Lieberman Explains Iraq War Stance in Speech

[brooklynite]

Senator Joseph I. Lieberman made a last-ditch attempt this evening to explain his support for the war in Iraq and win back doubting voters in Connecticut before the state primary election on Tuesday.

Using his strongest language of the campaign in a speech that might well determine his political fate, Mr. Lieberman said that he still believed his vote to authorize the war in 2002 was correct, yet he now felt a “heavy responsibility” to end the war quickly. (Text of Speech)

He said he wanted to withdraw American troops “as fast as anyone,” yet insisted that quitting Iraq now would be a “disaster” that could lead to further sectarian violence there.

“I want to get our troops home as fast as anyone, probably more than most, and as I have repeatedly said, I am against an open-ended commitment,” Mr. Lieberman said, according to a copy of remarks prepared for delivery. “But if we simply give up and pull out now, like my opponent wants to do, then it would be a disaster to Iraq and to us. We would run a high risk of allowing Iraq to become like Afghanistan when the Taliban were in charge, and Al Qaeda had safe haven from which to strike us.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/06/nyregion/06cnd-campaign.html?ei=5094&en=43fd70200b9a73fe&hp=&ex=1154923200&partner=homepage&pagewanted=print

This would have been an effective speech -- three months ago. Now, it just looks like a desperate attempt to claim Joe understands and is sensitive to the opposition to the war.

[DoYouEverWonder]

1. Give it up Joe

No one wants to hear your song anymore.

[Botany]

6. EGG Zac Lee

[IndianaGreen]

2. Holy Joe engaging in the same fear mongering as Bush

Off with his head!

[Pale Blue Dot]

3. Uh, Joe. AFGHANISTAN is like Afghanistan when the Taliban was in charge

Mainly because we pulled our troops out of there to fight an illegal, unnecessary and disastrous war in Iraq.

Goodbye, Joe.

[w4rma]

4. Sweet. Every time he opens his mouth his polls drop. (nt)

[Demeter]

9. That's the Bush Effect

Even Nixon never had it so bad.

[Monkeyman]

5. The Part that got to me We Can Not undermind the President

[Demeter]

10. The "President" Undermined the US

and every proud citizen therein. Most people would call that treason, and respond accordingly.

I'm still waiting.....

[rurallib]

14. "undermind" - great unintentional pun?

but you are so right, no one's mind can go lower than the W's
:rofl: :rofl:

[Fridays Child]

7. Joe, let me stop you at "my vote to authorize the war was correct."

How was it correct, Joe? It was a mistake, at best, but it was never correct, and there's just no reasonable defense of that position.

[scarface2004]

22. all i can say is.........

fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck you you fucking piece of shit!!!

[marmar]

8. "quitting Iraq now would be a “disaster”

So what is staying there doing for us? It's lose-lose-lose, so do we want to leave and lose big or stay and lose bigger?

[calimary]

20. What does he mean - "would be"? Seems to me it already IS a disaster.

A disaster of the FIRST ORDER. So bad that we have a book now out (that's been in the works for longer than just 15 minutes ago) that calls it a "FIASCO." And it's been that way for - what? Since some time in 2003?

It's YOUR policies and YOUR allegiances that are a "disaster" (and have certainly helped to create one), Mr. Lieberman.

[sendero]

27. It's just..

... George Bush and his cheerleaders playing double-or-nothing with the lives of our troops. If they leave now, they are losers and they know it. But if they let another thousand American troops die for nothing, they can hope, hope and hope some more that they can salvage something of value from it.

There's no way. Iraq will have its civil war whether we stay or not.

[Vidar]

11. Maybe Gregory Hines could tap dance that fast, Joe but not you.

[llmart]

12. Hey, Joe.......

screw you and the horse you rode in on (or was that Bush you rode in on?). Your hands are as dirty as his.

[godai]

13. And I still believe that my vote for 'him' was right

Actually it was for Gore. Likewise, I want him defeated in the primary "as fast as anyone, probably more than most". I think that the effects for Democrats will be positive but, it doesn't matter, joe must go.

[David Dunham]

16. I will vote for Joe. I think he has corrected his position now.

[godai]

19. Do you really believe that he is sincere?

or that he has seen the political light of defeat staring him in the face? Seems that he's not a real Democrat, threatening to run as an Independent. If he thought that he could run as a republican, I think he'd do it. He's got to be supporting bush's Lebanon/Israel position 1000%. Please reconsider your vote. We need to send a message that there are prices to be paid for wars of choice that fail miserably.

[sidpleasant]

34. How odd that Joe corrected his position just 2 days before the primary

I wonder why he couldn't have this sudden insight years ago or months ago or weeks ago. Why didn't he have this correction before he stood with Frist and the GOP to denounce the most recent Democratic resolution calling for a withdrawal timetable? How strange that Joe should suddenly see the light about Bush's war just 2 days before an election in which the polls showed him down by 13 points, a deficit due in large part to his unquestioning enthusiasm for the war. What changed about Iraq for Joe between Saturday and Sunday?

Do you really believe Joe is sincere?

[rurallib]

15. But wait! Maybe Joe is the only man who can make George see

the error of his ways and save the world! I believe you, Joe! I believe you!

:sarcasm: :sarcasm: :rofl: :rofl:

[Oversea Visitor]

17. Joe Joe

If you cannot admit to being wrong just like your buddy bush.
You still got to face reality.
This way being boot out by getting a big kick in the butt is a blessing.
The house of card falling soon.
Better to lose now
Then latter. Reality is a bitch
Now go count your blessing cause for you trouble all solve if you lose.

If you real smart run far far away.
But likely your buddy need you
So he gives you a job.
One day he say to you "Heck of a job JOE" :rofl:

Really think about it.

[Warren Stupidity]

18. Can' quit 'till we win.

Gosh, where have I heard that before? It is not like an open ended commitment, it is just a commitment with no particular end in sight.

Bye Joe.

[kurth]

21. We only have to hear this crap one more day

I hope Lieberman joins the GOP. Good riddance.

[Octafish]

23. Double or nothin', Joe!

Let's attack Iran!

DRUNKEN DRAFT-DODGER

[Manix]

24. ..turn out the lights, Joe. The party is over!!

[gademocrat7]

25. Goodbye, Joe.

The picture of you hugging shrub was more than I could stomach. Too late to salvage your. dignity.

[Nickster]

26. Buh-bye Joe! Lock the door on your way out. n/t

[Lochloosa]

28. Hey Joe....call Hannity

he gives a shit.

[JerseygirlCT]

29. From the start, he's always tried to have things both ways

This is just one more example.

[missTheBigDog]

30. Bye, bye Joe

Maybe you can give Katherine Harris a call or something. I'm sure she feels your pain.

[Jacobin]

31. Joe's vote helped turn Iraq into another Afghanistan

THAT is the problem, that and his continued support for the administration which is not connected to reality and has stated its aim of 'letting the next administration deal with it'

[KansDem]

32. We sure as hell went in in a hurry...

He said he wanted to withdraw American troops “as fast as anyone,” yet insisted that quitting Iraq now would be a “disaster” that could lead to further sectarian violence there.

I don't see why we can't leave in a hurry.

[WhiteTara]

33. blah blah blah yada yada yada

babbles the bobblehead Joe Loserman