Media framing Dems on Iraq

[ProSense]

Thursday August 9, 7:33 AM

Democrats Praise Military Progress

One senator said U.S. troops are routing out al-Qaida in parts of Iraq. Another insisted President Bush's plan to increase troops has caused tactical momentum.

One even went so far on Wednesday as to say the argument could be made that U.S. troops are winning.

These are not Bush-backing GOP die-hards, but Democratic Sens. Dick Durbin, Bob Casey and Jack Reed. Even Sen. Carl Levin, chairman of the Senate Armed Services committee, said progress was being made by soldiers.

<...>

Levin, while saying military progress was being made, said the troop build-up could not be considered a success because its purpose was to make way for political reconciliation, and that hasn't happened.

"The only hope is if they take the responsibility onto themselves and we end the open-ended military commitment," Levin, of Michigan, said Sunday on CNN's "Late Edition."

Reed, a Rhode Island senator who visited Iraq last month, said there's been tactical momentum, but it "has yet to translate itself into real political momentum, which is the key, I think, to progress."

Durbin, an Illinois senator who is traveling this week with Pennsylvania Sen. Casey, told CNN on Wednesday that "naturally" troops are routing out al-Qaida in parts of Iraq, but then explained there's no evidence of the government in the areas.

In a conference call with reporters, Casey said one could make a good argument that U.S. troops have won the war, then accused Iraqi politicians and the Bush administration of not matching the intensity of the troops.

"The troops have met every assignment, they've beaten the odds time and again, they've done everything we've asked them to," Casey said.

California Democratic Rep. Jerry McNerney had a different take. After visiting Iraq last month and visiting with Petraeus, McNerney said signs of progress led him to decide he'll be a little more flexible about when troops should be brought home.

"I'm more willing to work with finding a way forward to accommodate what the generals are saying," McNerney said.

more

[babylonsister]

1. Yes they are, and it's maddening. I refuse to post those articles

that say, with no proof, that the Dems' opinions on getting out of Iraq are softening, or whatever smarmy wording they're currently using. And I've seen a few just this a.m.

[ProSense]

2. Yes, but you know what,

the media needs to be called on this. Americans have a short attention span. The minute the Bush admin and media started prematurely reporting that the July death toll was the lowest in eight months, they pull out one of their polls showing an increase in support for the surge.

[babylonsister]

3. I think Durbin, Reed and Levin need to call a big press conference

and let us all know how they really feel. But what part of the media would cover that?
I'm not optimistic...

[spanone]

4. when you own the media, you own the nation. hence the last 6 1/2 years.

[ProSense]

6. Or they could

issue a bunch of statements and hope a media outlet quotes them. That's better than nothing.

If that fails, the blogs at least would have something to report.

[KharmaTrain]

5. It's Time To Frame The Political Vs. The Military

I am sooooooo tired of hearing the wingnuts and neo-cons claim we have to "win"...and yet what the hell does that mean? What solid, tangible event/benchmark is there that equates victory? Osama's head on a stick? Saddams's head on a stick?? A big parade in Baghdad with Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds carrying bottles of Coke singing "God Bless The USA?" What??? Or is "victory" the killing of as many A-rabs as possible?

Without a political solution...any solution, there is no military victory. This is especially the case where no political infrastruture exists and the "insurgency" is more a reflection of the power vaccuums than it is some massive conspiracy against either the US or some phantom Iraqi government. The sham of the purple fingered elections are long forgotten...there is no political endgame here and until that is figured out, the military "victory" remains undefined as well.

Levin just can't make up his mind and is a weak leader on this issue. His attempt at "bi-partisanship" have led to some of the worst steam rolling over the past 6 years. If you're looking for a change of leadership, removing Levin from the chair of the Military affairs committee would be a good start.

[Supersedeas]

7. will the incompetence of Condi Rice bite 'Merica again????

She of the 'historical' document fame.

[bigtree]

8. well, you shouldn't ignore the Dems point

the rationale behind the surge has proved false and unattainable, no matter the military gains


Media Models New Bush Cloak for Continuing in Iraq
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1550293