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Joo Rip Gwa Rhhee
Joined: 25 May 2003
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 Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 7:01 am Post subject: Democrats Praise Military Progress |
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Democrats Praise Military Progress
Aug 8 07:33 PM US/Eastern
By KIMBERLY HEFLING
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - One senator said U.S. troops are routing out al-Qaida in parts of Iraq. Another insisted President Bush's plan to increase troops has caused tactical momentum.
One even went so far on Wednesday as to say the argument could be made that U.S. troops are winning.
These are not Bush-backing GOP die-hards, but Democratic Sens. Dick Durbin, Bob Casey and Jack Reed. Even Sen. Carl Levin, chairman of the Senate Armed Services committee, said progress was being made by soldiers.
The suggestions by them and other Democrats in recent days that at least a portion of Bush's strategy in Iraq is working is somewhat surprising, considering the bitter exchanges on Capitol Hill between the Democratic majority and Republicans and Bush. Democrats have long said Bush's policies have been nothing more than a complete failure.
The Democrats' choice to acknowledge the military's progress in Iraq signals support for the troops, a message that voters want to hear. But they still heap criticism on Bush and his Iraq strategy, which promises to be a prominent issue in next year's presidential election.
All of Washington is waiting for the September assessment from Gen. David Petraeus, the U.S. commander in Iraq, and Ambassador Ryan Crocker about the Bush administration strategy. Bush has called the plan a "surge" because it poured thousands more troops into the country.
A key component of the January plan was that there be political progress in Iraq. Last week, the chief lawmaking body in Iraq went into recess until September without accomplishing much of what U.S. leaders had hoped they would.
Levin, while saying military progress was being made, said the troop build-up could not be considered a success because its purpose was to make way for political reconciliation, and that hasn't happened.
"The only hope is if they take the responsibility onto themselves and we end the open-ended military commitment," Levin, of Michigan, said Sunday on CNN's "Late Edition."
Reed, a Rhode Island senator who visited Iraq last month, said there's been tactical momentum, but it "has yet to translate itself into real political momentum, which is the key, I think, to progress."
Durbin, an Illinois senator who is traveling this week with Pennsylvania Sen. Casey, told CNN on Wednesday that "naturally" troops are routing out al-Qaida in parts of Iraq, but then explained there's no evidence of the government in the areas.
In a conference call with reporters, Casey said one could make a good argument that U.S. troops have won the war, then accused Iraqi politicians and the Bush administration of not matching the intensity of the troops.
"The troops have met every assignment, they've beaten the odds time and again, they've done everything we've asked them to," Casey said.
California Democratic Rep. Jerry McNerney had a different take. After visiting Iraq last month and visiting with Petraeus, McNerney said signs of progress led him to decide he'll be a little more flexible about when troops should be brought home.
"I'm more willing to work with finding a way forward to accommodate what the generals are saying," McNerney said.
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Associated Press writers Erica Werner and Anne Flaherty contributed to this report.
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http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8QT56I80&show_article=1 |
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Kuros
Joined: 27 Apr 2004
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| Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 1:09 pm Post subject: |
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Well, to be fair, the generals have been telling us the problem is political in nature. I believe this is code for saying, 'we are sitting on a Sunni-Shi'a tinderbox trying to contain a conflagration.'
Part of the issue is that Bush is not using the withdrawal condition for optimal diplomatic effect. At some point the US has to leave. The US can offer to leave sooner if certain conditions are in place which can be controlled by the various factions. Deterioration of the general security of Iraqis upon withdrawal of US forces could be used as a justification for reinserting troops.
But let's be honest, Joo. Bush is holding American troops hostage for his own political reasons. |
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twg
Joined: 02 Nov 2006
Location: Getting some fresh air...
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| Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 4:26 pm Post subject: |
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Not treating "The Troops" like they're walking saints who can do anything they set their minds to is political suicide. And treating them like they are is good for a cheap boost in the polls.
These guys are simply playing politics. In a year and a bit, they are going to have a huge flaming bag of Iraq poop sitting in their laps as a farewell gift from the neo-cons, and they're already trying to show that they're pro-military.
"The Troops" are nothing more than a political tool for both sides. |
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Joo Rip Gwa Rhhee
Joined: 25 May 2003
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| Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 7:54 pm Post subject: |
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| Kuros wrote: |
Well, to be fair, the generals have been telling us the problem is political in nature. I believe this is code for saying, 'we are sitting on a Sunni-Shi'a tinderbox trying to contain a conflagration.'
Part of the issue is that Bush is not using the withdrawal condition for optimal diplomatic effect. At some point the US has to leave. The US can offer to leave sooner if certain conditions are in place which can be controlled by the various factions. Deterioration of the general security of Iraqis upon withdrawal of US forces could be used as a justification for reinserting troops.
But let's be honest, Joo. Bush is holding American troops hostage for his own political reasons. |
Hopefull the US will continue to keep forces in Kurdistan and it ought to for both strategic and ethical reasons. |
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