Harry Reid: Administration's Troubling Iraq Status Report Underscores Need To Change Course

July 12, 2007 -- Washington, D.C.—Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid issued the following statement today in response to the Administration’s discouraging report that shows largely unsatisfactory progress in Iraq:

“Today’s report from the President confirms what many had suspected – the war in Iraq is headed in a dangerous direction. The Iraqi government has not met the key political benchmarks it has set for itself and Iraqi security forces continue to lag well behind expectations. Our courageous troops continue to bear the burden for securing and rebuilding Iraq, while Iraq’s factions fight a deadly civil war.

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“As the President and his team continue to be bogged down in Iraq, we have learned that the enemy that attacked this nation nearly six years ago has reconstituted and rebuilt itself. America deserves better. Our security demands more. We must change course now, not in September. It is time for the President to listen to the American people and do what is necessary to protect this nation. That means admitting his Iraq policy has failed, working with the Democrats and Republicans in Congress on crafting a new way forward in Iraq, and refocusing our collective efforts on defeating al Qaeda.”

Source: Senator Harry Reid