Reid, Pelosi reject Kennedy’s calls for set withdrawal

Congress’ top two Democrats said yesterday that there should not be a set schedule for pulling troops out of Iraq, contradicting Sen. Edward M. Kennedy’s call on Thursday for the United States to withdraw 12,000 troops immediately and complete a full withdrawal by early 2006.

“As far as setting a timeline, as we learned in the Balkans, that’s not a wise decision, because it only empowers those who don’t want us there. And it doesn’t work well to do that,” said Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat.

On Thursday, Mr. Kennedy, Massachusetts Democrat, gave a speech calling for an immediate withdrawal of some troops as a way of showing that the United States does not intend to be an occupying force and then called for the military to come up with a plan for complete pullout in early 2006.

But House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, California Democrat, who joined Mr. Reid for a “prebuttal” to President Bush’s upcoming State of the Union address, said the critical element is having a clear set of goals.

“It’s not about a calendar; it’s about performance,” Mrs. Pelosi said when asked whether she agreed with Mr. Kennedy’s call.

But she said the administration still hasn’t laid out a clear set of performance goals so Americans can judge progress.

“But if you have no plan, no road map, no standards, it’s very hard to judge whether you have succeeded and whether it’s time to come home,” she said.

At the White House yesterday, press secretary Scott McClellan said it will be up to “the commanders on the ground” and the Iraqi government to decide troop levels, but he said setting a specific timetable would “send the wrong message to the terrorists because all the terrorists have to do is wait, and then they can plan and coordinate and prepare attacks around those timetables.”

Asked about an exit strategy, he said the focus should be on the work that American troops are doing.

“We want to talk about the importance of completing the mission and helping the Iraqi people build a brighter future. That’s where our focus should be,” he said. “The mission is, as I stated, to put Iraq on a path to democracy and in position to be able to defend themselves. And then our troops can return home with honor.”

Mr. Bush delivers the annual State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress tomorrow, and Mrs. Pelosi and Mr. Reid, in dual speeches at the National Press Club yesterday, previewed his challenge.

Both said they don’t have high expectations for his oratory.

Mr. Reid, compared the president unfavorably to former President Ronald Reagan, whose speeches he recalled being “mesmerized by.”

“I was watching what he was saying and not hearing what he was saying because he was so good,” Mr. Reid said. “I don’t think that’s a danger we’re going to have Wednesday night.”

Mrs. Pelosi said the bar is fairly low for Mr. Bush to get a good reception — at least from the Republicans who will pack the room.

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