Think Progress

Congressman Neil Abercrombie said the president’s nationally televised speech made him “profoundly sad.” Abercrombie said he was disappointed by what he called Bush’s “complete incapacity for recognizing what he has done.” [Source]

“‘The only thing different is there’s going to be 20 percent more troops. The difference it’s going to make is you’re going to have 20 percent more deaths’.” [Source]

“None of the GOP members of Congress from Alabama are directly opposing Bush’s latest strategy to deepen U.S. involvement in the war, and some already have announced their endorsement of it. But that many of them are publicly expressing caution at all is a major development for a state that has reliably supported Bush and the war. ‘I think people are growing weary,’ said Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Haleyville. ‘Quite honestly, there should have been more troops there several months ago. Is it too late now to turn things around?’” [Source]

Sen. Daniel Akaka criticized the Bush plan’s lack of measurable goals or an exit strategy. “This is a war that we should never have gotten into, and I oppose putting more American lives in jeopardy,” he said in a statement. “I am disappointed that the president did not take to heart the Iraq Study Group’s recommendation that called for ‘new and enhanced diplomatic and political efforts in Iraq and the region.’” [Source]

“Rep. Todd Akin, R-Mo., of the House Armed Services Committee, said events in Iraq might now be largely beyond U.S. control. ‘My sense is we may be able to do our part and do it pretty well, but success or failure may not be as contingent on us as on the new Iraqi leadership and on the performance of the (Iraqi) troops that we have trained,’ Akin said. ‘The Iraqis are going to have to stand up and take charge or face the prospect that they will lose a lot of their civilians in a civil war. I’m not sure which choice they are going to make.’” [Source]

“Sending 20,000 more American troops into Iraq to try to stop sectarian violence is not by itself new or a strategy for success.” [Source]

“U.S. Rep. Rodney Alexander, R-Quitman, served on the House Armed Services Committee when the war began in 2003. Listening to military officials, from former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld down, Alexander said, he worried about whether the troop deployment was adequate. ‘I have said all along that we didn’t have enough people over there, but I don’t know if 20,000 is right,’ Alexander said. ‘I’m a pacifist, but if you’re going to slap somebody, give it all your might.’” [Source]

“I am supportive of this new strategy because it contains a much stronger commitment from Iraqis, in terms of their share of force strength and their financial share of the costs of the war, and includes new thresholds for the Iraqis to meet.” [Source]

This apparent decision proves that the President remains deaf to the advice of our military commanders, to the recommendations of the bipartisan Iraq Study Group, to the court of world opinion and to the judgment of the American people at the ballot box in November. In stark contrast to the previous majority, the new Congress will not give the President a ‘blank check’ but will instead appropriately question and challenge the President’s Iraq policy. [Source]

The fate of Iraq is now in the hands of the Iraqi people. The president’s new policy would only increase the dependence of the Iraqis and delay their standing up and fighting for their own country. … It would also push our military, which is already severely strained, to the breaking point. … We should implement a phased withdrawal in the coming months to put the Iraqis on notice that it’s time for them to take over the responsibility for their own security. [Source]

“In an interview the morning after Bush’s Wednesday night speech announcing a troop ’surge,’ Andrews urged the Democrat-controlled Congress to reject the Bush administration’s spending requests for the new wave of deployments. Congress should pay only for the troops now serving in Iraq, he said.” [Source]

The United States “must find a way to get out of Iraq immediately that does not involve jeopardizing the lives of more brave American men and women.” [Source]

“Rep. Joe Baca, D-Rialto, said in a statement he did not see a new strategy in President Bush’s plan, ‘Only more of the same failed policy.’” [Source]

“Early in the week she said she was open to more troops but wanted more information, and she disputed news accounts that indicated she supported the increase. Late in the day Thursday, her spokeswoman, Heidi Frederickson, said, ‘If Michele had to vote on it, it would be yes, to support.’” [Source]

“‘The focus now needs to be on what can be done to prevent the terrorists and extremists from winning. Additional troops can make a real difference, but only if they are allowed to do the job without political interference, especially from the Iraqi government,’ Bachus said. ‘They must be able to clear terrorists and insurgents from every neighborhood in Baghdad, including places like Sadr City, which have become a safe haven for extremists. That was an important part of the President’s speech.’” [Source]

“‘The trouble is, I am not convinced that the steps the President described tonight will really enhance either the safety or the success of our troops and he has still failed to answer key and core questions about his strategy.’” [Source]

“Staying the course isn’t working and accepting defeat is worse, but they are not our only two options. The American people are frustrated with the situation in Iraq and I share that frustration, but I think a lot of it stems from a feeling that we have been sort of fighting with a strategy of one hand tied behind our back and not doing everything in our power to crush our enemies. We have a strategic and moral obligation to try to win this, to give our troops a policy that provides them the manpower, resources, tactics, and rules of engagement, in short, the tools and the opportunity to win. I hope we are up to finishing what we started. I hope the President spells out in detail the kind of new military strategy and political benchmarks that bring us closer to victory, that the American people can have confidence in, and that members of Congress from both parties can debate responsibly and hopefully support.” [Source]

“I strongly oppose the President’s plan to escalate the war in Iraq.” [Source]

“There is no doubt that mistakes were made - let’s learn from those mistakes. Let’s get the right troop levels on the ground, let’s make sure they have specific missions and achievable goals to be victorious in the overall war, and let’s make sure the American people fully understand what is truly at stake, the benchmarks being set and why.” [Source]

“But Barrow ‘would like us to hear what the president has to say before we start dissecting it,’ Lawson said. He said Barrow thinks Bush needs to ‘explain what his goals are and why his plan has a realistic chance of obtaining them.’” [Source]

“Our Republican colleagues from Maryland, Rep. Wayne Gilchrest and Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, have joined a group of Republicans in sending a letter to the president advising against the proposed escalation.” [Source]

“Finally, the President issued his request for an increase in the size of the Army and Marine Corps. I support this increase, which will further the capability to provide for our national security.” [Source]

“I do not support a surge in the number of American troops. Throwing more troops at the problem is not a solution. Escalating the war is not a solution. We must not launch a strategy with that has no benchmarks for success. How long and at what cost will we add troops to the conflict? It’s a mistake.” [Source]

“Sen. Evan Bayh, a Democrat who serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee, has not met with Bush and has said that increasing troops would have made a difference three years ago, but not today. ‘Adding troops now only deals with the violence itself, not the deeper underlying causes of the violence in Iraq,’ said Bayh spokeswoman Meg Keck. ‘So while it might lead to a temporary abatement of violence, it will only postpone the ultimate day of reckoning.’” [Source]

“Mr. Becerra’s response took a harder line. ‘It is time to discuss bringing our troops out of Iraq, not sending more in,’ he said. ‘Democrats believe we can re-deploy our troops responsibly; we can continue to train the Iraqis; and we then can refocus our efforts on counter-terrorism. And we must bring Iraq’s neighbors into the process to stabilize the country.” [Source]

Bush received backing from most of his GOP colleagues in the Utah delegation, who called the president’s strategy sound and were optimistic it would succeed in quelling the insurgency in Iraq. “I was struck by how comprehensive the president’s proposals were and how careful his analysis was,” said Sen. Bob Bennett. [Source]

“Sending 20,000 more U.S. troops into combat will not end terror, achieve victory or ensure Iraqi control. Nor will it prevent Iraq’s continued plunge into a violent civil war.” [Source]

“Faced with the President Bush’s call for a run-up of troops in Iraq, Berman - who was among a bipartisan group of 15 lawmakers invited to discuss strategy with Bush at the White House this week - said he thinks the surge is ‘a mistake.’” [Source]

“Berry said the violence in Iraq is getting worse, and Bush said nothing to demonstrate that his latest strategy will result in success. But Berry said the proposal would create additional strain on military readiness as well as on military personnel and their families.” [Source]

“I will not to support a surge of troops unless it’s tied to some reason for me to believe that they have a political solution.” [Source]

“But we owe it to our troops to give the Iraqis one last chance to show that they are willing to fight for and take responsibility for the future of their own country. We can’t want it more than they do.” [Source]

“The deployment of additional troops is to support Iraq’s new plan for stability. Here you have, for the first time really, the Iraqi government taking ownership of the situation and they are asking for our support.” [Source]

“Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Palm Harbor, said he was struggling with whether to support the president’s plans. He planned to study materials from the White House over the weekend and hoped to consult with military experts next week.” [Source]

”I’m very doubtful that the escalation of troops that the president has announced will achieve the long-term results we all desire. We have been told repeatedly by our military commanders that this is a problem that doesn’t have a military solution. We need to be doing all that is possible that moves the political process forward.” Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M.” [Source]

“Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, called the plan a ‘multi-pronged approach’ with military, diplomatic and political elements that ‘makes sense.’” [Source]

“‘I need to weigh all of the factors,’ said Bishop, a Democrat who represents Georgia’s Second District. ‘There are a lot of very learned military people who feel that to put in an additional 20,000 troops will just add 20,000 additional targets, which is of some concern.’” [Source]

“Make no mistake: President Bush’s announcement of a ’surge’ in U.S. troops in Iraq is an escalation of this misguided war with no apparent end. The President would escalate the war by sending approximately 20,000 more troops into harm’s way in an attempt to pacify some of Iraq’s most violent areas. His plan operates under the assumption that somehow, some way, there is a military path to success. In other words, this is ’stay the course’ writ large.” [Source]

“Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Brentwood, a staunch Bush supporter, said that she would support the increase in troops ‘only if it is requested by commanders in the field.’ She also called on Bush to set specific goals for American troops.” [Source]

“No matter what you call it, another escalation in the war in Iraq is wrong. I will oppose in both word and deed any effort to send more troops.” [Source]

“I support the new steps that the president outlined. It is not the responsibility of Members of Congress to dictate strategy to the Commander-in-Chief, who is ultimately responsible, along with the commanders on the ground, for implementing a winning strategy.” [Source]

“Leaving Iraq to the terrorists would be a direct threat to the safety and security of the American people. I commend the President for recognizing that recent strategies have often failed to meet our expectations.” [Source]

“Bond called escalation a ’significant plan that is a much more promising way forward,’ and said that the option of sending more troops to Iraq ’should be on the table.’” [Source]

Voicing support for the troop increase was U.S. Rep. Jo Bonner, a Mobile Republican who said the United States needs to make at least one last attempt to stabilize Iraq or risk a failure that — in Bush’s words — would be “a disaster.” “We have invested an awful lot — both in terms of the 3,000-plus lives that have been lost as well as the billions of dollars that have been spent — in trying to make this a success,” Bonner said, also on Wednesday afternoon. [Source]

“The remarks delivered by President Bush offer a detailed plan on how to move forward in Iraq; and I hope that the President’s call to increase the number of American troops will produce tangible results.” [Source]

“Rep. John Boozman, the only Republican member from Arkansas, said he was hopeful that the additional 21, 500 troops would stabilize Baghdad. But he was concerned whether the increase would be enough to establish calm in the Iraqi capital.” [Source]

“I am disappointed to see the administration move forward with such a dramatic troop surge despite strong, bipartisan opposition in Congress. Without a clear mission or effective benchmarks, it is too big of a gamble to take with so many American lives.” [Source]

“Boswell says he wants to talk hear from the president this afternoon and then tonight — but Boswell does say he has ’serious doubts’ about sending more troops to Iraq. Boswell, a democrat, says he wants Iraq to stand on its own feet.” [Source]

“The [Virginia] Democrats, U.S. Sen James Webb and Rep. Rick Boucher of Abingdon, said Bush continues to push a strategy that won’t work — their reaction generally mirroring the predominant feeling among their party counterparts.” [Source]

“While I agree with some of the proposals outlined in the President’s plan, I believe it falls short of addressing the necessary conditions that must be met before more troops are sent into Iraq. This proposal is a military solution to an internal, political problem.” [Source]

BLITZER: Can you envisage a case the president that would convince you it would be appropriate to send thousands of additional forces into Iraq?
BOXER: At this point, I cannot. Because I look back to what General Abizaid said. Not one person on the ground said it was a good idea. [Source]

“Rep. Allen Boyd, a Democrat, said he does not support a surge in troops. ‘It’s become obvious that this is not a situation that can be won militarily,’ said Boyd, whose congressional district includes much of the central Florida Panhandle. ‘We’re not making progress by almost any standard of measurement.’” [Source]

“Boyda said she believed there was no evidence that Iraqis would be able to take more of a leadership role under the plan. She also said she would vote against a nonbinding resolution to support the plan and against funding it if the troop surge were presented separately.” [Source]

“If our military leaders need the extra troops in Baghdad then Congress needs to back them.” [Source]

“U.S. Rep. Robert Brady, D-1, who voted against the October 2002 resolution authorizing the use of force in Iraq, said in a statement that he is ‘opposed to the Bush surge.’” [Source]

“Rep. Bruce Braley, a Waterloo Democrat, declined to comment until after the president’s nationally televised speech, but spokesman Jeff Giertz said Braley is ‘opposed to a troop surge.’” [Source]

“I stand in wholehearted opposition to the President’s plan to send an additional 20,000 troops to Iraq.” [Source]

“President Bush’s strategy for Iraq is as important as the number of increased American forces. This plan to increase troop strength comes with the understanding that the Iraqi government must move forward to take charge of their country’s defense. Factions within Iraq must recognize the need to pursue the leadership of the region’s terrorist organization. The people of the region in neighboring countries must buy in to the goal of eliminating terrorism. This is not America’s problem; this is the world’s problem.” [Source]

“‘I’m against an escalation in this war, and sending more troops is an escalation,’ [Sherrod Brown] said.” [Source]

“‘I do not believe that sending more troops to Iraq is the answer,’ Brownback said while traveling in Iraq. ‘Iraq requires a political rather than a military solution.’” [Source]

“Other Republicans, including Reps. Ginny Brown-Waite of Brooksville and Vern Buchanan of Sarasota, said sending more troops to Iraq is a dangerous idea, given the Iraqi government’s inability to provide more political and military stability.” [Source]

“And newly elected Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Longboat Key, whose 369-vote victory is being contested by his Democratic rival, noted just after the president’s speech that the ‘patience of the American public is waning. It is time for the Iraqi government to play a greater role in its own security,’ he said.” [Source]

“Bunning, one of the administration’s strongest supporters, stressed that he had no details about Bush’s new Iraq strategy other than the 20,000-troop surge reported in the media. But based on that, he said, ‘I don’t necessarily believe that more troops are necessary.’” [Source]

“Just as this Congress should never cut funding for troops while they are in the field, we must provide funding for additional troops if that is how we win the war.” [Source]

“N.C. Republican Sen. Richard Burr supports a temporary surge ‘provided those troops are given a clearly defined mission and achievable military objectives that will aid in bringing stability to Baghdad,’ according to spokeswoman Laura Caudell.” [Source]

“[The President] has admitted the mistakes of the past and as commander in chief, he has put forward a new strategy encompassing the lessons learned from those mistakes, which promises a new way forward to a secure Iraq.” [Source]

“This morning U.S. Rep. G.K Butterfield said he’s ‘bitterly opposed’ to any troop escalation in Iraq.” [Source]

“Rep. Steve Buyer, R-Ind., said in a statement that ‘the core principle of the president’s plan is to build a sense of urgency in the Iraqi government to take on a greater role in its own security, which is exactly what I’ve been calling on the administration to do since October.’ But he declined to say whether he specifically supports the troop increase.” [Source]

“‘The escalation of forces into Baghdad has been tried, and with little success. Efforts to rebuild the Iraqi infrastructure and economy have fallen off of the map. The President has unveiled a plan that continues to chase his Iraq fantasy while ignoring the harsh realities that the rest of the world can see plain as day,’ Byrd said.” [Source]

“I support his decision for increased troops in Iraq to reinforce operations to secure Baghdad.” [Source]

“Rep. Dave Camp, R-Midland, said Saturday that the Bush administration’s change in strategy in Iraq is the United States’ ‘last chance at success.’” [Source]

“Campbell, a Republican who represents Newport Beach, has supported the president’s stance on Iraq in the past, but he admitted reluctance to send more troops in a phone interview Wednesday.” [Source]

“‘I commend the president’s openness to new and different approaches as well” as his resolve to defeat the ruthless and immoral enemies of our way of life,’ Cannon said. [Source]

“Even as the nation waited to hear the president’s new Iraq strategy Wednesday, Culpeper’s congressman Eric Cantor - unlike some of his Republican counterparts in the House - came out in support of George W. Bush and his plan to deploy more U.S. troops to the region.” [Source]

“The president’s statement tonight hangs our Iraq policy moving forward on 20,000 troops to stabilize Baghdad. Our strategy must be to significantly change the course by holding Iraqis to sooner timetables on taking security control, passing an oil law, and making the other political compromises necessary to ease disagreements among Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds.” [Source]

“‘Adjustments in Iraq are obviously needed, and I welcome the president’s efforts to bring about these badly needed changes. However, I have grave concerns regarding the call for increased American troop numbers in Iraq and am skeptical of this new plan’s success. I believe the escalating sectarian violence in Iraq requires a political solution, not a military solution rooted in increased numbers of American troops.’” [Source]

“I am opposed to the President’s proposal to escalate the war in Iraq.” [Source]

“‘It borders on the criminal,’ said Congressman Mike Capuano of the so-called ’surge’ (Read: escalation) plan yesterday.” [Source]

“Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) today reasserted his strong opposition to President Bush’s plan to escalate the number of American troops in Iraq.” [Source]

“I have serious reservations about the President’s proposed escalation in Iraq.” [Source]

“The President has spoken, but so has the public. Americans want a more clearly defined mission, more distinct measures of success, and a real commitment to our troops.” [Source]

“President Bush’s plan to increase troops is a mistake. This will not reduce the violence in Iraq. This is a Yogi Berra strategy: deja vu all over again.” [Source]

“I have serious reservations about the president’s new strategy and fear it will not be successful in quelling the violence that plagues Iraq and endangers American troops.” [Source]

“‘Sending more brave American soldiers into a raging civil war will at this point only intensify sectarian conflict and create more chaos in Iraq,’ Carson said in a statement. ‘I call upon President Bush to recognize that a dramatic shift in political and diplomatic strategy is necessary — not further military escalation.’” [Source]

“If the Commander-in-Chief and the commanders on the ground in Iraq…say they need more boots on the ground, then we need to give them more boots on the ground.” [Source]

“In President Bush’s speech tonight and in my meeting today with National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley, a compelling justification for an increase in troop levels in Iraq was not made. An escalation in Iraq is a plan to repeat past mistakes and not the change in course that is needed.” [Source]

“”Over the last four years of this conflict, we have attempted troop shifts and surges in Iraq with limited results. Therefore, if there is to be any shift or surge in U.S. troops it must be accompanied by an intensive diplomatic offensive to engage Iraq’s neighbors and a transfer of security operations over to the Iraqi government. This comprehensive approach to security was an essential component of the Iraq Study Group’s recommendations and must not be neglected.” [Source]

“Democrats have attacked the plan. ‘I heard no justification for escalating the war,’ said Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Tampa, a freshman member of the House Armed Services Committee.” [Source]

“‘There are serious consequences to our security if we fail in Iraq. It is important for Congress and the President to work together to address the challenges we face in Iraq and the War on Terror. Clearly, our troops are doing a tremendous job and deserve our full support. However, we must also hold the Iraqi government accountable and insist that they step up and take the lead in securing their nation.’” [Source]

“Likewise, Sens. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., and John Sununu, R-N.H. — both up for re-election in 2008 — say they think Bush’s plan might work, but only if the Iraqis come up with a way to share oil and reach other political milestones.” [Source]

“‘Unfortunately it’s more of the same,’ said U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler, a Democrat from Kentucky’s 6th District. ‘We’ve had other instances of troop surges since we’ve been involved in this undertaking, and none of them have been successful in the long term.’” [Source]

“Representative Yvette Clarke from Brooklyn, says the idea of increasing the number of troops is dumbfounding to her, while Rep. John Hall says any new plan for Iraq should include more translators and more Middle East experts.” [Source]

“We don’t need a troop surge in Iraq, we need a truth surge.” [Source]

“Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, of Kansas City, said escalating U.S. forces would stretch already overextended troops even further. ‘Until (the Iraqis) decide to bring peace to their own country, there are not enough troops in the world to force peace on Iraq,’ Cleaver said. ‘The time has come to focus on a political solution to this conflict and bring our devoted men and women home.’” [Source]

“‘I am not in favor of doing that unless it’s part of a larger plan,’ Clinton said. ‘I am not in favor of sending more troops to continue what our men and women have been told to do, with the government of Iraq pulling the rug out from under them when they actually go after some of the bad guys.’” [Source]

“Majority Whip Jim Clyburn said that with 70 percent of Americans opposed to current U.S. policy in Iraq, Bush is running out of options. ‘This is almost a ‘Hail Mary’ for him.’” [Source]

“‘Right now, I would support a surge to the United States - not to Iraq,’ said Rep. Howard Coble, a Greensboro Republican.” [Source]

“Mistakes have been made and it is proper for us to re-examine our tactics in Iraq. Americans want a change in the strategy in Iraq. They don’t want a stalemate anymore. They want to win. However, we cannot be fooled into thinking leaving Iraq now will stop future attacks against America. Now is the time for us to ask ourselves whether we want to win the war on terror. For the safety and security of our future, the answer must be an emphatic ‘yes.’” [Source]

Sen. Thad Cochran urged support for President Bush’s new plan for Iraq Wednesday and said Congress should give the president funding to help his strategy succeed. The president “is starting to involve the government in Iraq and the military forces and police in Iraq in a more aggressive way,” said Cochran, R-Miss., prior to Bush’s televised speech announcing the plan. “Together they (Iraqi authorities) have worked with our military leadership to come up with a new plan - a new plan that, if supported by Congress, has a good chance of succeeding.” [Source]

“Cohen added: ‘Whether it’s ‘escalation’ or whether it’s ’surge,’ I go back to my friend Jackson Browne’s song, ‘there are Lives in the Balance.”” [Source]

“The President tonight announced a new, bold and decisive plan to win in Iraq. The President knows what is at stake, and believes that the efforts he outlined could make a real difference. We should give our Commander in Chief every resource he needs to carry this plan out in its entirety.” [Source]

“However, I disagree with the President’s decision to provide a troop surge in Baghdad. My concern about a troop surge is compounded by the impact it will have on Minnesota National Guard troops in Iraq and their families here at home. I am extremely disappointed by the news that our National Guard soldiers in Iraq will have their tour of duty extended. When I visited them a few weeks ago in Iraq, they were excited about coming home in March. At a time when our National Guard troops and families are making the ultimate commitment to serve our country and defend our freedom, they deserve better than to be told only a short time before their scheduled return that their service is being extended.” [Source]

“‘I don’t think the addition of new American troops in a situation plagued by sectarian strife is the answer,’ Collins said. ‘I think more American troops will present more American targets.’ She said in an interview that she was also influenced by a meeting the senators had with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. ‘The prime minister made it pretty clear that he did not welcome the idea of more American troops,’ she said. ‘I would speculate that he recognizes that he needs to take control of the situation, that if he’s seen as completely dependent on American troops it’s difficult for him to establish his legitimacy.’” [Source]

“I support the President’s plan to strategically deploy more U.S. troops in Baghdad to help the Iraqi military forces put down secertarian violence and bring security to the population. ” [Source]

“‘I just think it’s a mistake to have United States forces trying to referee that kind of a dispute,’ said Sen. Kent Conrad. ‘Our role should be to train Iraqi forces that can take over the defense of their own country. They are going to have to fight for their own democracy, just as our forefathers did for ours.’” [Source]

“Mr. Bush’s ‘troop surge’ is not a strategy; it is a desperate, last-ditch effort to allow the president to avoid admitting that his war of choice has been a failure.” [Source]

“Adding more troops in Iraq, as President Bush is expected to announce tonight, would probably be a mistake, U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper believes.” [Source]

“In a conspicuous sign of congressional unhappiness with the plan [to add 21,500 troops], only one member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, freshman Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., expressed approval of the new approach during Rice’s appearance.” [Source]

“The strategy presented tonight represents a real opportunity for peace and stability in Iraq. All of us want our troops to come home as soon as possible but our military strategy must be based on clear national security considerations, not politics.” [Source]

“Costa, for one, said he could only support a surge if it were accompanied by a ’strong political agreement’ among the Iraqis themselves as well as by strong benchmarks for success. So far, he said, he has been unimpressed.” [Source]

“I am adamantly opposed to sending any additional troops to Iraq.” [Source]

“U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Conn., who won his first term by defeating Republican Rob Simmons in November, criticized the president’s plan and said adding more troops is not the answer to stopping the sectarian violence.” [Source]

“The American people heard a path forward tonight. It is certainly one that I can support in the short term. We will watch it, we will measure it, and we will see if the Iraqi government can perform with the troops we have there, the troops we will add, and the new flexibility our troops have in engaging the enemy.” [Source]

“Rep. Bud Cramer, D-Huntsville, said he would weigh Bush’s proposal but that the White House must present ‘a detailed plan for where we are and how we’re going to get out of this war.’ Cramer noted that top military commanders in Iraq only weeks ago expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of adding troops.” [Source]

“In a written statement, Crapo said he has concerns about increasing troop levels and doesn’t want the U.S. military ‘to be simply standing between warring factions in Iraq.’ He wants to hear from experts who will be appearing before Congress in the coming days.” [Source]

“I am encouraged by the strategy presented by President Bush tonight. I plan to review this bold and comprehensive strategy with the same intelligent analysis used to craft it. The future of Iraq and the future of the Middle East depend on our success — we cannot afford to fail.” [Source]

“Sending 21,500 more troops into Iraq sadly will result in even more casualties of US service men and women and will fail to calm the raging fires of bloody civil strife. ” [Source]

“Representative Barbara Cubin was most enthusiastic of the three delegates, saying she will stand by whatever the troops need to do the job.” [Source]

“‘I don’t think we should be putting our soldiers on the front line. Iraq should be doing that,’ said Cuellar, who has visited Iraq and Afghanistan several times since he joined Congress in 2004.” [Source]

“A surge in troops will not expedite or support our overall goal to combat global terrorism.” [Source]

“Four years ago, the president and his defense secretary made the faithful decision to send too few troops to Iraq to secure the country. That failure opened the door to the chaos of civil war and violence. Iraq is now a failed state, and the surge of forces proposed by the president is too late to change that.” [Source]

Co-sponsor of a non-binding concurrent resolution “expressing the sense of Congress that the President should not order an escalation” in Iraq. [Source]

“Newly elected U.S. Rep. David Davis, a Johnson City Republican, said he agreed with Bush that ‘we can’t stay in the stagnation that we’ve had. I hope that 20,000 (troops) is sufficient to get the job done. I don’t think that failure or surrender is an option.’” [Source]

“U.S. Rep. Geoff Davis, a Republican from Kentucky’s 4th District, said for the buildup to be successful, the troops must be deployed at levels necessary to sustain ground operations long enough to assure ‘the mission is complete and the political outcome is achieved.’” [Source]

“‘I just wish it would have been done a lot sooner,’ said Representative Jo Ann Davis , a Virginia Republican and ranking member of the House Armed Service Committee’s military readiness panel. ‘I believe that we’re asking our military to do much more now than we’ve ever asked of them. And for that reason, I think that growing the force is very necessary.’” [Source]

“I’m not convinced, and from what I read neither are military commanders, that 20,000 more troops will change this mindset, but would just lead to more American men and women being killed. Who can say for certain these additional forces would even be enough to slow down the violence?” [Source]

“Iraq needs a diplomatic surge not a military surge.” [Source]

“I am pleased that the President has acknowledged the failure of our current policy in Iraq and is now attempting to change course. I am skeptical, however, that the troop surge he proposes is a good decision that will be effective.”

“Tonight, the president was eager to appear to be changing course in Iraq in response to the concerns of the American people. However, his new proposal is anything but — it’s a status quo, more of the same, stay the course plan. This ’stay the course’ strategy is clearly not working.” [Source]

“Once again, President Bush is sending us in the wrong direction on Iraq. Instead of announcing a specific plan on how we are going to get out of the Iraq quagmire, he is escalating troop levels and deepening our commitment.” [Source]

“Instead, the President has put forward a plan to train Iraqi troops that is unrealistic, a political approach that is overly simplistic and an economic initiative that will have no lasting impact. It is a plan in search of a reality.” [Source]

“I have opposed this war from the outset, and I have cosponsored legislation opposing an escalation of the Iraq war.” [Source]

“We must mount a coordinated effort that will destroy the terror networks, create security and allow Iraqi citizens the chance to prosper. I look forward to hearing more details and working with the administration to achieve success in Iraq.” [Source]

“Rep. Charlie Dent on Monday joined a chorus of Democrats and some Republicans in expressing skepticism about President Bush’s emerging strategy to boost troop levels in Iraq. ‘The president is under a lot of pressure to make a case to explain how this will advance the mission,’ said Dent, R-15th District, who added it would take a ‘pretty hard sell’ for him to endorse sending more troops to the country. ‘Will the surge help bring about a political resolution and help the Iraqis reconcile their differences? I’m not convinced today that that will happen.’” [Source]

“‘I believe losing is not an option for us there,’ said Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, R-Miami. ‘We can’t turn over Iraq to the Iranian regime. A greater Iran with nuclear weapons and control of oil in Iraq as well as in Iran is not acceptable. We have to do everything we can to see that the Iraqi government can stabilize the situation.’” [Source]

“I am not satisfied with the current situation in Iraq. However, we should all agree that it is in our nation’s best interests to ensure Iraq does not fall into the control of terrorists.” [Source]

“Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Wash., who is a respected voice on military affairs, reached a similar conclusion. ‘This whole idea of surge, I don’t think it’s going to work. I think it’s fraught with danger that will further exacerbate the problems facing’ U.S. forces, he said.” [Source]

“Rep. John Dingell, D-Dearborn, said he had hoped to hear a strategy he could get behind. So far, he said, he remains unconvinced. But he said, ‘I want to hear more’ before opposing the plan. [Source]

“I believe it will be a mistake for us at this juncture to be adding more troops. … I don’t see any mission associated with this. It sounds to me like a tactic in search of a strategy.” [Source]

“‘This isn’t a ’surge’; it is a costly, long-term escalation that endangers more Americans,’ Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, said. ‘We must firmly reject it.’” [Source]

“In Congress, some Republicans offered cautious support. ‘I am certainly not alone in saying that I am not satisfied with the current situation in Iraq,’ GOP Sen. Elizabeth Dole of North Carolina said. ‘But I strongly believe that we must win.’” [Source]

“‘I have confidence in [Lt. Gen. David H. Patraeus’s] pledge to me that he will openly and honestly tell me and the rest of the Congress the situation on the ground as it unfolds. I fully believe the General understands that I, as one United States Senator, am willing to support the President’s new strategy only as long as we can see measurable progress toward security, but that my support is not open-ended nor is it indefinite.’” [Source]

“Donnelly voiced major concerns over the president’s plan to increase troop levels by 22,000, on top of the 130,000 are already in Iraq.” [Source]

“Congressman John Doolittle Friday said he backs President Bush’s plan to increase troops fighting in the Iraq War to quell sectarian violence there, but is growing wary of the bigger war picture.” [Source]

“I am very skeptical about this issue of deciding that we’re going to surge additional troops into Iraq even as the top military commander in Iraq says that should not be done,” Dorgan said. [Source]

“‘We should implement a phased withdrawal in the coming months to put the Iraqis on notice that it’s time for them to take over the responsibility for their own security.’ — Rep. Mike Doyle, D-Pa.” [Source]

Another Virginia Republican, Rep. Thelma Drake, of the 2nd District, said the commitment of additional troops will be “painful for everyone” but argued that “we don’t talk enough about the threat to America if the terrorists are successful” in toppling the Iraqi government and gaining control of the country’s oil reserves. [Source]

“Rep. David Dreier, R-Glendora, a stalwart supporter of the president’s Iraq policy, supported Bush’s plans for a troop surge to help pacify war-torn Baghdad and allow Iraqi forces to solidify the fragile government’s power.” [Source]

“I voted against going to war in Iraq when Congress voted on this in October of 2002, and I am opposed to sending more U.S. troops there now.” [Source]

“Escalation of the war in Iraq is not the change the American people called for in the last election. Instead of a new direction, the President’s plan moves the American commitment in Iraq in the wrong direction.” [Source]

“When asked by the president for his ideas, Edwards expressed concerns about a proposed troop surge. ‘Mr. President, I would hope your new initiatives could be carried out without an increase in U.S. troops in Iraq because of concerns in Congress and across the country about sending more U.S. military personnel there, but if you are going to make that decision, you should send whatever number you believe is right, not a watered down compromise number, because this could be the last real chance to win Americans’ support for a strategy to stabilize Iraq.’” [Source]

“I am extremely concerned about the current situation in Iraq. Tonight, we heard from President Bush about his Administration’s plan for moving forward in that war-torn country. I am eager to look at the details of the President’s plan, but based on the lack of success that we have seen so far, we are going to have work very rigorously to ensure that our plan definitely will work.” [Source]

“One of the most outspoken opponents of the war, Rep. Keith Ellison, called it ‘an error from the start. And now the president wants to compound his error, by escalating this occupation.’” [Source]

“Another freshman, Rep. Brad Ellsworth, D-Evansville, has said he needs to be convinced that increasing troop levels is a necessary part of a new strategy. His spokeswoman said Ellsworth wants to hear not just from Bush, but also military leaders who will be testifying this week before the House Armed Services Committee, on which Ellsworth serves.” [Source]

“Tonight, the President failed to answer these questions fully, and he failed to offer a real plan for success in Iraq. After three years, more than 3,000 lives lost, and 300 billion dollars spent, Congress and the American people will not support the President’s plan to risk more lives and commit more dollars to support a failed strategy.” [Source]

“‘I am pleased to hear from the president that this deployment of additional troops to Iraq is not ‘open-ended,’” said Republican Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, of Cape Girardeau. Still, I am skeptical of this stratagem when it is extremely urgent that we give the responsibility for keeping law and order in Iraq to the Iraqis.’ Emerson said Bush should decrease the American military presence in Iraq and stress diplomacy with other nations in the region, such as Syria.” [Source]

“While I applaud the president’s reassessment of U.S.-Iraq policy, I stated earlier today that I did not support an expansion in American troop strength on the ground. Nothing in his speech tonight has caused me to reconsider my position.” [Source]

“The President put forward a comprehensive plan that calls for an increase in troops and putting more Iraqis back to work.” [Source]

“President Bush is not advocating sending more troops simply for the sake of sending more troops.” [Source]

“The President’s statement indicates that he has ignored the advice of his generals, the bipartisan Iraq Study Group which he appointed, Republicans and Democrats in Congress and the American people.” [Source]

“I strongly support our soldiers and their families who have done so much for America. Unfortunately, the President’s reported plan to send more troops to Iraq will likely be ineffectual and the decision appears to be based on more politically inspired denial.” [Source]

“Rep. Terry Everett, R-Rehobeth, said that while he wished the troop escalation had been proposed earlier, he supported Bush’s plan.” [Source]

“Cole, Coburn, Representative Mary Fallin of Oklahoma City and Representative Frank Lucas of Cheyenne all say they support Bush’s troop-increase plan.” [Source]

“It goes against the tides of history to escalate our involvement at this point in the war. There is a way forward, but that way is fewer troops, not more.” [Source]

“Rep. Chaka Fattah, a Democrat who is running for mayor in Philadelphia, said a troops build up was ‘disturbingly familiar’ to the escalation of troops in Vietnam under Gen. William Westmoreland. He said only a massive influx of troops from other national under the United Nations will save Iraq.” [Source]

“‘I haven’t closed the door, but at a minimum, I believe the president will need to present Congress and the American people with concrete and realistic goals to be obtained,’ said Feeney, a former speaker of Florida’s House of Representatives and a rising star in the GOP.” [Source]

“Tonight, the President ignored the recommendations of members of both parties, military leaders, foreign policy experts, and the will of the American people by announcing that he intends to escalate our involvement in Iraq by sending more troops there.” [Source]

“‘There are a lot of problems,’ she said on CNN after Bush’s speech. ‘It seems to be there are no timelines, no real goals in the president’s speech.’” [Source]

“‘I’m not yet convinced about President Bush’s plan to increase U.S. forces because the longer we bear the chief burden for Iraq’s security, the longer it delays Iraqis from making the hard decisions about dealing with the terrorists,’ said Rep. Mike Ferguson, R-Warren.” [Source]

“In a rejection of Bush’s troop ’surge’ strategy, the bill explicitly prohibits any additional funding to deploy more troops. The ‘Bring the Troops Home’ Act is just one of many bills currently in the US House or Senate opposing Bush’s plan.” [Source]

“Republican Rep. Randy Forbes, representing Virginia’s 4th District, questioned whether the U.S. troops Bush wants to add are enough to win the battle for Baghdad.” [Source]

“I await the details of the President’s plan. I believe that a major component of any new strategy should be a rapid increase of battle-ready Iraqi troops in Baghdad.” [Source]

“Rep. Vito Fossella (R-Staten Island/Brooklyn) evaded a firm statement of agreement with the president’s announcement. Fossella voted to authorize the war that began four years ago, but distanced himself from Bush last night.” [Source]

“The war in Iraq is critical to the Global War on Terror and we must continue to fight and defend against the terrorists there as much as at home. We must maintain our efforts to provide security and stability for the Iraqi government and its people until they are able to do so themselves.” [Source]

Representative Barney Frank is also opposed to a surge in troops. [Source]

“I strongly support his commitment to adjust America’s war strategy to a changing and fiercely determined enemy.” [Source]

Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen, R-Harding, said he commended Bush for “working to change the dynamic in Iraq and for putting a new team of military leaders in place.” But he said he had concerns about the troop increase. “Frankly, the first surge of military forces into Baghdad should be those Iraqi units that are the best trained and equipped to carry out combat operations,” Frelinghuysen said. “They should be on the front lines in the effort to quell sectarian violence.” [Source]

“‘The status quo is not going to accomplish our ultimate objectives and we can’t continue to let our young people do the kind of job they’ve been having to do without a clear mission,’ Gallegly said.” [Source]

“Consequently, I support the President’s call for more military resources being deployed to the Anbar province in order to assist the Iraqis in stamping out the Al-Qaeda presence there. But I have significant concern over sending more troops to Baghdad in support of Iraqi efforts to quell Shia-Sunni violence.” [Source]

“Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, Democrat: Has long said she would like to see troops out of Iraq by the end of 2007, and reiterated on Wednesday she still believes that can happen.”
“She has concerns about a troop surge if it doesn’t include a clear plan, she says, because ‘prior increases have not been successful.’” [Source]

“Even Republican Congressman Wayne Gilchrest thinks the troop surge is a major risk. ‘I don’t think we’ll be successfully at all unless it’s accompanied by a surge in diplomacy with the Middle East and the international community.’” [Source]

“Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand would not vote for the President’s plan. ‘Of course we have to make sure that the men and women in the field have the funds they need to have the armor and the training and the support they need to do their jobs. But, if this is something that we have an opportunity to vote on specifically, I would not support this plan because I don’t see how it would be effective.’” [Source]

“In his speech, President Bush committed more than 20,000 additional U.S. troops to stabilize Iraq. Personally, I do not know whether committing additional U.S. troops will aid Iraqi Security Forces in quickly assuming control. However, as Commander-in-Chief, it is the President’s sole responsibility to direct our military operations.” [Source]

“What we need in Iraq is a knock-out punch. A troop surge in Baghdad is an opportunity to stabilize this volatile region once and for all.” [Source]

“U.S. Representatives Louie Gohmert and Jeb Hensarling both say they think the Presidents plan could turn things around.
‘Obviously, he realizes that a change in direction is needed. He has not lost the recognition that we are in a war for the ages. We cannot retreat from the war on terror, but we do have to find more effective ways,’ says Gohmert.” [Source]

“I have only heard from the White House of a plan to increase the number of troops in Iraq thus far and it will behoove us to learn what will be the rest of the President’s plan for turning the tide in Iraq before we make any commitments. We in Congress will have to see if what he proposes Wednesday evening reflects what the American people made clear in the November election they wanted — a plan to get the Iraqi government to take over its own security. ” [Source]

“Rep. Virgil Goode, R-Rocky Mount, as well as Sen. John Warner, acknowledged the validity of the president’s decision. But like their party-mate Goodlatte, they didn’t applaud it. ‘I want to see what comes before the Congress. I will consider what the president recommends, what my fellow members of the House suggest and, most of all, what the residents of [my district] have to say on the subject,’ Goode said.” [Source]

“But on Thursday, Goodlatte, of Roanoke County, didn’t embrace Bush’s decision to increase the American presence in Iraq by 21,500 troops. Goodlatte said Bush is the commander in chief, so his decision must be respected. But Goodlatte added, ‘whether it will work or not, I don’t know.’” [Source]

“‘Our troops have bravely performed their missions in Iraq,’ said U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon, a Democrat, ‘but I have reservations about escalating our involvement by deploying more troops and spending more money in Iraq. I’d like to learn more details about the President’s plan because it appears that most American generals, the Iraq Study Group and the Iraqi Prime Minister oppose additional U.S. troops, believing an escalation of troops could ultimately lead to an escalation of violence from insurgents.’” [Source]

“[Senator Joe Lieberman and I] also strongly encourage you to send additional American troops to iraq to improve the security situation on the ground.” [Source]

“The President has responded both to the seriousness of the situation and to the call for increased participation by the Iraqis tonight. Therefore I will support the increased troops as backup to the Iraqi plan for security in the Baghdad region with the benchmarks he has laid out.” [Source]

“The President tonight put forward a multi-pronged approach to help the Iraq government take control of its country. The military, political and economic components are necessary for success — we’ve already learned that one without the other simply won’t work.” [Source]

“Republican Rep. Sam Graves, of Tarkio, also expressed support for the new plan as long as more trained Iraqi forces ’step-up and into the fight.’” [Source]

“‘The president’s plan is not enough and too late,’ Congressman Gene Green, D-Houston, said. ‘Retired military officers have said many more troops were needed two and three years ago, but were rejected by this administration.’” [Source]

“Republican Sen. Judd Gregg, who called the war ‘not like any war that we have dealt with before,’ said he shares the concerns of many over the increased troops. ‘I intend to closely review this proposal as it pertains to putting more American troops at risk and the cost of reconstruction being assumed by our government, he said.” [Source]

“The awful truth is that this escalation of troops is a cynical attempt to push back the inevitable and terrible consequences of this President’s decision to go to war onto the desk of the next President. All this political blame-shifting would come at a cost measured in hundreds of billions of dollars and thousands of lives.” [Source]

“It’s Alice in Wonderland. … I’m absolutely opposed to sending any more troops to Iraq. It is folly.” [Source]

“‘To just talk about an increase in the number of troops is to talk about something that was done last year without any kind of improvement,’ Hall said.” [Source]

“U.S. Rep. Ralph Hall (R-Rockwall) intends to back President Bush’s call for more troops in Iraq.” [Source]

“Freshman U.S. Rep. Phil Hare, D-Rock Island, whose district includes Whiteside County, said he’s strongly opposed to increasing troop numbers in Iraq.” [Source]

“Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Ia., said Congress has the constitutional right to deny money for additional troops ‘when the facts on the ground show us that it is not in our national security interest and it will not improve the situation we see now in Iraq.’” [Source]

“A surge in troops may have been a great idea three and a half years ago but it makes no sense now.” [Source]

“Withholding military personnel, failing to provide funds for our troops or pulling out of Iraq with no plan to win the war on terror are simply not options.
I am encouraged by the new plan, and I’m pleased that the Iraqis will have more responsibility for their own security.”" [Source]

“The president has articulated a fundamental change in strategy designed to win the war in Iraq, ” said Sen. Orrin Hatch. “I believe it is an intelligent approach.” [Source]

“Rep. Robin Hayes, a Concord Republican, said he supports a buildup that forces Iraqis to bolster their own defense.
‘The Iraqis themselves need to step up their commitment to securing their own country,’ he said, ‘and (I) want to see a plan that uses our troops to ensure this happens at a faster pace.’” [Source]

“U.S. Representatives Louie Gohmert and Jeb Hensarling both say they think the Presidents plan could turn things around.” [Source]

“If the President, working with our military commanders, has concluded that a temporary increase in our troop levels, coupled with political and economic reforms, is needed to secure Baghdad and the Anbar Province, then I support this decision.” [Source]

“The Iraqi government needs to understand they are on borrowed time, and they must begin taking greater control over the future of their own country. I remain unconvinced that a large new deployment of troops to Baghdad will further that goal at this point.” [Source]

“On the specific point of a so-called ‘troop surge,’ it should not be lost on Americans that a surge in number of troops in Iraq was attempted in 2004, in 2005 and again in 2006. At each instance, the expectation of reduced violence and greater order within Iraq was never met. According to the former Defense Secretary, more troops create the impression of an occupation and only serve to inflame anti-American sentiment, a situation which accrues to the benefit of extremists like Muqtada al-Sadr.” [Source]

“Rep. Baron Hill: The Seymour Democrat said he does not think a troop surge is a good idea based on what he’s heard so far. ‘Sending additional troops is only a temporary solution … if it’s a solution at all,’ Hill said. Hill has said his 2002 vote to authorize the invasion of Iraq was based on the White House’s inaccurate evidence of Iraq’s threat.” [Source]

“Plain and simple, no additional U.S. troops should be sent to Iraq and the responsible phased withdrawal of troops must begin.” [Source]

“‘I don’t see how this new surge will change the situation in Iraq,’ said U.S. Rep. Rubén Hinojosa, who voted against the 2002 House bill authorizing the president to use force in Iraq.” [Source]

“Congresswoman Mazie Hirono also opposed the troop build-up. She called it an escalation of the war.” [Source]

“Springfield Republican David Hobson questions whether this is the right time to be deploying more troops.” [Source]

“Veteran Rep.-elect Tim Walz (D-Minn.), who defeated Rep. Gil Gutknecht (R) in November, is opposed to ramping up troops, as are Reps.-elect Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Paul Hodes (D-N.H.).” [Source]

“U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Holland, supported the move, albeit cautiously. ‘President Bush’s proposal to send additional members of the U.S. armed forces to Iraq requires careful evaluation as Congress debates the way forward in the coming weeks,’ Hoekstra said. ‘It cannot be considered in a vacuum, but in the context of its impact on American security and our partnerships in the region. The risks associated with failure are very significant, including providing a base for radical militant Islamists and greater regional conflict. But we need to outline exactly what success should look like and develop a plan to measure it.’” [Source]

“Berks County Congressman Tim Holden says he disagrees with the surge, but that will not stop him from supporting the troops in the coming year.” [Source]

“Let’s be clear: this is not a ’surge,’ it’s an escalation of the war and it’s wrong on multiple levels.” [Source]

“As with the decision to go to war in the first place, this proposed escalation is a fundamentally flawed course of action.” [Source]

“In last year’s State of the Union, the President promised to decrease troop levels in Iraq, and yet today he has plans to send 21,500 more troops to Iraq. ‘Stay the course’ is not working. In Iraq, rather than continuing to ramp up the US’s involvement militarily, we need to give the Iraqi people the opportunity to step up to govern themselves.” [Source]

“Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Mechanicsville, added through his press spokeswoman that ‘the nearly 3,000 brave Marylanders deployed in Iraq, and their families, deserve better than what we heard from President Bush last night.’” [Source]

“‘I will only support an increase in U.S. troop levels if it is accompanied by a corresponding increase in Iraqi commitment to securing their own future. This is what is necessary to hasten the time in which our troops can ultimately leave Iraq.’”
“‘This cannot be solely an American effort and our commitment is not open-ended.’” [Source]

“I think it’s a sensible plan, it’s a logical plan. I’m going to support the president.” [Source]

Saying that she respects the president for admitting mistakes, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, says the US can’t allow Iraq to become “a safe haven for terrorists.” Mr. Bush, she said, “is working with the Iraqi leadership to implement this new approach and it is critical that the initiative be given a chance to succeed.” [Source]

“Now we’re in phase three, a civil war that will end only when the Iraqi people decide they want to live in a unified, pluralistic and peaceful Iraq. No amount of American military might can make them choose to build a nation for themselves. Nation building is not and should not be made the business of the American military.” [Source]

“The bottom line is that tonight the President offered an extensive plan for success in Iraq. The United States will be successful not only because of the resolve of the Administration, but also because of the cooperation of the Iraqis in wanting to achieve victory.” [Source]

Sen. Daniel Inouye said he supports a general increase of armed forces available “to address growing instabilities in other areas.” But not, he emphasized, in Iraq. “It would only exacerbate a bad situation, and could signal the possible permanency of this conflict,” he said in a statement. [Source]

“‘We have to take every step we can, including using the constitutional power of the purse, to deny the president the power to go off on this half-cocked escalation.’” [Source]

“What we’ve heard tonight in the President’s proposal is a comprehensive plan only if the Iraqi people and the Iraqi government buy in to it and fulfill their side of the deal. [Source]

“Rep. Steve Israel (D-Huntington), a hawkish Democrat who voted in favor of the resolution authorizing the use of force in Iraq but has become increasingly critical of Bush’s policy, said he’d oppose a troop increase without a change in tactics. ‘The doctrine up to now has been a game of whack-a-mole, when you pound an insurgent in one place and 10 more pop up elsewhere,’ he said.” [Source]

“Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista, said he had hoped for more reassuring language from President Bush about the new role of American troops. ‘I would have been 100 percent supportive if the President made it clear that the shift was clearly to train and stand back, rather than fight forward,’ he said after hearing the president’s speech.” [Source]

“‘I’m vigorously opposed to President Bush’s plan to send additional troops into Iraq. His decision to escalate American involvement in the Iraq War goes against the interests of the United States and the will of the American people. Make no mistake — this is George W. Bush’s War.’” [Source]

“‘The disappointment is that the President has not recognized that the policy in Iraq has failed, and it’s failed on the back of husbands and wives, brothers, sisters, American relatives who have lost their lives, who have been maimed,’ Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee told The Final Call in an interview. ‘Frankly when he promotes an escalation or a plus-up or a surge, he is presenting to the American people, a failed policy.’” [Source]

“U.S. Rep. William Jefferson, D-New Orleans, said he believes a troop surge is a mistake. The country is spending $6 billion a month on a war that should be winding down instead of escalating, he said.” [Source]

Both Rep. Bobby Jindal, R-Kenner, and Sen. David Vitter, R-La., declined to take a position on the central thrust of Bush’s prime-time announcement: that he was sending more U.S. forces into the Iraqi battle zone. Jindal, who declined an interview request, issued a circumspect statement after the speech calling for a “sea change” in U.S. strategy, although he didn’t explain what he had in mind. “President Bush’s comments tonight indicate that he understands that a change in strategy is needed,” said Jindal, a second-term congressman mulling a run for governor this year. “The military commanders on the ground in Iraq must determine the best way for us to be successful and bring our troops home soon.” Inquiries seeking clarification on Jindal’s position — specifically whether he supported or opposed adding 20,000 more troops — went unanswered. [Source]

“I strongly disagree with the President’s decision to increase the military presence in Iraq by deploying an additional 20,000 troops to Baghdad in the coming month.” [Source]

“I am opposed to the President’s recently announced new direction on the Iraq war. The additional cost of this new operation is estimated at nearly $6 billion and those are tax dollars which can be used to fund needed programs here at home.” [Source]

“I respect the President for listening to others and I must give him credit for examining his policies, upping the ante, and changing the rules of engagement. We’ll finally be getting help from the Iraqi government to hunt down insurgents. As a former fighter pilot, I support his resolve to boost firepower and increase manpower.” [Source]

“I do not support a build up of 21,500 American troops in Iraq because in my view, it is not in the best interest of our country to contribute additional troops to this war.” [Source]

“Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, Democrat of Cleveland, proposed that Bush escalate ‘the truth level’ rather than the troop levels. ‘He should be escalating how much truth he’s giving to the American people’ about lives lost, about war injuries, and about contractors who have been enriched, she said.” [Source]

“Two North Carolina Republicans joined with Democrats in rejecting the strategy. Republican representative Walter Jones says the plan puts more troops in harms way in what he calls a civil war.” [Source]

“Freshman Rep. Steve Kagen, D-Appleton, described Bush’s policy as ‘morally unacceptable.’ ‘This really is President Bush’s war and his proposal tonight is not a complete or comprehensive plan for Iraq,’ Kagen said. ‘It’s more of the same. And more importantly, I don’t think it’s based on the realities on the ground or in the region.’” [Source]

“‘It seems like continuing what we’ve been doing with 20,000 more troops and an inordinate amount of trust in (Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri) al-Maliki and his government. … Even if you were a total optimist … you would still have to conclude that we only have a very remote opportunity of success.’” [Source]

“I do not support an escalation of US troop levels in Iraq. President Bush cannot lead America to military victory in Iraq absent a viable political solution that puts Iraq back together and redeploys our soldiers from that of an occupying force.” [Source]

“In a speech in the House of Representatives, meanwhile, Rep. Ric Keller, R-Fla. noted that he was breaking ranks with Bush after long supporting the president’s war policy. ‘At this late stage, interjecting more young American troops into the crossfire of an Iraqi civil war is simply not the right approach’ Keller said.” [Source]

“The American people are demanding a change in course in Iraq. Instead, the President is accelerating the same failed course he has pursued for nearly four years. He must understand that Congress will not endorse this course.” [Source]

“An escalation of the war in Iraq is a misguided response to a failed strategy. The United States cannot solve an Iraqi political problem and civil war by putting more U.S. service members in between the warring parties. Sending more troops to Iraq is clearly not the answer.” [Source]

“There is no military solution to the political crisis in Iraq, Kerry said in a statement. ‘A ‘troop buildup’ or sending more troops into harm’s way to referee a civil war isn’t an answer, it’s more of the same.’” [Source]

“‘Instead of an increase in troop level, members of the CBC believe we must increase the truth level from the Bush administration,’ Kilpatrick said in a statement. ‘The CBC believes that the war in Iraq should come to an end as soon as possible,’ she added. ‘Since the beginning of the war, the Caucus consistently opposed military action in the region. We do not believe that an escalation of the war is the correct approach.’” [Source]

“‘It (Bush’s speech) was disappointing but not surprising,’ said Kind. ‘We need a new direction in Iraq, not an escalation.’” [Source]

“‘The president has laid out a decisive new policy,’ said Long Island Rep. Peter King. ‘The president must make this policy work and Congress must give him the opportunity to make this policy work. This is a war we cannot afford to lose.’” [Source]

“I know the President meets with the wounded and with the families of the casualties, as do I. His speech keeps faith with their sacrifice. George Bush is the Commander-in-Chief of all of our military and by the Constitution, he sets our foreign policy. This is no time to discuss surrendering our will to the will of terrorists who will follow us home if they have the means to do so.” [Source]

“‘While I’m not ready to lend full support to the President’s plan, I am convinced we all need to learn more. I look forward to additional information and hearings in the weeks to come..’” [Source]<