It’s Been 90 Days and Counting: Escalation Plan Still Not Working

President Bush once again today defended his failed Iraq policies. When President Bush first announced his war escalation plan, his Republican allies in Congress were quick to embrace the President’s permanent commitment to a failed strategy, saying that Americans should give his plan a few months before determining whether or not it was working. In fact, House Republican Leader John Boehner said it would be “clear in the next 60 to 90 days as to whether this plan is going to work.” [CNN, 1/23/07] Yesterday marked the end of the 90 day period. Does House Republican Leader Boehner believe the escalation plan was successful?

Recent events indicate that the escalation is not working and that a new direction is needed. Over the weekend, a suicide car bombing killed nine U.S. paratroopers and wounded 20 “in the worst attack on American ground forces in Iraq in more than a year.” [Boston Globe, 4/24/07] Twenty Iraqis were also killed in car bombings in Baghdad, and in Northern Iraq, 23 members of an ancient religious sect were shot and killed after their bus was stopped and passengers were separated based on religious faith. [AP, 4/23/07] A new report by the National Security Network, entitled “The President's Escalation Plan - A Quarterly Report Card,” argues that three months into the escalation, things are getting worse not better in Iraq. The report notes that since the President’s escalation plan was announced, American troop fatalities are up 33 percent, overall Iraqi casualties rose 10% between February and March and little to no progress has been made on the Administration’s own political benchmarks. [http://www.nsnetwork.org/node/137]

“It is clear that President Bush’s Iraq policies, including his decision to escalate the war, are not working as promised,” said Democratic National Committee Press Secretary Stacie Paxton. “Democrats have put a plan on the table that ensures our troops have the resources to complete their mission but the mission itself must change. It’s time for President Bush to work with Democrats toward a solution in Iraq.”

Boehner on January 23: It Will Be Clear “In The Next 60 To 90 Days” Whether Bush’s Escalation Of Iraq War Is Working.
Q: How long can you and your membership give the Iraqi military before you say, you know what? You're not doing your job.

BOEHNER: I think it will be rather clear in the next 60 to 90 days as to whether this plan is going to work. And, again, that's why we need to have close oversight, so that we just don't look up 60 or 90 days from now and realize that - that this plan is not working. We need to know, as we - as we're - we move through these benchmarks, that the Iraqis are doing what they have to do. [CNN, 1/23/07]