Levin On Bush's Iraq "Progress" Lies

Carl Levin (D-MI), Chairman of the Armed Services Committee, spoke on the Senate floor earlier this afternoon and went straight after George W. Bush for constantly misleading the American people about the "progress" that's happening in the Iraqi occupation.

"The President had a pre-surge strategy, a surge strategy, and now he's offered a post-surge strategy," said Levin, whose Levin-Reed amendment is under consideration in the Senate's overnight session. "What has remained constant in all these strategies is one thing: they all have an open-ended commitment of U.S. forces in the middle of Iraq's civil war."

Levin then spelled it out:

Yet month after month, year after year, the Administration has touted progress in Iraq and called for patience. It has been a litany of delusion. Just listen to President Bush’s repeated claims of progress:

• In October of 2003, President Bush stated: “We’re making progress about improving the lives of the people there in Iraq"

• On September 25, 2004, the President said: “We’re making steady progress in implementing our five-step plan toward the goal we all want: completing the mission so that Iraq is stable and self-governing, and American troops can come home...."

• On April 28, 2005, the President said: “I believe we’re really making progress in Iraq…."

• On October 28, 2005, the President said: “Iraq has made incredible political progress...."

• On November 14, 2005, the President said: “Iraqis are making inspiring progress toward building a democracy."

• On May 25, 2006, the President said: “We’re making progress on all fronts".

• On March 19, 2007, the President said: “There has been good progress."

Imagine how many times Bush will say that between now and January 2009 if he's allowed to continue his reign of error.