Feinstein: Americans 'deserve a timetable' for withdrawal...

[ProSense]

CALIFORNIA

Feinstein blasts handling of war

Americans 'deserve a timetable' for withdrawal from conflict in Iraq, says California senator

Rachel Gordon, Chronicle Staff Writer

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein said President Bush has pursued a dire war policy in Iraq "driven by failure after failure after failure'' that has put American troops in unnecessary danger and created havoc for Iraqi civilians.

Iraq "is a country that is at the very best terribly unstable and at the worst right around the edges of anarchy,'' California's senior senator said Monday speaking to The Chronicle editorial board.

As Iraq suffers from escalating sectarian violence, Feinstein joined a growing cadre of Democratic lawmakers and a handful of Republicans in calling for U.S. forces to pull out of Iraq by the end of 2007 and for the Bush administration to focus more on political and diplomatic solutions.

"After a war that's gone on about as long as World War II, the people and the Congress deserve a timetable'' for withdrawal, Feinstein said.

Feinstein, who is running for re-election in the Nov. 7 election, said that in hindsight, her October 2002 vote to give Bush the green light to wage war against Iraq was "absolutely'' a mistake, one she said was based on faulty intelligence delivered by then-Secretary of State Colin Powell and other White House officials.

"I made the mistake of believing the intelligence, of listening to the president, the vice president and the administration,'' she said. She described the administration's arguments for going to war as "bogus.''

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[Mr Rabble]

1. So she has finally made enough money from this mess?

Thanks for nothing DiFi.

[roody]

2. f****** war profiteer

"My" senator. Barf.

[Mr Rabble]

3. Mine as well. Holding my nose while checking the box.

[roody]

5. I'm voting green on this one.

[blm]

4. Did she vote for Kerry-Feingold withdrawal plan when she had the chance

to push for that timeline?

[TahitiNut]

7. Never forget that DiFi make her political 'bones' over the dead bodies ...

... of far more skilled and diligent elected officials. She sure as hell wasn't out there blocking bullets or taking guns away. She was twice a loser in elections for mayor and a political ally of Dan White. She was, I contend, the big winner when White murdered Moscone and Milk. She's never been the "point man" but always seems ready to profit.

[leesa]

6. It's safe for all the DLCers to come out of hiding now...Feinstein, Clinton,

Obama, Ford...pretend they weren't diggin' this shit when it was popular.