Statement of U.S. Senator Russ Feingold On the National Intelligence Estimate Released Today February 2, 2007 “The National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq released today confirms what has been apparent for some time – the Bush Administration’s policy of fighting an indefinite war in Iraq is not working and will not work. The NIE also confirms that what is going on in Iraq is indeed a civil war. We shouldn't ask our brave troops to police a civil war. “What the Intelligence Community was not asked to do is to find a way out. That’s the job of the policy-makers. Congress must exercise the power of the purse to redeploy U.S. forces from Iraq so that we can refocus our efforts on defeating al Qaeda and other global threats. “Over the past month, I have asked State Department officials, military generals and the leadership of the Intelligence Community about strategies to deal with the mess this war has created in Iraq as we redeploy our troops. I am deeply concerned that this Administration, which went to war in Iraq without a plan, has no plan for leaving. The failure thus far to develop these strategies is irresponsible.”

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