DNC Alerts are paid for and authorized by the Democratic National Committee. This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
Questions and comments should be sent to Alice Germond, DNC Secretary, at AliceGermond@dnc.org.
DNC Alert: Escalating the War in Iraq & 2008 Democratic National Convention
Last week, President Bush announced that he plans to escalate the war in Iraq and send in more than 21,000 additional U.S. troops. Previous troop increases in Iraq have been tried and failed. This escalation is just more of the same failed "stay the course" strategy and not the new direction the American people are looking for.
Meanwhile, House Democrats continued to achieve results on an agenda that the American people overwhelmingly support. The House passed legislation that implements the 9-11 Commission recommendations, increases the minimum wage, and expands stem cell research.
At the DNC, Chairman Howard Dean announced that Denver will host the 2008 Democratic National Convention.
Below are points regarding the President's Iraq speech and a copy of the Chairman's statement about the convention.
Response to President Bush's Iraq Speech:
MAIN POINT: President Bush's troop increase will be more of the same, not the new direction the American people are looking for. Escalating the war in Iraq ignores the lessons of history, ignores military experts, and ignores the will of the American people. Democrats will hold the President accountable for a new direction in Iraq that turns the country over to the Iraqis and allows our troops to come home.
-- The Bush Administration cannot risk the lives of more troops to further a PR campaign. The American people expect - and our troops deserve - a real plan for success in Iraq, not a PR campaign.
-- Increased deployments will push the military to a breaking point. Our Army and National Guard are already stretched thin as a result of the President's failed policies, and our troops have sacrificed enough. The Army chief of staff General Pete Schumacher says, "if the current pace continues, the Army is not capable of waging the global war on terror and meeting all of its other requirements." [NBC News]
-- Military Leaders have rejected President Bush's "plan". Last month the Joint Chiefs of Staff unanimously opposed sending more troops to Iraq. According to the nation's top Army General, the active duty Army "will break" if deployments continue on the current course or are increased. [Washington Post, 12/19/06. Washington Post, 12/15/06.]
-- President Bush's plan offers more of the same and not a new direction. The President:
- Ignores history by increasing troops in Iraq. Just this July, the Bush administration sent in 9,000 more troops to secure Baghdad. Previous surges, such as Summer 2006 and Fall 2005, had no lasting beneficial effects. The situation continues to deteriorate. [Washington Post, 7/26/06. Brookings Institution, 12/21/06.]
- Ignores the bipartisan Baker-Hamilton Commission recommendations including diplomacy. What is needed is an increase in diplomacy - a political solution, not more boots on the ground. After saying for months that his Administration would wait for the committee's suggestions before submitting a new proposal for Iraq, President Bush dismissed their conclusions.
- Ignores the will of the American people. A new ABC News/Washington Post poll that was taken after the speech shows 61 percent of Americans oppose his proposal to increase troops. The latest USA Today/Gallup poll found that Americans oppose the idea of increased troop levels by 61%-36% and only 26 percent approve of Bush's handling of the war.
- Ignores Congress and Democratic Leaders. Despite saying he would consult with Congress to find solutions to the Iraq war, President Bush has ignored the views of both Democratic and Republican members of Congress. President Bush's meeting with Senate Leader Reid and House Speaker Pelosi came only after Bush's plan was established and after his speech was written.
Democrats oppose escalating the war in Iraq and we will continue to be tough on the President. Gone are the days of Congress giving him a blank check to send additional troops and on his handling of the war.
- Democrats in the House are looking into options to exercise their constitutional authority. As we saw during hearings this week, Democrats are serious about conducting real oversight and we will hold the President accountable.
RETURN TO TOPDenver to Host 2008 Democratic National Convention:
DNC Chairman Howard Dean announced that Denver will host the 2008 Democratic National Convention - Monday, August 25 to Thursday, August 28, 2008. Governor Dean issued the following statement:
"I am delighted to announce that the city of Denver will host the 2008 Democratic National Convention. I congratulate Governor Ritter, Mayor Hickenlooper, Senator Salazar and the members of the Denver Host Committee for assembling an outstanding bid that demonstrates the community's commitment to organizing a first-rate national convention that will put our nominee on the path to victory in 2008.
"There is no question that the West is important to the future of the Democratic Party. The recent Democratic gains in the West exemplify the principle that when we show up and ask for people's votes and talk about what we stand for, we can win in any part of the country. Additionally, we have a number of strong Democratic leaders in the West who will be a part of showcasing the vision of Democratic leadership for America as we introduce the next Democratic President in the Rocky Mountains.
"New York is a wonderful city but in the end, it was the strength of Denver's bid that made it the best choice. From the state-of-the-art facilities to the commitment of community leaders to hosting an outstanding event, Mayor Hickenlooper and the host committee made clear that the Denver convention will be a great one. We thank the team for its hard-work during this process and look forward to working with them over the next year and a half to put on the best Democratic convention in history.
"I would like to thank Mayor Bloomberg, the members of the New York Host Committee, and the rest of the team who organized New York City's bid to host the convention. Together, they made this an enormously difficult decision. I know how hard they worked, and appreciate all of their efforts."