Reid Calls Pace, Petraeus “Incompetent”
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid must have shaken his head so hard something is rattling inside that is making him seem stupid!
According to Politico Reid has declared Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Pace, and the leader of the troops in Iraq, General Petraeus, a man he voted to confirm in January, “incompetent”.
Are we seeing a common thread here? Everyone, according to the Democrats is “incompetent”.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid called Marine Gen. Peter Pace, the outgoing chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, “incompetent” during an interview Tuesday with a group of liberal bloggers, a comment that was never reported.
Reid made similar disparaging remarks about Army Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, said several sources familiar with the interview.
This is but the latest example of how Reid, under pressure from liberal activists to do more to stop the war, is going on the attack against President Bush and his military leaders in anticipation of a September showdown to end U.S. involvement in Iraq, according to Democratic senators and aides.
Reid, who was bashed by Republicans for suggesting earlier this year that the Iraq war was “lost,” is lashing out at top commanders while putting the finishing touches on a plan to force a series of votes on Iraq designed exclusively to make Republicans up for reelection in 2008 go on record in favor of continuing an unpopular war.
Reid, the senators and aides said, does not expect any of the Iraq measures to pass but hopes the effort will drive a deep enough wedge between wavering Republicans and Bush that, by September, Republican senators will break with the president and help end the war.[Emphasis mine. Admin.]
Vote and vote and vote again
“We want them to vote and vote and vote again” on Iraq, said a senior Democratic senator, speaking on the condition of anonymity in order to discuss party strategy. “They are going to have to vote on Iraq until they are sick of it.”
The tougher-talking Reid is taking a decidedly harder line on Iraq at a time when anti-war activists are stepping up their criticism of Democratic leaders for not forcing a quick end to the conflict in Iraq.
Besides his comments about Pace and Petraeus, the Nevada Democrat also announced that he wants to hold more votes on ending or scaling back the U.S. military presence in Iraq.
Reid should know all about incompetence since he hasn’t been able to accomplish anything in this Congress except tear the country apart more than it was.
How many days and how many tries did it take him and his partner Nancy Pelosi to pass a supplemental spending bill that would not have withdrawal dates in it, knowing withdrawal dates would bring about a veto? If you said 108 you’d be right.
One bill took 108 days to finally be acceptable! Oh, and he supports our troops. Just not the generals who lead them.
Mr. Reid, if these generals are incompetent, then I have one thing to say to you: Pot meet kettle.
Little wonder his approval rating is somewhere around 19% and the overall approval rating of Congress is lower than the President’s.
Hat Tip: Captains Quarters.
Written by Jeanette
This isn’t anything new. That’s the way the game has always been played.
He may be.I don’t know the man.
As the coach once said, it’s deja vu all over again. Democrat President James K. Polk had the same disdain for Generals Zachary Taylor and Winfield Scott, the two men who led American armies to victory in the Mexican War. Polk never once had a kind word to say about Taylor and Scott, despite their stunning successes and brilliance in the field.
Winfield Scott was arguably the greatest soldier America ever produced. But Polk had nothing but contempt for him because he belonged to the other party.
Veeeery similar to Reid, who holds today’s generals in contempt because they serve a president he hates in a war he doesn’t care for.
All that said Big Mo, Senator Reid spoke these words in a forum which he thought would protect him rather than a the microphone he cherishes.
You are correct that there have been incidents in the past of Presidents showing disdain for military leaders but I do not recall a Senate Majority Leader speaking such words of a man with credentials such as are shown here.
If this is how the leader of the Democrats in Congress shows his support for the troops then I can label it only as deplorable.
And Cal, I have not personally met General Pace either but 40 years of service to this country and rising to his rank tells me a little about not only the competence but the character of the man.
Tell me, what has Senator Reid done for this country lately?
While I felt Senator Frist was not the best majority leader the Republicans had ever put forth, I always had a deep respect for the man himself. Today he answers Senator Reid’s comments in his gentlemanly manner.
http://www.volpac.org/index.cfm?FuseAction=Blogs.View&Blog_id=696