HOUSE Republican Leader John Boehner

Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN): “The success in Ramadi is not just because of bombs and bullets, but because the U.S. and Iraqi military and the Iraqi police are partnering with the tribal leadership and the religious leadership … So they’re not trying to just bomb people into submission. What they’re doing is respecting the people, giving the people some control over their own lives.” (“Ellison Returns From Trip To Iraq,” Associated Press, 7/30/07)

Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-CA): “In Ramadi, McNerney and the others walked with military escorts in an open-air market. The troops have ‘made quite a bit of progress here, (Ramadi)’ McNerney said.” (Lisa Vorderbrueggen, “McNerney Tells Of Quick Trip To Iraq,” Contra Costa [CA] Times, 7/30/07)

Rep. Tim Mahoney (D-FL): “Mahoney said his group also met with U.S. Maj. Gen. Walter Gaskin and a colonel in his command. Gaskin told the lawmakers the troop surge had allowed the U.S. to force al Qaeda from Ramadi. ‘That has really made a difference and really has gotten al Qaeda on their heels [sic],’ Mahoney said.” (Greg Martin, “Iraq Visit Shows Need For Exit Plan, Mahoney Says,” Charlotte [FL] Sun, 7/31/07)

“[Senator Joe] Lieberman [D-CT] called Democratic leaders ‘naive in thinking we can somehow defeat this enemy with talk, or they're simply hesitant to use American power, including military power.’”

“Echoing the late Sen. Henry ‘Scoop’ Jackson of Washington, Lieberman pointed to the ‘great tradition in our history of partisanship generally receding when it comes to foreign policy. But for the moment we've lost that.’”

“All the signs are that we have a chance to win in Iraq and prevent large-scale genocide. Yet rather than going all-out to win there, most Democrats in Congress are going all-out to win in Washington against Bush; they're dying to see him blamed for a failed war. And instead of recognizing the historic threat posed by a nuclear-armed Iran, they pretend that talk can be used as an effective weapon against an Islamofascist madman.”

“The sadness that Lieberman feels for his beloved party gone awry would surely be shared by Scoop Jackson, not to mention Presidents Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman — just as it is by the millions of patriotic Democrats all across this land.”