<

Democrats Begin to Take Shots at Status of War Effort
Saturday, March 2, 2002
The Gainesville Sun

"We need to know what direction the war is going in and how do we judge whether we have been successful or not," Rep. Charles B. Rangel, D-N.Y., said in a television interview. "We as a nation do not know what is going on, and it is frightening."

WASHINGTON
After months of studied solidarity behind the war on terrorism, congressional Democrats are posing increasingly skeptical questions about the campaign's goals and direction, as well as President Bush's proposed military buildup.

Questions came from the top of the Democratic Party on Thursday when Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota told reporters the future success of the mission in Afghanistan was "in doubt" and that the military cannot yet claim victory because terrorist leaders remain at large.

"Clearly we've got to find Mohammed Omar (the head of the Taliban regime), we've got to find Osama bin Laden and we've got to find other key leaders of the al-Qaeda network, or we will have failed," Daschle said. "We're not safe until we have broken the back of al-Qaeda, and we haven't done that yet."

Republicans immediately slammed Daschle for casting doubt on the war effort while troops are in the field.

"How dare Sen. Daschle criticize President Bush while we are fighting our war on terrorism," Senate Republican Leader Trent Lott of Mississippi said.

A spokeswoman for Daschle later issued a statement saying the senator did not intend his comments to be construed as critical of Bush and his campaign against terrorism.
(More: The Gainesville Sun News Source)
2002 © The Gainesville Sun.

"We as a nation do not know what is going on, and it is frightening."

You people out there in IT Land need to start keeping me informed. I hadn't realize we were all supposed to be frightened now.

Anyone know if Rangel tells scary stories about spectral visitations around campfires late in the evening? I'll bet he's good at it.

Dan