WASHINGTON, Jan. 24 (UPI) -- A prominent Democratic congressman Tuesday slammed U.S. President George W. Bush's policies on Iraq and energy security and independence.
Rep. John Dingle, D-Mich., was reacting to the president's comments in his State of the Union speech Tuesday night.
"This White House has gotten far too comfortable with placing unreasonable burdens on some Americans at the expense of all of us," Dingle said in a statement. "In Iraq, the president wants our heroic soldiers to stand between warring factions, while failing to provide diplomatic, political and economic solutions. This war was oversold and remains understaffed -- even with the additional troops."
Dingle's comments indicated that the president may not receive the bipartisan support he was hoping for in implementing his new military strategy on the Iraq war from the majority Democrats who control the new 110th Congress.
Dingle also urged the president to pressure major oil companies to be more energetic in providing alternative fuels such as ethanol to American consumers.
"Biodiesel, ethanol, and other renewable fuels are vital to this nation reducing its reliance on foreign oil," he said. "Vehicles that run on these fuels are being produced in record numbers -- right here in the United States. I agree with the president that we need to do more to increase their availability as an alternative to petroleum, but the president also needs to put pressure on the oil industry to get these alternative fuels into the hands of American consumers."
