Brian Schweitzer hammers Bill Kristol: ‘Perpetual war in the Middle East’ has failed!

[DonViejo]

By David Edwards
Sunday, January 5, 2014 13:34 EST

Former Gov. Brian Schweitzer (D-MT) on Sunday clashed with neoconservative Weekly Standard Editor Bill Kristol, who was one of the biggest proponents of the Iraq war and was continuing to call for “perpetual engagement” of U.S. armed forces in the Middle East.

ABC host George Stephanopoulos asked Kristol during a panel discussion if an increasing Al-Qaeda threat in Iraq could consume President Barack Obama’s attention in 2014, two years after he pulled all U.S. troops out of the country.

Kristol noted that the president had also declined to intervene in the Syrian civil war, which he said could make foreign policy a “big story” in 2014.

“We’ve had 12 years of war!” Schweitzer exclaimed. “For the last 11 years, you can’t find anybody left in America who can tell you why are we still in Afghanistan? Al-Qaeda attacked us, they’re not in Afghanistan. We’re fighting somebody called the Taliban. They live in caves in the Stone Age. Why are we still there?”

“How is the withdrawal from Iraq and the failure to intervene in Syria working out do you think?” Kristol shot back, raising his voice. “Do you think we’re safer? Do you think Al-Qaeda’s weaker as a result of that? Do you think Al-Qaeda will be weaker if we get out of Afghanistan?”

“I lived in Saudi Arabia during the 80s, when we were supporting [former Iraqi dictator] Saddam Hussein who was fighting Iran,” Schweitzer recalled. “When we went into Iraq, Al-Qaeda didn’t function there. We destabilized Iraq. We threw Saddam Hussein out, who was a bad guy like a lot of other people in the Middle East. And now we have Al-Qaeda. It’s our problem, we broke the China and now we’re going to have to go back in? What’s your solution?”

Kristol argued that the solution was to be “serious about being engaged in the Middle East.”

“Perpetual war in the Middle East,” Schweitzer quipped.

“No! Perpetual engagement and being serious about our responsibilities to world power,” Kristol replied. “And yes! Being willing to fight when we have to fight! Are you against that?”

Watch this video from ABC’s This Week, broadcast Jan. 5, 2014.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/01/05/brian-schweitzer-hammers-bill-kristol-perpetual-war-in-the-middle-east-has-failed/

Complete article posted with the permission of Raw Story

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Go get 'em, Brian!

[Red Mountain]

2. He did ok....

but I wish he asked how much Kristol wants to raise taxes to pay for his bloody dreams and Cokie why her heart doesn't bleed like that for American children.

I think Schweitzer is electable.

[colbertforpresident]

3. Al Qaeda?

It was Saudi Arabia that attacked us. They financed the whole shebang.

[freebrew]

17. Don't forget...

the BFEE. They ARE the PNAC.

[elleng]

4. PNAC b.s.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_for_the_New_American_Century

[CTyankee]

5. I noticed that Brian wiped the smirky smile off of Kristol's face...

he got snarky and he and his type don't usually do that. Usually, they smirk and sneer but it looks like Brian ended that for creepy Bill Kristol...

[ProgressSaves]

6. Go Schweitzer!

Kristol has one of those faces you get pissed off at just because it's there.

[mikekohr]

7. Schweitzer is not afraid to call these douche bags out. He's progressive and aggressive. nt

[left-of-center2012]

8. I saw him on TV this a.m.

He wants to run for President, but can an ex-governor of Montana get the votes.

[mikekohr]

11. Can an ex governor of Arkansas get the votes?

Governor Schweitzer will run the table in President Obama's blue states (easy electoral victory), make deep inroads into red states and set up a wave election that will crush the GOP.

[Jmaxfie1]

18. I think if he keeps it up...

His name recognition is going to keep increasing. I hadn't heard of him till about two years ago, but have been a very big fan ever since. I would gladly vote for him in the primaries.

[Enthusiast]

12. Yes. He has wide appeal.

When he slaps down the POS Neo-cons his appeal goes way up. The American people have had enough of these faked up wars.

[sendero]

9. I would have told Kristol..

... put on your combat uniform and get over there you stupid mother fucker.

[Enthusiast]

10. Funny how William Kristol wasn't willing to fight in Nam.

He's nothing more than a Neo-Con POS chickenhawk.

"Responsibilities to world power"? Funny, I don't see any such thing in the constitution, Billy. No reference to responsibilities to world power in the constitution.

“And yes! Being willing to fight when we have to fight! Are you against that?”

That's the point, William, we didn't have to fight the Dubya Bush wars. The justification for fighting those wars was ginned up.

[hibbing]

13. When "we have to fight"

That is laughable if it was not so serious. This pompous and smug ahole, just like the rest of the right wing armchair generals is always ready to sent other peoples' kids off to fight.

Peace

[HoosierCowboy]

14. Endless war

...means endless business for the arms industry. It also means an almost endless supply of low priced petroleum from the Middle East to finance these adventures.

After 10 years and a major political upset in the USA. it means that like Vietnam, our secret plan for peace comes right out of Nixons' playbook, which only involves changing the color of the bodies.

In this case, our client states have taken over most of the carnage and the conflict is being fought mainly on religious grounds rather than political ones.

When will it end? Hopefully when the oil runs out.

[burnsei sensei]

15. Damn the neoconservative shit-ideology to hell!

The last thing I want to hear is the word "engagement."
We should engage only with allies, and as far as I'm concerned, we have no allies there.
Or in North Africa or the Hindu Kush.
Screw the idiot Kristol.

[blackspade]

16. Kristol is such a dick-bag.

[SCVDem]

19. How does another war

benefit the unemployed and the poor?

It doesn't. It only benefits the wealthy shareholders of Halliburton and shareholders of defense industries.

Fuck you Kristol!

[Whisp]

20. I would really like to see Brian in the primary mix in 2016.

His, and Warren's are the kinds of voices that need to be heard. Loudly.

There will be others too. Warren's bravery and popularity opens up fresh new candidates that would, in another time, not even consider.

wow. More Brians and Lizs, please. Please, sirs, can we have mores?