"Yesterday, on CNN, House Majority Leader John Boehner blamed the US military for losing the war in Iraq:
House Majority Leader John Boehner: Wolf, I understand that, but let's not blame what's happening in Iraq on Rumsfeld.
Wolf Blitzer: But he's in charge of the military.
House Majority Leader John Boehner: But the fact is the generals on the ground are in charge and he works closely with them and the president. [CNN, 11/1/06]
Given an opportunity to take back that comment, Boehner elected instead to stay the course.
A Boehner spokesman later insisted that blaming the military for losing the war is not criticizing the military."