Harry Reid speaks out AGAINST troop increases at HuffPo:

Frankly, I don't believe that more troops is the answer for Iraq. It's a civil war and America should not be policing a Sunni-Shia conflict. In addition, we don't have the additional forces to put in there. We obviously want to support what commanders in the field say they need, but apparently even the Joint Chiefs do not support increased combat forces for Baghdad.

Color me wowed, but cautious as well: talk is cheap. Will this statement be followed up with action? What will Harry and the Dems DO to stop this?

His previous statement going along with the Bush "surge" was shameful. It was the latest example of political expediency at the cost of US and Iraqi lives.

As we discussed earlier today, nobody wants a Praetorian Guard situation. Now is exactly the time for the new Majority in Congress to stop playing victims and show some leadership. Everyone with half a brain who isn't a bitter-ender neocon fantasist knows that the Surge will be a disaster. Even the Joint Chiefs for Jeebus' sake.

Time to be known as the party that stands up against stupid, bloody mistakes. We've been waiting for a long time.

UPDATE: Very interesting that Harry decided to go to HuffPo first, rather than the traditional media. Could it be he's going directly to the base who was obviously pissed off about his previous statement?

Also interesting is to watch the reaction unfold on memeorandum. The dumbest wingnuts are already afroth, and Chris Bowers has a whiney-ass attack on anyone who dared question Harry Read based on words he actually spoke.