to hear good news. They’re not hoping that Patraeus comes back saying “Our troops are really making progress, and we’re finally getting somewhere”. Our starting to really win the war would impede their efforts to pick up more Senate seats.

“We will see what the Bush report will be at the end of next week,” Mrs. Pelosi said. “The facts are self-evident that the progress is not being made. They might want to find one or two places where there has been progress … but the plural of anecdote is not data.”

 

She said Democrats were determined to uncover “the ground truth in Iraq.”

Take your pick, Madam Speaker. Congressman Tim Mahoney (D-FL) who’s now more flexible on withdrawal?

The United States’ military surge has succeeded in putting al Qaeda fighters “on their heels” in the battle-torn Anbar province, but other political forces are still working against the reunification of Iraq, according to U.S. Rep. Tim Mahoney.

Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY)?

“It’s working. We’re just years too late in changing our tactics,” she said. “We can’t ever let that happen again. We can’t be fighting the last war. We have to keep preparing to fight the new war.”

Congressman Brian Baird (D-Wash)?

Baird said he would not say this if he didn’t believe two things:
• “One, I think we’re making real progress.”

• “Secondly, I think the consequences of pulling back precipitously would be potentially catastrophic for the Iraqi people themselves, to whom we have a tremendous responsibility … and in the long run chaotic for the region as a whole and for our own security.”

Senator Dick Durbin (D-ILL) himself who said:

There were two important parts of this story, the military type as Senator Casey said the men and women were doing their best and making real progress. We found that today as we went to a forward base.

Senator Bob Casey (D-Penn)?

ROBERTS: I understand all of that. Everybody in the Democratic Party is saying the surge has failed. Senator Casey, do you agree with your colleague there are some signs of military progress here?

SEN. CASEY: Sure, there are, John. We have said in the beginning, our troops are doing their job.

So, by saying “Democrats were determined to uncover “the ground truth in Iraq.”", she actually means “we’ll be sure to give the microphone to the Democrats who are too blind to see the facts on the ground”.