Military Sacrifices Soldiers for Escalation

Staff / Truthdig Jan 12, 2007 The Pentagon will no longer limit the time a soldier can spend fighting on active duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. The military can now cycle the same troops indefinitely in and out of Iraq and Afghanistan, where soldiers previously could not serve more than 24 cumulative months. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Congress Holds Hearing on ‘Craziest, Dumbest Plan’

Staff / Truthdig Jan 12, 2007 Condoleezza Rice, Robert Gates and Gen. Peter Pace all testified before Congress on Thursday, defending the president's plan to escalate the war. But many lawmakers, particularly Democrats, weren't impressed. Rep. Neil Abercrombie, D-Hawaii, told Gen. Pace, "This is the craziest, dumbest plan I've ever seen or heard of in my life." Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Beware the Great White Fleet

Staff / Truthdig Jan 11, 2007 The Democrats may hold the power of the purse, but that hasn't stopped presidents in the past from defying Congress. Teddy Roosevelt succeeded in sending his Great White Fleet around the globe to demonstrate American naval power despite objections from the legislative branch. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Democrats Respond to Bush’s Speech

Staff / Truthdig Jan 11, 2007 Needless to say, the Democrats hated Bush's plan for escalating the war in Iraq, although they differed on how to defeat the action. Ted Kennedy continues to push for a direct confrontation, while the leadership wants to start off with a symbolic vote. Hillary Clinton was surprisingly feisty in her comments, calling Bush's policy "marred by incompetence and arrogance." Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Joe Conason: A Time to Say No to Bush

Joe Conason / Truthdig Jan 11, 2007 Following his latest attempt to rally the dispirited and angry nation in support of the prolonged conflict in Iraq, the question before Congress is starkly simple: What are the people's representatives obliged to do about the bad judgment and bad faith of this president? Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Bush Admits Mistakes, Promises to Make More

Staff / Truthdig Jan 11, 2007 The president began his address to the nation Wednesday evening by accepting responsibility for mistakes made in Iraq. But as he outlined his commitment to escalate the war, complete with abundant references to 9/11 and the specter of al-Qaida, George W. Bush demonstrated the same insulation from reason and reality that created this nightmare in the first place. Dig deeper ( 11 Min. Read )

Dems to Force Escalation Vote

Staff / Truthdig Jan 10, 2007 House and Senate Democrats are planning a symbolic vote on Bush's escalation of the Iraq war, partially to force Republicans to take a stand on the issue. While they haven't ruled out more aggressive -- and meaningful -- measures, the Dems agreed that demonstrating their opposition was the least they could do. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Robert Scheer: Brooding Prince’s Soliloquy

Robert Scheer / Truthdig Jan 10, 2007 To surge or not to surge, that is the question. As our prince proposes, once again, to take arms against a sea of troubles, he responds not to the disaster that he has visited upon Iraq, but rather embraces a desperate strategy for salvaging what remains of his reign. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Mr. Fish: Bipartisan Blunt

Mr. Fish / Truthdig Jan 10, 2007 Dig deeper

An Appropriate Venue for Bush’s Speech

Mike Luckovich / Truthdig Jan 10, 2007 Dig deeper

Bush’s New Iraq Policy Taking Shape

Staff / Truthdig Jan 8, 2007 Senior aides said Sunday that the president will finally apply benchmarks to Iraq -- only not for the withdrawal of troops. Bush will offer the guidelines to Iraq's political leadership in an attempt to ease sectarian tension. Meanwhile, the military's new Iraq commander is preparing for an influx of troops, expected to accompany the White House's policy revision. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Pelosi: No Money for Escalation Without Justification

Staff / Truthdig Jan 8, 2007 Nancy Pelosi, appearing on "Face the Nation," said the Congress will not fund a troop escalation without justification. Pelosi maintained that the Dems have no intention of cutting off funds for the war in general, although she insisted a "new direction" is necessary. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )