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Reid Declares War Is Lost

Rhetorical bombshell fires up pundits, but will policy consequences follow?

By J. Kelman, Newser User

Posted Apr 20, 2007 8:31 AM CDT

(Newser) – Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has upped the ante in the Dems' rhetoric on Iraq, saying the U.S. has "lost" in Iraq, and warning that, "the surge is not accomplishing anything." But he stopped short of threatening to pull funding from the war, the biggest gun in his policy arsenal.

Reid's comments—which followed a meeting between lawmakers and the White House attempting a compromise on Iraq—fired up conservative bloggers, who have whipped out their most vitriolic language for the soft-spoken senator. Michelle Malkin calls him "treacherous;" Gateway Pundit says he's the "latest Democrat to echo Al Qaeda on the troop surge."

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Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nev., right, accompanied by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., left, speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, April 18, 2007, about Iraq. ... (Associated Press)

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Reid Declares War Is Lost