Washington, D.C. — Council for a Livable World, one of the nation’s oldest and largest organizations working on national security and weapons of mass destruction issues, today released its analysis of the 2006 elections:
“The American voters rejected the failed policies of George W. Bush in Iraq and elected to the U.S. Senate thoughtful and effective advocates of responsible national security priorities,� said Jerome Grossman, Council for a Livable World’s chairman emeritus and John Isaacs, president.
“The biggest issues in the election were the war in Iraq and the performance of President Bush – and these two issues were interrelated,� continued the statement.
“The failed war in Iraq damaged President Bush’s image as a leader and undercut the entire Republican Party . . . Clearly, Iraq was the number one voting issue.
“There is hope that the new Congress will press President Bush to begin withdrawal of American troops from Iraq. Democrats who had been reluctant to tackle national security issues in 2002 and 2004 found their voices in 2006, labeling the Iraq war a failure and a painful example of disastrous Bush foreign policies. “
“Some Republicans may also look for foreign policy change. GOP office holders are likely to see the Iraq war as the major reason for their losses.�
“The pressures for an exit strategy are enormous,� concluded the statement.