Barnes: Iraq war "not intensifying"; US troops "aren't the targets"

[edbermac]

On the November 17 edition of Fox News' Special Report with Brit Hume, Weekly Standard executive editor Fred Barnes said the war in Iraq is "not intensifying." He added later: "Rep. John Murtha says U.S. troops are the targets now. They aren't the targets. It's Iraqi citizens, mainly Shiites, who are the targets."

From the November 17 edition of Fox News' Special Report with Brit Hume:

BARNES: Well, I think the pro-war side would win that debate. On the other hand, I think it would be a very useful debate, rather than some debate over whether or not the president lied about intelligence or not. That's just Democratic accusations that I think are not true. You know, John Murtha is a patriot. And he is a guy who has been a very pro-defense Democrat over the years. But, Brit, you correctly note that he has been steadily moving in an anti-war direction as far as Iraq is concerned for a couple of years now.

I think he's just plain wrong in some of the things he said. And I certainly disagree with some of the others. But here is what he is wrong about, Brit. You raised one of them. And that is, he says the war is intensifying. It's not intensifying. He says what's happened is the insurgents used to be able to carry out guerilla attacks, now all they can do are terrorist attacks. He says U.S. troops are the targets.

BRIT HUME (host): No, you said that.

BARNES: Huh?

HUME: You said that. You said that all they can do is terrorist attacks.

BARNES: Is terrorist attacks, I know, but that's true. I'm not making that up.

HUME: He's not saying that.

BARNES: No, but he says the war is -- he says the war is intensifying. I'm saying it's gone from a war in which the insurgents could make guerilla attacks, in other words, groups -- large groups of people, now all they can do are terrorist attacks with one or two people involved. He says U.S. troops are the targets now. They aren't the targets. It's Iraqi citizens, mainly Shiites, who are the targets. He says America and the U.S. military are at risk there. I don't think they are at risk with our troops there. I don't think our country is at risk or the military is.

HUME: Well, it is if we continue to lose people.

http://mediamatters.org/items/200511210001

That's FAUX News for you; the war is NOT intensifying! And black is white, up is down, right is left, and 2 plus 2 equals 5...

[TheCowsCameHome]

1. 2100 troops accidentally mowed down in their prime, Mr. Barnes?

What the hell is wrong with you?????????????????/

[acmavm]

2. Better question, what isn't wrong with the guy. We need the service

records of these media assholes.

[yellowcanine]

3. Hmm. Sounds like Brit is starting to waffle on support for the war.

[Daphne08]

4. Fred Barnes is the executive editor of The Weekly Standard.

Enough said.

[wtmusic]

5. Has Fred ever been there?

WTF does he know? :wtf:

[Cults4Bush]

6. Hey Fred ever have a underage loved one anal raped with a light stick?

No? Then please STFU about who Iraqis (and all the various segments of the population) are targeting you friggin' shill.

[sinkingfeeling]

7. Well, if they're not targets, why has the death rate increased? 96 in

the last 26 days!