Lieberman says U.S. needs to stay in Iraq [View All]

[Moloch]

NORWICH -- The United States needs to maintain commitments in Iraq to prevent insurgents who want to stop the "democratization" of the nation, said Sen. Joseph Lieberman Monday

"There's a lot on the line in this," Lieberman told the Norwich Bulletin editorial board Monday afternoon. "They want to stop us from helping the Iraqis to form a stable, democratizing, modernizing country in the middle of the Arab and Islamic world. And that's the great battle we have."

The Democratic senator spoke to the board for about 40 minutes on a number of different topics, from prescription drug coverage to his recent run for president. But he answered questions on the war in Iraq at length, saying the United States should address what he called "an obvious security crisis" with additional troops and an internationalized security force. But having spoken to ambassadors and representatives from NATO countries, he was uncertain of a timetable.

"They're not ready to come in," Lieberman said. "I mean, I don't know that anyone can convince them to come in right now. I saw the French ambassador awhile ago, and he said, look, if the United Nations adopts a resolution around June 30, we will send in a considerable number of gendarmes to train the Iraqis' domestic security forces. Well, that's quite helpful. It should be. But that's not troops on the ground."

Lieberman says U.S. needs to stay in Iraq