Reid hints at another Iraq vote this year

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), arguing that the troop surge in Iraq “has not accomplished its goals,” said that Congress could vote again this year on bringing U.S. troops home.

{mosads}Reid told reporters on the first day back from the Thanksgiving break that the war has “come at a great price to our country.”

The Democratic leader noted that Iraq did not meet the benchmarks it set out to accomplish and that the surge has not been successful in allowing Iraqis to reach national reconciliation.

However, Reid acknowledged that the surge might be responsible for reducing the violence in the war-torn country. He was careful not to give the strategy too much credit and instead blasted Republicans for being “committed to an open-ended war in Iraq.”

“They’re boasting now about, if things work out well by next summer — that is, the summer of 2008 — the war will be six and half years in endurance at that time, they’re talking about maybe we can start drawing down troops below 130,000 by then,” Reid told reporters.

He added that Democrats are willing to offer to pass a war funding bill with “minimal strings attached” but have been rebuked by a White House that wants no accountability.