Vice President Cheney today on Iraq redeployment: “I think if we were to do what Speaker Pelosi and Congressman Murtha are suggesting, all we’ll do is validate the al Qaeda strategy.” Pelosi responds: “Vice President Cheney continues to question the patriotism of those of us in Congress who challenge the Bush Administration’s misguided policies in Iraq, but his latest attack is beneath the office of the Vice President, especially at a time of war.”

UPDATE: “House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday phoned President Bush to air her complaints over Vice President Dick Cheney’s comments. … ‘You cannot say as the president of the United States, “I welcome disagreement in a time of war,” and then have the vice president of the United States go out of the country and mischaracterize a position of the speaker of the House and in a manner that says that person in that position of authority is acting against the national security of our country,’ the speaker said.”

When Britain and Denmark withdraw their troops from the U.S.-led coalition, just 22 nations will continue to have a presence in Iraq. Forty-nine nations originally made up the coalition.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from dangerous consumer products. Currently, the three-person commission has a vacancy. Media reports indicate that President Bush will likely fill the position with Michael Baroody, “executive vice president of the National Association of Manufacturers, a trade group that opposes aggressive product safety regulation” and “has called for weakening the Consumer Product Safety Commission.”

While at NAM, Baroody repeatedly lobbied for looser business regulations, at the expense of public safety:

– Asbestos Regulations: NAM opposes tougher rules regulating asbestos and in 2003, teamed up with the asbestos industry and spent $180,000 opposing asbestos reform legislation.

– Highway Safety: In 2000, NAM successfully killed a bill in the Senate that would have helped reduce safety risks to motorists by requiring tire manufacturers to report accident data and potential defects to the National Highway and Transportation Safety Board.

– Global Warming: NAM’s official position states that scientific data have “not confirmed evidence of global warming that can be attributed to human activities” and calls for “voluntary” measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It “opposes any federal or state government actions regarding climate change that could adversely affect the international competitiveness of the U.S. marketplace economy.” In 2001, Baroody wrote to Bush and personally thanked him for rejecting the Kyoto Protocol.

– Occupational Hazards: In 2001, NAM opposed the reduction of occupational hazards by attempting to kill the Occupational Health and Safety Administration’s ergonomics standard. In an attempt to mitigate the “unwarranted litigation” that NAM argued would result from the standard’s implementation, NAM filed suit in federal court.

Bush has repeatedly attempted to weaken regulations that protect the American public. He nominated Susan Dudley, who was formerly director of regulatory studies at the industry-backed Mercatus Center, to head the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, which holds sway over federal regulatory agencies like the EPA. More recently, Bush issued a directive that would give the White House greater control over federal regulations.

This morning, ABC reported that Vice President Cheney views the British phased withdrawal from Iraq as a “sign of progress.” Cheney said, “Well, I look at it and see it is actually an affirmation that there are parts of Iraq where things are going pretty well.”

Contradicting Cheney’s line, Sen. John McCain said today that he believes the British pullout is a negative development. “Do I think it was a good thing?” asked McCain. “No, I wish they would stay longer.” Via CNN Pipeline:

Also at the press conference, McCain responded to Cheney’s suggestion that he “apologize to Rumsfeld” for calling him the “one of the worst secretaries of defense in history.” McCain told reporters, “I stand by my comment about Secretary Rumsfeld.”

Transcript: Read more

The Pentagon believes that small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades brought down a Black Hawk today north of Baghdad, CNN reports. It is the eighth U.S. helicopter to have crashed or been forced down by hostile fire since January 20. Watch CNN’s report:

The AP has more.

Vice President Cheney says the UK’s withdrawal plans are “a sign of progress in Iraq.” Juan Cole responds:

This is a rout, there should be no mistake. The fractious Shiite militias and tribes of Iraq’s South have made it impossible for the British to stay. They already left Sadr-controlled Maysan province, as well as sleepy Muthanna. They moved the British consulate to the airport because they couldn’t protect it in Basra. They are taking mortar and rocket fire at their bases every night. Raiding militia HQs has not resulted in any permanent change in the situation. …

Blair is not leaving Basra because the British mission has been accomplished. He is leaving because he has concluded that it cannot be, and that if he tries any further it will completely sink the Labor Party, perhaps for decades to come.