Sen. Clinton: More time needed for Iraq Transfer

[barbaraann]

Sat Nov 29,10:35 AM ET Add Top Stories - Reuters to My Yahoo!
By Haitham Haddadin

MUBARAK AIR BASE, KUWAIT (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton (news - web sites) said on Saturday President Bush (news - web sites)'s administration was moving too fast in a planned transfer of power to the Iraqis by July.

"It's going to take more time than has been allotted for the process to take hold," the New York Democrat told Reuters during a brief stopover to visit U.S. troops in Kuwait.

"I don't think we should be setting artificial timelines as this is a very challenging undertaking and we need to work with our Iraqi counterparts and make sure that the steps that are being taken are going to work."

More: http://news.yahoo.com/?tmpl=story&cid=578&e=5&u=/nm/20031129/ts_nm/iraq_clinton_hillary_dc

So, am I missing something or is this just awful?

[demgrrrll]

1. I think we are in more danger now than we were before Bush and his

pals decided to invade Iraq. It was a monumental blunder.
I am of two minds here. My first response is to get the troops home and let the chips fall where they may. Their lives are important and it burns me up that he has put soldiers in harms way for no reason other than greed. That being said I can also see that the invasion has
made the world more, not less dangerous and that there may be things I am not aware of that make the stabilization of Iraq a high priority
which may make a longer time frame necessary. I need more information before I make a firm statement either way.

[freethought23]

3. We can either leave now or be forced to leave later at greater cost...

Just as in Vietnam.

Unfortunately, I don't see any Democrats (with the possible exception of Kucinich) advocating anything like immediate withdrawal. Even Dean says we have to stay a couple more years. And Clark now appears committed to continuing our military presence, with improved "guerrilla warfare training."

Will someone please correct me if I am wrong?

[cosmicdot]

2. cut off the money to Halliburton et al

no one is really monitoring the treaury-raid

we need someone to take-charge of the Project and micro-manage it

[WillyT]

4. Remember...

Andy Card, and the other Boys From Brazil, told us that you roll out your 'new product' in the fall. They challenged everyone's patriotism, and influenced the votes\elections of 2002 by putting forth the IWR. Unfortunately, it worked. We voted war.

Then, with several hundred thousand troops in the area, and a scorching summer on the horizon, they went pre-emptive\unilateral to get this thing over with before the heat started to melt the military and make conditions unbearable. Unfortunately, no rose petalled highways were found, and we are in a quagmire. Like those of us who protested thought we would be.

Could be, that Hillary is sensing that these criminal idiots in power might be about to pull our troops out in July because the timing would be 'perfect' for the rePuke convention, and Presidential election, scheduled just a few months later. And unfortunately, this too might work to their advantage.

Gee, ya think an August ticker-tape parade down the 'Canyon of Heroes' in New York City isn't making Karl Rove wet himself with possibilities???

We are the pawns...

[freethought23]

5. Forget it

If Hillary is "sensing" that Bush is going to pull the troops out in July, she has lost her senses.

[WillyT]

6. Oh, I'm Not Saying A Unilateral Pull-Out...

We're gonna have to get troops from the Marshall Islands, Antarctica, and The Lesser Fuckwads (who else is in our 'coalition'?) to rotate our guys out. We can't just cut and run, so we'll have to let others hold onto this tar pit for us, no???

:shrug:

[freethought23]

10. Why not? We did it in Vietnam.

You said: "We can't just cut and run."
Why not? We did it in Vietnam. We kept saying, "We can't just cut and run" for 10 years. And then, 58,000 dead GI's later, we just cut and run. Better to do it sooner than later, don'tcha think?

[abelenkpe]

13. I agree

We should just cut and run. Not that anyone is going to write policy based off my opinion. Our troops are over there without the proper gear. Parents are buying them flak jackets and sending them to their kids stationed in Iraq. Soldiers are forced to buy their own utility belts, gloves, flashlights and clothing. This whole affair has been mismanaged from the begining. How many have to die before we realise this is a war we cannot win. How much of our taxpayer dollars have to disappear down this black hole, depriving our elderly of health care and our children of adequate schooling? The only reason the US wants to stay is so that they can install leadership friendly to US corporations and contractors. We should have already turned Iraq over to the UN. I am begining to suspect that every politician who states that we should stay longer in Iraq has been bought off by big business. How can any sane person argue that occupying Iraq increases our safety hear at home or abroad when our soldiers and allies are dying every day? threat against our nation have increased, not decreased. We are systematically alienating every one of our former allies and the entire arab world with our arrogant insistence of staying 'in control' of Iraq and it's resources. Hilary's comments are really disheartening and a great disappointment. That's it, I gotta go out. Have a good evening!

[Eloriel]

11. No, it'll just be for show

Nominally turn political power over to the Iraqis (nominally), make a big show of it, withdraw a few troops and make a big show of that. Keep the numbers of currently deployed troops a BIG secret, etc.

Just another lie, or set of them.

Eloriel

[freethought23]

12. I think you're right.

Just political theater.

[barbaraann]

8. Oh, boy.

I honestly hadn't thought of that. It really does make me feel pawn-like.

[kskiska]

7. Chalabi said

the plan is for * to appear in Baghdad in October to celebrate the turnover to Iraq.

[WillyT]

9. Kick !!!

:kick:

[VolcanoJen]

14. Dupe... locking

Please continue discussion within the original LBN thread on this topic, which can be found here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=245020

barbaraann, it would be very helpful if you could post your link to the Yahoo! story in the other thread.

Thanks!
VolcanoJen
DU Moderator