Washington – Vice President Dick Cheney accused Democratic leader Harry Reid on Tuesday of personally pursuing a defeatist strategy in Iraq to win votes at home – a charge Reid dismissed as President Bush’s “attack dog” lashing out.
The exchange came just hours after Bush said he would veto the latest war spending bill taking shape in Congress, which includes a timetable for withdrawing from Iraq.
“Some Democratic leaders seem to believe that blind opposition to the new strategy in Iraq is good politics,” Cheney told reporters at the Capitol after attending the weekly Republican policy lunch.
“Sen. Reid himself has said that the war in Iraq will bring his party more seats in the next election. It is cynical to declare that the war is lost because you believe it gives you political advantage,” Cheney said.
Cheney said he felt compelled to make a statement in front of cameras to express his frustration with Reid, D-Nev., after the Senate majority leader told reporters last week the war was lost. Cheney’s remarks also showed the high stakes involved for the White House in trying to stave off Democratic efforts to end the war.
While Bush has enough votes to sustain his veto, Democrats say they have public opinion on their side and that will eventually force Bush to change.
Reid shrugged off Cheney’s remarks – but with his own dig at the vice president.
“I’m not going to get into a name-calling match with the administration’s chief attack dog,” he said.
The $124.2 billion legislation would continue to fund the war in Iraq but also would require that troops begin pulling out by Oct. 1 – or earlier if the Iraqi government does not make progress in tamping down sectarian violence and forging political agreements. The bill sets a nonbinding goal for combat operations to end by April 1, 2008.
“This is a bill that is good for the troops,” Reid said. “It’s good for the country.”
With Democrats expecting to send Bush the final bill as early as next week, Bush stood firm against any measure that would set a timetable for withdrawal.
“They chose to make a political statement,” he said. “That’s their right, but it is wrong for our troops and it’s wrong for our country.”
