GOP Rep: Iraq 'Worse Than I Expected - Time For Partial WIthdrawal'

[kpete]

Gutknecht gives grim assessment
By Mark Fischenich
The Free Press


— Congressman Gil Gutknecht found the situation in Iraq more bleak than he anticipated during a weekend visit to the war zone, and said a partial withdrawal of some American troops might be wise.

Gutknecht, a strong supporter of the war since it began in March of 2003, told reporters in a telephone conference call Tuesday that American forces appear to have no operational control of much of Baghdad.

“The condition there is worse than I expected,” he said. “... I have to be perfectly candid: Baghdad is a serious problem.”
.....................
His assessment of the problems facing Iraq and the potential value of removing some American troops comes one month after Gutknecht was widely quoted during a debate in the House about the war.

“Members, now is not the time to go wobbly,” Gutknecht said on June 15. “Let’s give victory a chance.”

more at:
http://www.rawstory.com/showarticle.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mankatofreepress.com%2Flocal%2Flocal_story_200013136.html%2Fresources_printstory

[sabra]

1. Gil, you've got Karl Rove on line one...

[AlCzervik]

2. and he's just put a dead hooker in your trunk, news crews en route.

[CrispyQ]

19. ...

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[warrens]

23. a dead MALE hooker

And a quarter kilo of China White.

[MoseyWalker]

6. Gil

must have been overcome by reality. Rove will get him back in the loop. More money for more war for more oil for more money for more war..........

[bvar22]

24. No. He's just looking a the polls from home.

Support for "Staying the Course" is less than 33%, and over 2/3 of voters say they WILL VOTE for a Democrat in the mid-terms.

He just doesn't want to get dumped from the Gravey Train.

[wryter2000]

3. Why does he hate America?

Does he want us to have to fight them here?

[marions ghost]

4. gee

maybe more of them ought to go over there.

Gutknecht also said:

“I think we’re at a very important tipping point, and the next six weeks is going to be critical,” he said, although he declined to elaborate on the dangers facing Iraq if the situation doesn’t improve by September. “... I don’t want to predict what will happen if things don’t get better.”

He did say that the patience of average Americans might begin to wear thin if improvements don’t come soon. “Americans are going to start losing faith in this thing,” he said.

Patience of Americans is GOING to wear thin ?!? "STARTING" to lose faith! :crazy: :banghead:

[orwell]

15. Tipping point...

...turning the corner...last throes...

yada, yada, yada...

[Virginia Dare]

5. Cut n' run! Cut n' run!!....n/t

[ugarte]

8. Damn...beat me by a nose...nt

[MoseyWalker]

13. How about a new slogan

to yell at the nutcases:

CUT THE CRAP! CUT THE CRAP!

[ugarte]

7. Cut and run??

:rofl:

[Oversea Visitor]

9. Aaaah SHIT AHEAD

Wait cannot CUT and RUN

Hmmm ok half half

Draw lots

Other HALF get to stay to be killed

Get a BRAIN either put in more or take all out.

WHAT? Broke no more money........

Gee cant put more in

Well tough shit go figure it out.

[Amonester]

22. But... but.... It wuz all Worth it...

Poppy got his revenge... and his bid'less got 'its' mo' billions...

[Oversea Visitor]

26. HA

And the chimp get bananas.

PEANUTS.

HAHA

For all the love he is getting.

Stupid loser. Do all the shit works for peanuts.

Oh well they throw him to the wolf soon.

Dumb monkey no use only a liability after all the billions make.

Dumb monkeys should better be prepare for the future.

Like PINK sing it

Dear Mr President are you a lonely boy

Going to come so true.

Soon soon.

[gratuitous]

10. C'mon Gil, give victory a chance, buddy

How come you're not reporting all the good news from Iraq? Do you want to hurt the troops' morale? Why do you hate America so much?

And how does it feel to have know-nothing idiots give you grief over a realistic assessment you made based on your own firsthand observations? Welcome to the world you and your cohort have created, Mr. Gutknecht. Seems as though you don't like it any more than we do.

[DanCa]

11. Parital withdrawl is that cut and jog?

:sarcasm:

[Virginia Dare]

14. LOL!..n/t

[hootinholler]

27. Or poor methods of birth control. n/t

[AndyA]

12. I guess Gil's Kool-Aid has been a bit on the weak side lately.

KKKarl no doubt has some super strong stuff en route as we type.

Little Lord Pissypants will not be pleased with Gil's comments, as mentioned in previous posts, Gil should likely be careful about what he does during the coming days. Make sure there are always lots of people around, don't fly on small planes, have the car checked before starting it, etc.

[Hissyspit]

16. You were surprised by what you found? Then...

turn the friggin' Fox "News" Network off, idiot!

[C_U_L8R]

17. republicans are a little slow on the uptake

but a few might finally get it after a while.

the rest are just raptured in ignorance

(whistles)

[Az_lefty]

18. this guy's a little late to the dance...

but it's nice of him to show up. Now maybe the rest of us can get something done.

[hatrack]

20. Gee Whiz, Gil - what was your first clue?

Or did we have to hit the 100 KIA/day mark for you to briefly taste reality?

[Oreo]

21. Info on Gutknecht (R-MN 1st)

This is big coming from him... he was a bigtime backer of the war from what I can remember.

http://www.congress.org/congressorg/bio/?id=332
?size=147x105

Contact Information
Web Site: www.gil.house.gov
E-mail: Contact Via 'Web Form.'

Washington Office:
425 CHOB
Washington, D.C. 20515-2301
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Main District Office:
1530 Greenview Dr., SW, #108
Rochester, MN 55902
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
(more district offices)
Background Information
Party: Republican
Residence: Rochester
Marital Status: Married (Mary)
Prev. Occupation: Real Estate Auctioneer
Prev. Political Exp.: MN House, 1983-94
Education: BA University of Northern Iowa, 1973
Birthdate: 03/20/1951
Birthplace: Cedar Falls, IA
Religion: Catholic
Other Information
Term: 6th
First Elected: 1994
Percentage in Last Election: 60%
Major Opponent: Leigh Pomeroy
Committees:
• Agriculture
• Government Reform
• Science

[kenny blankenship]

25. Go wobbly, go wobbly now.

"Partial withdrawals"? Is there something in America's water supply that makes so many people go soft in the head like this? I hear this all the time from polling reports: "this mission has failed and we should get out soon --but not just now" or "We should draw down the levels of troops there (partially withdraw) because the mission has failed or was based on lies and either way it wasn't worth it."

If the mission "has failed", if you think it "wasn't worth it", and was "based on lies", partially withdrawing doesn't make any of those things less bad. It doesn't "undo" the fundamental crime that has taken place and is still taking place every day of our occupation. Waiting to withdraw for some undefined period instead of doing an about face and returning home doesn't make any of those things less bad. Both these centrist reponses share a deceitful center--they act like they're doing something to end the war without actually doing anything to end the war. And here's the kicker: it won't make the sting and shame of "defeat" any less painful for us to wait a "decent interval" to withdraw or withdraw partially. More people favor these non-solutions over a rapid withdrawal from Iraq. Thus the war goes on simply because too many Americans who've turned against the war and Bush can't admit when they've fucked up. And meanwhile Americans are getting killed for nothing. For worse than nothing: they are going to die for Bush's vanity and America's moral irresponsibility. Many more Iraqis are also getting killed because we're still there. Now what do these "middle of the roaders" propose to do? If you withdraw partially, as some suggest, the American army will still be responsible for security in Iraq, but it will then have that much less manpower to do over there what 140,000 of us already can't do. What's that going to accomplish but more casualties? Most Americans agree we blew it in Iraq, Bush has blown it, he lied thousands and thousands have died. This crime should be brought to a halt just as soon as it can be physically managed, not some indefinite time forwards in the future when we're feeling more prepared to accept defeat.

[Skittles]

28. nice of you to finally come around, you ignornat bastard

now try wiping the blood off your hands, forever

[Fovea]

29. I wish he would have stayed

I am flabbergasted by the stupidity of the suggestion.
Which half do you suggest we leave in the middle of the civil war, numbnutz?

Why don't you get in your car and stay the course at high speed off the nearest cliff?

[tanyev]

30. Gosh, Gil, a little reality has made you go all wobbly.

Maybe next time you'll investigate the reality first before you go shooting off your big yap.

[Drewskie]

31. Good to see someone on the gop side finally see reality. (nt)