Democrats split on Iraq after rise in violence

[skooooo]

http://www.washtimes.com/national/20040408-124126-8510r.htm

"America will not be intimidated by barbaric acts whose only goal is to spread fear and chaos throughout Iraq," Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, South Dakota Democrat, said in a moving floor speech last Thursday after the initial attacks that began the weeklong string of violence.

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Mr. Daschle repeated those sentiments to reporters yesterday, and Sen. Evan Bayh, Indiana Democrat, said on NBC's "Today" show that the United States must "stay the course."

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Evan Bayh is a Republican in disguise..............

[shockingelk]

1. Of cource the article distorts things

Nobody is suggesting we literally evacuate Iraq and let what happen may, but the article suggests this by reporting a "split" between a Democrat that says "America will not be intimidated" and a Democrat that says <something else>.

[saigon68]

2. Mr Daschle is in an unpleasant re-election Campaign.

In a State with a lot of Macho Ass kickers

It's too bad that the casualty count will be in the thousands of Americans and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis before the US "Cuts and Runs"

[theHandpuppet]

10. Can we say, "Conflict of Interest!"?

Perhaps this might shed a little light on our Senate Minority Leader's stance on Iraq:

From...

http://www.indyweek.com/durham/2003-07-23/cover.html

(Regarding contracts awarded to private military... er, "security" companies)

The firms also maintain platoons of Washington lobbyists to help keep government contracts headed their way. In 2001, according to the most recent federal disclosure forms, 10 private military companies spent more than $32 million on lobbying. DynCorp retained two lobbying firms that year to successfully block a bill that would have forced federal agencies to justify private contracts on cost-saving grounds. MPRI's parent company, L-3 Communications, had more than a dozen lobbyists working on its behalf, including Linda Daschle, wife of Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle. Last year L-3 won $1.7 billion in Defense Department contracts.

Ya think?

[DarkPhenyx]

3. Actually some people are.

Fortunately none of them seem to be in positions of power and responsibility.

[Cooley Hurd]

4. Moonie Times... need I say more? n/t

[demdave]

15. Do you mean "nobody" in office? There are more than a few here

that are calling for an immediate pullout.

[trogdor]

5. I must reluctantly agree with Sen. Daschle.

We have two choices, and neither one is very nice.

1. We can cut and run, but that will result in 10% of the world's oil being under the control of God knows who. This may or (more likely) may not be better than the status quo ante with Saddam Hussein.

2. We can commit the necessary resources and manpower to quell the uprising, so that we can (hopefully) stabilize Iraq. The problem is, things will likely get worse before they get better. We'd hate it, especially with Rumsfeld in charge of it, but we'd probably be better off in the long run. The thought of whatever group currently in charge of shooting at us being in control of 10% of the world's oil disturbs me greatly.

It should be pointed out that this scenario did not exist thirteen months ago. Thirteen months ago, we had choices, many of which did not involve a large commitment of our armed forces. Now we don't, and we have Bush's failed leadership to thank for that.

[davhill]

6. We have to get out

There is no way we can maintain a brutal colonial reign in a Middle East state without bankrupting the nation morally and financially. It looks like we have to take this one step at a time. First get a pro-war Democrat into the White House. Then put pressure on him to pull back before it is too late.

[mhr]

8. We Have Only One Choice - Leave

Why?

We don't have enough troops to pacify the country. That would take roughly 300,000 troops on the ground like all the generals recommended.

By leaving, Bush and crew go down in flames and we get the UN with other nations to actually help. As long as Bush and crew are in charge, the UN and other nations will not touch this bad situation.

It is time to leave and time to get rid of Bush.

Of course number two will not happen because hubris will prevail. That leaves us with a quagmire.

[aneerkoinos]

9. Behold the face of colonialism... n/t

[HFishbine]

11. I'm sure if ytou think about it

there are more than those two options.

[Mari333]

7. Bayh is a moron I called his office and let him have it yesterday

the guy who answered did one of those tapdancing analogies "well your kid signed up"
and I let him have it both barrels..yes, he signed up but not for a fraudulent war based on no WMDs and no imminent threat and not to prop up US corporations profits and CEOs to make monies off of him being over there to protect Bush's friends $$$$$
then I told him if he, as a Dem is afraid to speak out, perhaps he ought to look hard at the lobbyists he is in bed with and get out of bed with them because when the shit hits the fan in Iraq more so then it is now, he will be on the wrong side.

[HFishbine]

13. If that warmonger Bayh

is the VP candidate, we're screwed.

[0007]

12. The Washington Times is the most bias News Paper in the U.S.

Very hard to respect anyone quoting from this piece of shit -

[The Stranger]

14. The Hobson's choice is part of the PNAC plan.

Once they got us in to destroy Iraq, we are stuck there, even those who opposed going in for these very fucking reasons.

The answer is to get out immediately and fully support the UN taking over, and provide monetary assistance for the reconstruction.

[David__77]

16. Abetting colonialism.

Daschle and Bayh, predictably, are acting as spokesmen for a colonial agenda. Iraq is not ours to decide its fate--it belongs only to the people of Iraq. We must not force a social system on them. Every day this country occupies theirs, Iraq is robbed of its sovereignty and the people of Iraq are robbed of their nation's resources.

[Cocoa]

17. repugs desperate to salvage something

it's pretty sad to see them grasping at straws like this.