WASHINGTON, July 12 (UPI) -- Thursday's report on progress in Iraq shows the United States must begin withdrawing troops, Democratic leaders in Congress said.
The interim report found the Iraqi government has failed to bring factions together to agree on important points like the division of oil revenue. It did say some progress has been made on security since the U.S. troop increase started.
"This misguided escalation was supposed to give the Iraqi politicians breathing room to achieve the political compromises needed to end their civil war," said Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., the party's 2004 standard bearer. "During the escalation, 600 American soldiers have given their lives to give the Iraqis a chance, and the Iraqis have only wasted time and squandered opportunities."
Kerry said waiting until September to change the U.S. strategy would be "immoral."
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said the report is not a "snapshot" of the current situation "but a sad reality of what has been occurring in that country for the past few years."
