Denver, Colorado - Colorado Democratic Party Chair Pat Waak issued the following statement on the 64th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor:

"Today marks the 64th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. December 7, 1941 was a tragic day that compelled this great nation to a great war in the service of our greatest calling: the triumph of democracy over tyranny. Because President Franklin D. Roosevelt presented a clear plan for success to the American people, America's allies and America's troops, the United States was the decisive force in one of history's most important struggles.

"Today, as we reflect on that victory, it is difficult to ignore the stark contrast between President Roosevelt's leadership of the Second World War and President Bush's failed leadership on Iraq. Even today, President Bush delivered yet another speech in which he failed to present a clear plan for victory in Iraq. President Bush's continued failure to rally our allies and engage the international community in the effort to rebuild Iraq has forced the brave men and women in our armed forces to shoulder that burden almost entirely alone.

"The Coloradoans serving today in Iraq deserve better. They deserve leaders who honor their service and sacrifice with more than rosy rhetoric about staying the course, but with a plan for victory that includes clear benchmarks for success. They deserve leaders who understand that staying the course is not a strategy, but a sad excuse for not having a plan.

"The time has come for Colorado's Republicans in Washington to put partisanship aside and stand with Democrats in fighting for a real plan for victory in Iraq. We can only win this war if the Iraqi people are able to play a greater role in peacekeeping, if the president gives an honest assessment of what's really happening on the ground in Iraq, and if we take responsible measures to get the target off the backs of our troops. Colorado's Republicans in Washington should join Democrats in fighting for a plan that makes this possible.

"As the daughter of a World War II veteran, the wife of a Viet Nam veteran and the aunt of an Iraqi war veteran, I believe that together, America can and should do better."