were the democrats elected because of their promise of rapid withdrawl from Iraq?
963652
Voter surveys on election Day 2006 indicated that the number one reason most voters chose a Democratic candidate was their unhappiness with the war in Iraq. In essence, they voted to give the other guys a chance after five years of what many voters viewed as failed foreign policies, though there is no indication that the voters wanted any particular policy, only for something to make the situation in Iraq better for the United States. While Iraq was the primary reason for voters' unhappiness with the Bush Administration, they were also unhappy with the increasingly unfair returns of the national economy, the overwhelming sense of corruption generated by the Republican-controlled Congress since 1994 and the federal government's poor response to Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, an issue with particular potency among black voters. Hispanic voters were also driven to abandon the GOP because of conservatives' hardline on immigration. In 2004, President Bush had taken almost 40% of the Hispanic vote, but in the 2006 midterms the Republicans took only 20%, a major falloff that hurt them, especially in the West. Overall, the voters simply wanted change, and the Democrats played the old political trick of offering up no concrete policies to the electorate so that they could be everything to everyone--an empty vessel for people to pour their desires for change into.
708833
What happened? When the republicans found out that the democrats would make sure that if they were in office there would be no draft. They could not risk losing votes from fear voters and parents that thier children would not be drafted therefore Bush promised that their would be no draft. IT was a pre election promised that he kept.
723881
Phil, I was in Iraq.  Funny, I didn't see you there...  Democrats, Republicans....  Does it REALLY matter?  They're ALL over paid and underworked.  And they'll all promise to kiss you when they're done too.  I'm not a Republican, I'm a conservative.  I believe we should "Teach" those in need how to catch fish so that they will be able to eat for a lifetime, not just hand them one so that they can eat for today.  (in reference to government handouts like welfare)\nI believe in holding people accountable instead of holding their hand...\nI know the last Democrat to actually get us out of a war was Truman.  And it was only because of people like Churchill...  Incidently, he was also the last president to not have a college degree.\nAnd if being a Democrat is so high and mighty, then why were they the ones to support the institution of slavery in this country?  (Lincoln was a Republican)  Guess it kind of makes sense then that so many "minorities" in this country support an organization that went to war to try and continue to oppress them...    But wait, it occurs to me that welfare is still a form of slavery and opression... Duh.\nAm I the only one who finds it a little more than slightly disconcerting that the head of Al Qaeda in Iraq and the "President" of Iran both commended the American people for having voted in the Democrats?
80538
I think there's a distinct possibility that the Republicans could lose their majority in the House and Senate.  Iraq stands at the top of a growing list of concerns that Americans have about the leadership of the country.\n\nIraq has become a quagmire with no good solution in sight.  To stay invites more of our young men and women to lose some part of the life they could have had without fighting such a needless battle.  To leave now suggests those who have already lost did so for no good reason.  \n\nThe question many Americans ask is: who got us here?  It's too late to punish President Bush; even if they wanted to, John Kerry never seemed presidential enough to do the job.  With the mid-term elections just ahead, they may likely look to those who have championed Bush's cause again and again and take it out on them.  All the Democrats need are enough candidates who can tell that story and Bush may find his last two years in office a whole lot different than the first six.
932183
He was sacked (they call it resignation because it's less cruel) because he was the architect of the disastrously unsuccessful war in Iraq. This war, according to many exit-polls, was a principle reason for people voting Democrat.
806938
I think I understand what your asking.  Now that Democrats have control of congress and if the next election is successful for them.. what will happen?  I don't know that answer, but hopefully the next two years will have brought Iraq the independence it needs to govern and protect itself form the insurgents.  So that if we do pull out more aggressively all of this wont have been for nothing.
880476
The Dems want the draft\n\nWait, I thought the Dems wanted an immediate pull out?\n\nWait...wait...do I hear?  Yes, thats it!  Flip flop!
948150
NO\nThe primary agenda for these folks will be to find a way for us to shorten this unholy war going on in Iraq---with some solution as to how we do that without turning the place into the civil war blood bath that advisors told Bush would happen if he took the country apart and didn't have a plan on how to reunify it ---but he was just SET on teaching Sadaam a lesson \nThis group of people (Congress)  has their hands full at trying to regain control of an out of control administration !!!  They are not thinking of a draft-- something that would only happen in a widening of the war effort thing---they want us to exit this thing in some way with honor and dignity and leave the country of Iraq on SOME kind of govern themselves footing ----NO SMALL TASK INDEED  !!!!!!!
825662
The same reasons why the Democrats joined the Republicans in voting to invade Iraq. Your lapse of memory is what will go into some book!
898220
You could start out that ,"while the Democrats won does anyone know what they ran on except that they ran against George Bush and Iraq?" What were or are their plans? They ran saying they would get us out of Iraq! From what has been said since the election we are staying.
960701
the war was lost long ago.  when the photos from our torture sessions at abu graihb came out.  (released by good military men who were anguished and disgusted by these war crimes.)\n\nanyway, james baker, of bush 41 and of the florida recount, ran a commission for bush 43 with proposals on iraq.  they finished up their report before the election and recommended withdrawal.\n\nthey want you to think 'dems' did this.\n\ndon't you get tired of being played like a fiddle by these right wing gangsters?
921341
They are towards leaving Iraq.  They really don't have a plan right now.  They wanted to use scare tactics against Americans, so they get the vote.  As of now, I haven't heard any plans yet.
858470
Not long.  \n\nThe voters had a temper tantrum.  \n\nWe weren't able to get our message out to the voters.\n\nThe elections were stolen.\n\nAny of the above sound familiar?  Those were Democrat excuses.  You'll hear none of that from us Conservatives.  We lost Congress fair and square because we didn't perform, because we didn't live up to our ideals of less gov't, less pork, and more accountability.
890113
They will stay until Iraq is stable enough to be on its own, and not a minute sooner, I assure you. The President still controls the military and both Democrats and Republicans can see the value of a reliable Democracy in the Middle East so do not expect them home anytime soon. Sorry to burst your bubble, I know you just want them out of harms way.
634051
True.  Our government lied to us about why we were going in, and like sheeps to slaughter we believed it.  Now that we are there we can't just pull out and let whoever can grab the most power the quickest take over.  I for one apologize to those who lost loved ones because our president is a warmongering moron but can't support a full pullout of troops until the Iraqi people have a firm hold on their country (i.e. government is stable and not under dictatorship).  And no there is no honesty in the U.S. government.  We gave them power and they took it and have used it without us REALLY keeping up with what they are doing.  Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
2776
i believe that a slow and thorough withdrawl over a period of the next year is the only way out of iraq.  we made the mess, and now we MUST do our best to leave them with a non-explosive situation once we are gone.  many of the iraq's don't want us there, but are afraid of an immediate withdrawl will land their society into the hands of the political extremes and possibly fundamentalist elements.  we cannot pull out now, but over time with control.
889180
Yes, and it's actually quite simple. Give the Iraqi government a SPECIFIC deadline to withdraw coalition troops and stick to it. They are not holding up their end of the deal. They think if they continue to appear weak and in distress that we will stay inevitably, and we seem to be falling into that trap. Our administration needs to get a clue that they are really being played by these people. How's April 1st. No Foolin'.