Specter: 'We Have To Face The Fact' That Iraq Is A Civil War

[cal04]

This weekend on CNN’s Late Edition, Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) made the case that U.S. troops in Iraq are “being sucked slowly into a civil war with disastrous consequences.”

Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) was asked if he agreed with Reed’s view that Iraq is in a civil war. Specter flatly said “yes” and added, “I don’t think there’s any point, Wolf, in hiding the facts. I think we have to face the facts.” Watch it

http://thinkprogress.org/2006/10/23/specter-civil-war-i... /

Specter’s view mirrors that of many of Iraq’s leaders, U.S. troops in Iraq, and seven in ten Americans.

[blm]

1. Why is Jack Reed dancing around the civil war issue? Hillary did the same

thing last week..

It's IMPERATIVE that they not mince words and SAY that Iraq is in civil war - because THEN a new resolution must be submitted, as the old one has NO MISSION for covil war.

I expect Republicans to continue dancing around the civil war issue, NOT DEMOCRATS.

Murtha, Kerry and Feingold have been focusing on the push to acknowledge CIVIL WAR since the beginning of this year, and too many Dems are STILL slow-walking this CRUCIAL point and it's almost NOVEMBER.

[wisteria]

3. Jack Reed is ineffectual as a spokesperson on the Iraq War.

I was wondering the same thing as you were. Why not come out and say what it is. He apparently is to concerned about being politically correct and covering for others in the party who don't want to take a stand on the war. I swear some of our Democrats are afraid of their own shadow.

[blm]

18. Reed has now said it's civil war on Schultz's show - guess he came around.

I think Reed needs to stop being concerned about straddling the issue for the leadership and just speak out with the truth. He knows Kerry-Feingold was the right plan then and the right plan now.

[UTUSN]

2. Gee, Arlen, those are probably just magic bullets flying around n/t

[wisteria]

4. This is Specter grandstanding, only to backtrack later.

He never gets challenged on his remarks. You want to talk about a real flip flopper? Think Specter.

[blm]

6. Possibly - or he could be aligning with John Warner.

I am still expecting a new resolution to surface after the Nov election, dealing with the obvious situation at hand - CIVIL WAR.

[wisteria]

13. Oh, me too. The truth will come out after the elections. n/t

[blm]

17. Disgusting that GOps will wait for after elections. No doubt WH forced

that concession. I really believe Warner is sick to death of Iraq war and what it is doing to the military.

[BuyingThyme]

5. Arlen Specter destroys my country for a living.

[Jacobin]

7. Um, deciding what to call it isn't exactly the problem

I call it a clusterfuck, but so what?

[blm]

8. It is a problem - there's no mission allowing for civil war circumstance

and John Warner has to come back to senate with a NEW RESOLUTION to deal with the reality of CIVIL WAR.

THAT is why Dems using the term CIVIL WAR is a necessity. Those still straddling the issue and reluctant to say we're in civil war right NOW is a big part of the slow-walking of the new resolution.

[Jacobin]

10. I know what you mean

The end result is going to be a disaster any way we go. There is absolutely no good way...stay in its bad, and the final resolution is delayed, get out and the final resolution gets underway in another bloodbath.

I'm for getting out and letting the Iraqis decide their own fate, which will likely be another military dictator or a repressive ayatollah, but damn it we have to get out.

If calling it a 'civil war' (which it clearly is and has been)will accomplish us getting out, I'm all for calling it that.

[blm]

11. I'm not exactly sure what the technicality is, but there is SOMETHING that

prevents us from engaging during civil war, UNLESS there's a specific position regarding civil war.

I heard John Warner talking about it on the senate floor when they were having an OLD-FASHIONED debate over the Iraq withdrawal plan last summer.

[Hubert Flottz]

9. He should torture his outlaw self about it!

The scum sucking PNAC-o-Nazi appeaser!

[sweetheart]

12. It is our civil war

and the insurgency is draining the ugly behemoth of its resources so that it is gulliver'ed.

The bush confederacy has imposed slavery around the world, and iraq is a hot war refusing that
enslavement, whereas, the US has already been overrun... its OUR civil war going on in that
desert, confederate assholes against the union of all humanity against slavery and torture.

[Imagevision]

14. it's a civil war and we have to wait for a pansy-ass election to happen

before the president acts to save as many US. troops as posible, 24 million people with only 140,000 US. policeing troops??

[blm]

16. That's what makes it IMMORAL to not deal with the truth NOW.

.

[Keepontruking]

15. Civil war!

 I'm shocked and Appalled , I thought they were in one months
ago, is this news leaked cause it wasn't suppose to get out .
 Just Joshing you.....of course it is a civil war!!!!!!!! 
Circus girl   Sorry I have son there ....this isn't amusing
or new  and I could kick his butt for going!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[blm]

19. Well, I hope Specter says THIS to Bush's face - Bush just LIED AGAIN today

claiming Iraq is not in civil war.