Washington, July 12 (PTI) A top opposition leader in the US Congress has slammed President George W Bush for persisting with a "flawed" strategy in Iraq and blamed it for the resurgence of al Qaeda which has found a sanctuary on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said "given President (George W) Bush's stubborn dedication to keeping our overextended military mired in an Iraqi civil war, it is not surprising that al Qaeda has been able to reorganize and rebuild." "It is a travesty that Osama bin Laden remains at large nearly six years after the 9/11 attacks and appears to have found new sanctuary to operate freely in the Afghanistan- Pakistan border regions," he said.
The Democrat said that the Bush Administration and most Congressional Republicans "would rather stubbornly stick with a flawed strategy and fight a war that senior military leaders say cannot be won militarily, than adapt to fighting the enemy who attacked us nearly six years ago.
"It is essential that we dedicate our resources and attention to al Qaeda and the real threat it poses," he said, adding Democrats "are continuing to fight to change course in Iraw so that we can refocus the nation's effort to more effectively fight terrorism".
Reid was responding to an intelligence report that the White House is set to discuss today. Prepared by the National Counterterrorism Centre, it is titled "Al Qaeda Better Positioned to Strike the West". PTI
Source : http://www.ptinews.com/pti%5Cptisite.nsf/$All/F552A81859B078706525731600447910?OpenDocument
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said "given President (George W) Bush's stubborn dedication to keeping our overextended military mired in an Iraqi civil war, it is not surprising that al Qaeda has been able to reorganize and rebuild." "It is a travesty that Osama bin Laden remains at large nearly six years after the 9/11 attacks and appears to have found new sanctuary to operate freely in the Afghanistan- Pakistan border regions," he said.
The Democrat said that the Bush Administration and most Congressional Republicans "would rather stubbornly stick with a flawed strategy and fight a war that senior military leaders say cannot be won militarily, than adapt to fighting the enemy who attacked us nearly six years ago.
"It is essential that we dedicate our resources and attention to al Qaeda and the real threat it poses," he said, adding Democrats "are continuing to fight to change course in Iraw so that we can refocus the nation's effort to more effectively fight terrorism".
Reid was responding to an intelligence report that the White House is set to discuss today. Prepared by the National Counterterrorism Centre, it is titled "Al Qaeda Better Positioned to Strike the West". PTI
Source : http://www.ptinews.com/pti%5Cptisite.nsf/$All/F552A81859B078706525731600447910?OpenDocument