Edwards Statement On Bush Comments On Iraq Funding Bill

Chapel Hill, North Carolina – Senator John Edwards released the following statement about President Bush's recent comments saying he is open to discussing benchmarks as part of the Iraq War funding bill.

"More and more Republicans are losing patience with President Bush's stubborn pursuit of his failed Iraq policy, and even the president himself is waking up to the reality that his disastrous strategy does not have the support of the American people. Now is not the time for Democrats to cave to the president – now is the time to stand firm.

"The American people gave Congress a mission to end the war - not a mission to accept meaningless benchmarks or endless temporary extensions. There is only one way to stop the president - Congress should use its funding authority to end the war. Congress passed a plan to support our troops and bring them home, and they should do it again. And if the president vetoes it - if he vetoes any bill that supports our troops but sets conditions - then he alone is standing in the way of what our troops need."