WP: Why We Need More Troops in Iraq By Joseph Lieberman

[Pirate Smile]

Why We Need More Troops in Iraq

By Joseph Lieberman
Friday, December 29, 2006; Page A27

I've just spent 10 days traveling in the Middle East and speaking to leaders there, all of which has made one thing clearer to me than ever: While we are naturally focused on Iraq, a larger war is emerging. On one side are extremists and terrorists led and sponsored by Iran, on the other moderates and democrats supported by the United States. Iraq is the most deadly battlefield on which that conflict is being fought. How we end the struggle there will affect not only the region but the worldwide war against the extremists who attacked us on Sept. 11, 2001.

Because of the bravery of many Iraqi and coalition military personnel and the recent coming together of moderate political forces in Baghdad, the war is winnable. We and our Iraqi allies must do what is necessary to win it.

-snip-
To turn around the crisis we need to send more American troops while we also train more Iraqi troops and strengthen the moderate political forces in the national government. After speaking with our military commanders and soldiers there, I strongly believe that additional U.S. troops must be deployed to Baghdad and Anbar province -- an increase that will at last allow us to establish security throughout the Iraqi capital, hold critical central neighborhoods in the city, clamp down on the insurgency and defeat al-Qaeda in that province.

-snip-
In Iraq today we have a responsibility to do what is strategically and morally right for our nation over the long term -- not what appears easier in the short term. The daily scenes of death and destruction are heartbreaking and infuriating. But there is no better strategic and moral alternative for America than standing with the moderate Iraqis until the country is stable and they can take over their security. Rather than engaging in hand-wringing, carping or calls for withdrawal, we must summon the vision, will and courage to take the difficult and decisive steps needed for success and, yes, victory in Iraq. That will greatly advance the cause of moderation and freedom throughout the Middle East and protect our security at home.

The writer is an Independent Democratic senator from Connecticut.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/20...

Delusional as usual.

Thank you, Connecticut Democrats. At least they can't say he represents Democrats any more which is what they would be harping on if he was still a Democratic Senator from Connecticut.

[WindRavenX]

1. god, fuck you Joe

Bring the troops home. This war is lost.

[Joe Bacon]

24. Hey Joe LIEberman...

When are YOU sending YOUR kids and grandkids to fight YOUR war?

You're NOT??????????

Why?

[Skittles]

2. what a whore

[Erika]

3. Ah, why are we there in the first place, Joe?

It wasn't our fight.

[Justitia]

4. What a delusional POS. If I didn't loathe you so much Joe, I'd think you were a monster.

I've never wanted the slap the shit out of somebody so bad in my life.

At least he's showing his true colors. I hope the Benedict Arnolds that voted for this waste of oxygen get all they so richly deserve.

[Kagemusha]

5. Apparently anyone telling him what he wants to hear is a "moderate"

and anyone not telling him what he went to the Middle East to hear is an "extremist".

That's the only conclusion I can come to after reading this drivel.

[The_Casual_Observer]

6. After all, "Clamping down" has worked so well for Israel, right Joe?

Joe has shit for brains, & so do the bastards that reelected him.

[BeatleBoot]

7. More Troops, Joe? Okay. Let's Start With Your Kids.

You send your kids over there Mr. Big Guy.

On the Front Line!

[Old and In the Way]

8. In August he was saying we'd be bringing home the troops in 2007.

Was he lying then or lying now? What an ass.

[Ninja Jordan]

9. Pure evil

[caligirl]

10. So i'll just guess and say it's because you want to give your wife the

gift that goes on giving. Your little winkie keeps failing.

[snowbear]

13. LOL... Joe and his little winkie

Joe U Suck.

[AtomicKitten]

11. * ugh *

[jmatthan]

12. What is an Independent Democratic Senator?

Independent because he was elected with the help of the Republicans.
Democratic because he wants to retain his Senate Seniority to Chair certain Committees.

Are the Democrats so desperate for power they allow him this status?

[snowbear]

15. Welp...

"Are the Democrats so desperate for power they allow him this status?"

...

Yeah, probably so.. After 12 years I guess we are pretty desperate..

Speaking of Finland.. my brother, his wife & their little ones are heading to Finland next week for a couple weeks!

[Eurobabe]

14. So Joe, you sending the grandkids? n/t

[Clarkie1]

16. The troop surge is coming...Lieberman coming out with this now makes me surer of it. nt

[ninkasi]

17. He is a loathsome toad

and he disgusts me. Republicans are the ones who voted for him.

[SmellsLikeDeanSpirit]

18. Too bad Harold Ford didn't win so we could rid ourselves of this idiot.

[Trajan]

19. 10 whole days ??

Speaking to ME leaders ? ...

So .. We are to presume:

1) Egypt wants more US Troops in Iraq to fight a larger war ?

2) Syria wants more US Troops in Iraq to fight a larger war ?

3) Jordan wants more US Troops in Iraq to fight a larger war ?

4) Saud wants more US Troops in Iraq to fight a larger war ?

X) Qatar, Lebanon, Iran, UAE, Sudan, Chad, Libya, etc; ALL want more US Troops in Iraq to fight a larger war in the Middle East ?

Just WHO the fuck are you kidding, Joe ?

You spoke to Bill Kristol, and Cliff May, and Richard Perle, and Fred Kagan, and Daniel Pipes, and Doug Feith, and Dick Cheney, and Frank Gaffney, and all the other ASSHOLES in the AEI/PNAC sphere, and THEY told you what to think, Joe, you GODDAMNED TOOL ! ...

Joe ? .... We do NOT want wider war in the Middle East, no matter HOW fucking noble you might think it is ....

LESS war, Joe ... not MORE ! ...

Fucking LIAR !

[leesa]

26. Well, he did go to one more place in the ME...

[Lasher]

20. Well, Benedict Lieberman didn't wait long did he?

Sure loves publicity. Nothing new here, that's for sure. What would this 'victory' look like? Doesn't say. And how does it take 'courage' to send someone else to get blown up? I guess that's supposed to mean if I don't agree with him I'm a hand-wringing coward. Oh look, he forgot to say, "cut and run." Karl will scold him for that I bet. And whether the slogan du jour is "stay the course" or "finish the job" I'm seeing pretty much the same thing: "Let's give this thing a few more decades. It will all work out, trust me."

It almost seems like Joe has already forgotten the election. You know, the one where the Publican Congressional majority was just sent packing, mostly on account of this war he wants to escalate.

[AndreaCG]

21. Does Connecticut have a recall mechanism?

Even some of the Rs who voted for him might regret this.

[FreeStateDemocrat]

22. If Conn. voters were dumb enought to re-elect him why would they be any smarter now?

Everyone knew then what a blood-thirsty, arrogant, Arab killing hawk he was and the asswipes voted him in anyway, every nitwit that voted for the bastard has blood on their hands.

[Eugene]

23. Joe must be the only person left who believes in the Iraqi government.

As Joe Lieberman sees it, all we have to do is improve the security situation
and Iraqi democracy will flourish. He proposes that we stay the course in Iraq
while committing more effort. Joe is closing the barn door long after the horse
is gone.

Iraq is in civil war. The Iraqi government is dominated by one side of that war,
especially factions backed by "hostile" Iran. The Iraqi people don't trust their
government and nobody trusts the Iraqi security forces.

Joe talks about securing Western Iraq from the Sunni insurgency. The political
battle there was lost a long time ago. The Sunnis there now count on the
insurgents to protect them from the Shiites.

Joe also says "al-Qaeda and Iran" many times as though the two actors are working
together. The phrase recalls the frequent juxtaposition of Saddam and 9/11 in the
run up the the Iraq invasion. He hints at an expanding fight that now includes
Iran and Syria. Again, the proposed troop "surge" looks like a general escalation
of the war. The exit route from Iraq runs through Tehran and Damascus.

[Chewbacca]

25. Sorry if this is a bit off topic;

Check out this excellent anti war video, and please help to spread it;

Guernica Iraq
http://911blogger.com/node/5219