*** *** **** Thread 4 Foreign Relations/Petraeus*** ****** *** ***

[TwilightGardener]

thread 3:http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=1782426&mesg_id=1782426

[laylah]

1. TY!

[Cameron27]

2. Thank you

K&R

[OnceUponTimeOnTheNet]

3. K&R

Thanx WD!

[TwilightGardener]

4. Sununu: how are gains going to be sustained?

[davidwparker]

5. Boxer speaking for us all. Go, Boxer!

[TwilightGardener]

6. She did great.

[bdamomma]

131. she did

[Magleetis]

7. Boxer threw

the * talking points and BS right at them. Made them look like part of the problem not the solution.

[jillan]

14. She threw their words right back at them.

She always does that.

Boxer - the perfect name for her :)

[Cameron27]

8. These f'n republicans try to stop the momentum

[harun]

11. They throw soft balls so Crocker can hooo hummmm his

way to a LONG stall.

[LSK]

9. John "my seat is toast in 2008" Sununu up

[Breeze54]

13. lol!

:P

[flyarm]

10. Boxer said bush is commander in chief but betrayus must carry out the orders and policy but if

betrayus believes it is the wrong policy or orders are not correct..please step down please..

something to that effect..if i am wrong feel free to correct..


another words, i believe she was telling him..don't lie for the commander..have the balls to step down first..

of course Boxer said it in a nice way..
fly

[lyonn]

25. She did say if he couldn't do something, missed the words,

that he should step down. Of all times to let my mind wander while making such a statement.

[TwilightGardener]

12. Crocker--talking about delivering gov services more efficiently, reconstruction

teams working with military.

[rodeodance]

15. I am BACk but thanks for new Thread.

[Breeze54]

16. Is Crocker always like this or is being in country

messing with his mind? He seems like he's very nervous, to me, in a breakdown sort of way.

[harun]

20. He is trying to answer the questions very slowly, yesterday,

when getting soft balls from the House members he was fine. They are getting the heat today so they are trying to draw out their answers. They have another meeting after this so time is very limited.

[lyonn]

29. Think about it, I just did, he is a bush appointee, duh

Now I am really scared. Both those idiots don't know come here from sicem.

[Breeze54]

51. He sounded the same to me yesterday too!

Like Spock on qualudes! :P

[rodeodance]

17. LBN: ----guess this News???

Forum Name Latest Breaking News
Topic subject Republicans sharply question Iraq policy
Topic URL http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2986443#2986443
2986443, Republicans sharply question Iraq policy
Posted by babylonsister on Tue Sep-11-07 11:15 AM

Source: AP

Republicans sharply question Iraq policy

By ANNE FLAHERTY, Associated Press Writer 4 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - Senate Republicans sharply challenged President Bush's top military general and ambassador in Iraq on Tuesday in a blatant demonstration of misgivings within the GOP about the protracted war.

"Are we going to continue to invest blood and treasure at the same rate we're doing now? For what?" asked Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., who supports legislation setting a deadline to bring troops home.

The deep-seated doubt expressed at the hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee reflected just how far Congress had come since the war began over four years ago. And Republican senators raised questions that rivaled those asked by several Democratic presidential hopefuls there.

The exchanges came just a day after the top U.S. war commander, Gen. David Petraeus, recommended keeping the bulk of U.S. forces in Iraq — some 130,000 troops — deployed there through next summer.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A prominent Republican on Tuesday said he remains deeply skeptical of the U.S. war strategy in Iraq, comparing the long and bloody military campaign to a farmer risking his savings to plant on a flood plain.

"In my judgment, some type of success in Iraq is possible, but as policymakers, we should acknowledge that we are facing extraordinarily narrow margins for achieving our goals," Sen. Richard Lugar, the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told the top U.S. military commander and the American ambassador there.

more...

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070911/ap_on_go_co/us_iraq ;_ylt=ApklguqM6Lz45wC8N9XB1q.s0NUE

[TwilightGardener]

18. Sununu--mid-March assessment: what factors are you going to look

at to decide on troop reductions? Good question, IMO.

[flyarm]

19. damn my senator..waste of time!!..ahhhhhhhhhhhh

[rodeodance]

21. > Two bridges blown up in Anbar

wrote:


http://www.iraqupdates.com/p_articles.php/article/21547
> Two bridges blown up in Anbar
>
> Anbar - Voices of Iraq
>
> Tuesday , 11 /09 /2007 Time 6:46:29
>
>
>
>
> Ramadi, Sept 7, (VOI)- A group of armed men blew up two bridges on the highway that connects Iraq to Syria and Jordan just west of the city of Ramadi on Friday, a police source said.
>
> "Gunmen blew up two bridges on the highway near 160km region west of Ramadi on Friday morning using explosive charges," the source, who preferred not to be named, told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).
>
> "The operation came one day after a forum convened on reconstructing Anbar, which aimed at reconstructing the province's cities which were partially or totally destroyed during the violent acts," he added.
>
> The second forum on reconstructing the province kicked off yesterday morning with the participation of the two vice presidents, Tareq al-Hashemi and Adel Abdul Mahdi, in addition to Burham Saleh and the Minister of State for National Security Shirwan al-Waili.
>
> The province's infrastructure was destroyed in armed attacks in 2005.

[goodgd_yall]

24. Reality stares us in the face. n/t

[tuckessee]

88. Remember when the Americans were destroying Iraqi bridges in Anbar in '05?

These two bridges, also in western Anbar, were blown-up by Coalition aircraft in September 2005.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2005/09/mil-050906-voa01.htm

When the Americans announced their anti-bridge campaign it caused a lot of wonder & puzzlement.

Maybe they've decided using spec-ops or contractors to take out bridges brings less negative publicity than air strikes.

[rodeodance]

22. Crocker saying we can Succeed but he is sounding a but tired to me.

[jillan]

23. LA Times headline says it all ----

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-petraeus12sep12,0,4310773.story?coll=la-home-center

Questions get tougher for Petraeus, Crocker

=============
:smoke:

[rodeodance]

26. Bill Nelson taking of Handing off 130,000 troops still present by NEXT summer to a

new president after a few months.

c. can not predict.

[dipsydoodle]

27. Nelson is clever

he's using short closed questions and then keeping his mouth shut while Crocker's brain falls out.

[babylonsister]

28. Cripes. Why does Nelson (FL) sound so BLOODY unprepared?

He's hoping his time is up, like he has nothing to ask. Pretty lame imo.

[PatSeg]

34. I laughed out loud when Biden told him he had 60 seconds

In his mind, he was saying "Oh Shit"

[flyarm]

37. HE IS ALWAYS LAME! ..he is my senator and i am less than happy with him

he is always more neo con than most dems!

fly

[Breeze54]

97. Sorry but I have to agree!!

It's like he's brain damaged! Poor DINO! :(

:hug: to you flyarm!

[flyarm]

30. MODS..can we NOT LOCK these threads PLease??? PEOPLE MAY WANT TO COMMENT ON THEM!!

and people ask questions we may want answered!!

thank you mods!!

fly

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

31. I had to go out for a bit. Has anyone mentioned Saudi interference in regard to giving

the Sunnis money?

[Klukie]

35. Great question....

If nobody has asked, they really need to.

[harun]

38. Why would the Saudi's object to money going to the Sunni's?

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

54. I believe you misunderstood. The Saudis have been reported to giving money

to Sunnis in Iraq. This has been supposedly for arms, etc. Much has been made about Iran interfering by assisting Shiites, but nothing is being said about the Saudis.

[flyarm]

55. no one has brought that up..eom

[harun]

124. Ok, I gotcha. (n/t)

[Klukie]

58. They wouldn't....

But it goes to a broader question of interference in Iraq. The administration wants to single out Iran in a big way.

[flyarm]

44. nope! eom

[TwilightGardener]

32. Break time!

[PatSeg]

Nice transition on Biden's part

pointing out the guy who'd spent 29 months in Iraq! What a pro!

[eleny]

33. What was the applause about?

I got distracted and missed the point.

[jillan]

39. Biden was giving kudos to a guy that used to be a staffer of a Senator

that recently returned from Iraq. Nice touch.

[PatSeg]

41. You're doing it again!!!

Quit reading my mind!!!!

[jillan]

45. Hey you!

I keep flipping between this thread and ours.

[PatSeg]

155. Me too!

[eleny]

139. Thanks!

[whistle]

36. Bill Nelson D-FL brings up Iran and Crocker responds that Iran

...continues to be a threat in Iraq. It sounds like Nelson would back having Iran bombed

[jillan]

40. I don't know what to think about Nelson.

Definitely plays to the center.

[PatSeg]

43. I don't trust him

He looks, walks, and talks like a republican.

[flyarm]

42. Nelson votes alot with repigs and he is more neo con than most!!

he is my senator and i disagree with him more than i agree with him..he frustrates the hell out of me!

i really do not like nor trust him!


someone else may..but i don't

he is a wimp
fly

[harun]

47. Bringing up Iran was a Repug talking point (n/t)

[flyarm]

50. yep..typical Nelson!! always on repig talking points!!..he is neo con..i am convinced!

i really can't stand him..if truth be known..i don't trust him as far as you could throw him!

and i do not like him as a person either..he is a phony ass!

fly

[Cameron27]

46. I just got back, did they take a break?

[LSK]

48. they are back

[PatSeg]

49. This is so frustrating

Yesterday we got non-stop hearings coverage and today its non-stop 9/11 clips and a new fake Bin Laden tape!!!

Is someone(s) trying to distract the world from these hearings?

[goodgd_yall]

53. Try watching on CSPAN if you can. n/t

[PatSeg]

60. I don't get cspan3

I'm watching it online at cnn.com

[LSK]

63. NPR might have audio coverage

And CSPAN1 or 2 will replay it tonight.

[PatSeg]

153. Yeah, but its never the same as watching it live

Kind of like watching a tape of NBA playoffs!

[jillan]

56. Watch it on C-Span. They are non-stop.

http://c-span.org/watch/cs_cspan3_wm.asp?Cat=TV&Code=CS3

[Cameron27]

52. Murkowski

This sounds just like what prez Bush has been saying...duh

[OnceUponTimeOnTheNet]

57. She gives out a non-question~Sure to receive a non-answer.

[PatSeg]

59. Nap time!

[whistle]

62. She looks a little like Fergie

[whistle]

86. Obama sounds like a president

[flyarm]

61. now betrayus is bullshitting over Boxer's question..the break probably gave them time to co-ordinate

this question Murkowski is asking..they are sob's really..i frigging hate these pricks! sorry but that is how i feel!

fly

[rodeodance]

67. > The Raw Story | Iraqi reporter: Baghdad '100 times worse' than a year ago

>
> The Raw Story | Iraqi reporter: Baghdad '100 times worse' than a year ago

> http://rawstory.com//news/2007/Iraqi_Reporter_Situation_100_times_worse_0910.html

[flyarm]

64. Obama better be on!

[LSK]

65. Obama up

[LSK]

70. talking about lack of Strategy

[LSK]

76. says we shouldnt have had these hearings on 9/11

It perpetuates the notion that Iraq was linked to 9/11.

[rodeodance]

98. IT does make that link in pea-brains.

[Cameron27]

66. Obama

No, no, no, they are NOT doing the best that they can!

[goodgd_yall]

71. They all think they have to say that

Particularly if he's potentially the next Commander-in-Chief.

[flyarm]

68. why is this being so rushed??nothing is more important than this hearing so why is it rushed?

if they need days or weeks they should have it to represent us..and our military families..this is bullshit this is rushed!

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

83. I know fly but the Bobbsey Twins are scheduled to meet with the Armed Forces

Committee this afternoon at 2PM.

[spanone]

69. Petreaus will give these same answers next summer....

[Cameron27]

I think that we should not have had this discussion

on 9/11, or 9/12...this tends to pertuate the myth that Iraq is tied to that! Excellent!

[spanone]

72. why do they throw away their time praising these geeks???

[rodeodance]

73. Obama, like the others-wasting time with opeers THankyours!!

[Breeze54]

92. That's standard protocol in any hearing.

They have to do that!

[TwilightGardener]

74. Obama--gives props to troops, GenP and Crock.

Don't think this discussion should be today--don't want to confuse 9/11 and Iraq.

[againes654]

75. Obama finally said it

This should not have happened anywhere near 9/11

[PatSeg]

81. Definitely

It will be 9/11 and Bin Laden all day on TV

[jillan]

135. Then he shouldn't be making a major speech about Iraq tomorrow

Kinda takes the air out of his statement, doesn't it?

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2007/09/obama_to_outlin.html

[PatSeg]

77. Thank you Obama

Bad date for these hearings!

[spanone]

78. yes. Obama this has NOTHING TO DO WITH 911

[bdamomma]

144. yes, thank you for saying that Obama!!!

[Cameron27]

79. Ok, after a rough start, Obama's making great points.

[TwilightGardener]

80. Obama--we've really lowered the bar on what is success.

[Breeze54]

82. Obama right on! "If Americans had known then,

what we know now? The decisions may have been different!"

[TwilightGardener]

84. Obama refers to Bush talking about kicking ass--good.

[goodgd_yall]

89. "A-S-S" spelled out, that is.

[rodeodance]

85. Obama: We have set the bar SO low that any improvement is seen as grand. Good

comment by Obama.

[LSK]

87. How can Bush say we are "kicking A.S.S."?

[Cameron27]

90. Obama questions the relevance of any success in Anbar.

[LSK]

Anbar is like 5% of the population of Iraq

[whistle]

91. Obama is sounding like a president

[ThomWV]

136. Really? He sounds more like a lost little boy in very deep woods to me.

[independentpiney]

93. Wow, I am impressed with Obama! n/t

[againes654]

95. Betrayus looks like he wants to crawl in a hole

Go Obama!!!!!!!

[LSK]

100. I am too.

[rodeodance]

94. Boxer told Petraeus to take off his Rose COLORED glasses earlier!

[TwilightGardener]

96. Obama--when is it enough? Patience is not limitless, but asking for more

patience. What scenario would result in your recommending drawdowns?

[rodeodance]

103. crocker suggesting lower levels of violence---

[Cameron27]

99. Obama's asking for anything that would make them

decide if it was time to draw down the troops.

[harun]

108. This is an important point to make because people need to

know the Repug policy is to stay and occupy Iraq for 10-20 years at least.

[jillan]

101. Obama did great!

And I am glad Biden gave Crocker time to answer.

[Enrique]

102. obama is surprising me

at these types of things, he often comes off as mealy-mouthed. Not now however. He apparently has the ability to be strong if he chooses.

[OnceUponTimeOnTheNet]

106. He did come across as strong. He did great.

Wish the General had time to answer questions.
DeMint up now.

edit~ make that Demented DeMint.

[whistle]

111. Perhaps Obama is now mad as hell and is not going to take it any more

[Cameron27]

104. Very good questions by Obama

[TwilightGardener]

105. DeMint pitching a tent over his lurve for the troops.

[Cameron27]

107. WTF

DeMint apologizes for them having to endure the hearing. You're representing the American people you f'n asshole, they'd better endure it.

[TwilightGardener]

110. We should NEVER question them. How dare we make them stand before

Congress and the people and explain themselves--this is a GENERAL! He's above that!

[againes654]

113. WTF

What is this asshole talking about???

[harun]

115. Accountability is just such a burden for Freeps, it is so hard (n/t)

[rodeodance]

126. DeMint was close to losing last year-sad he is still smelling up the Hearing.

[flyarm]

130. demint was so condensending ..and i just called his office and told them so! how dare him

we the people have been asked to send our kids to a war and these people have an obligation to ask questions they took an oath to do so..and i told his office that..i was pissed and may i suggest others call his office as well..i said how dare demint appologize for doing his job of which he is paid and is representing those who have been asked to send their kids to war..i said tell demint to stuff it!

i was and am furious!

fly

[goodgd_yall]

109. Oh-oh---A dig at Obama by DeMint

[Cameron27]

112. A cause for celebration?

What world does this creep live in.

[rodeodance]

122. Idiots crop up all over the place!

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

114. I wonder which flavor kool-aid DeMint drinks? eom

[rodeodance]

116. AFP: Surge a failure, Democrats tell general

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070911/pl_afp/usiraqpolitics_070911155117;_ylt=AqtpKSdxetbh2zhtBpOEH1Ws0NUE


Surge a failure, Democrats tell general

by Stephen Collinson 1 hour, 6 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Anti-war Senate Democrats bluntly told Iraq commander General David Petraeus Tuesday his troop surge strategy was an abject failure in its prime objective -- forcing a political settlement.
ADVERTISEMENT

Several senior Senate Republicans also questioned the administration's approach as the general and US ambassador to Baghdad Ryan Crocker endured a grilling on a second day of high-stakes testimony to Congress.

Petraeus got a rougher ride before the Senate Foreign Relations committee than he faced Monday from two House of Representatives panels, when he said that as the injection of 28,500 troops was working, force levels could return to pre-surge levels of around 130,000 by mid 2008.

"We should stop the surge and start bringing our troops home," committee chairman Senator Joseph Biden said....................

[LSK]

117. back to blame Iran again

:puke:

[LSK]

120. NO MENTION OF SAUDI ARABIA

FUCKERS!!!

:grr:

[OzarkDem]

125. Which Dem

will have the intestinal fortitude to ask Crocker when he's going to ask Poppy Bush to call his business buddies and ask them to stop the frickin war in the ME.

[bdamomma]

129. no but they (Saudis) also want a embassy there.

[tabatha]

123. except Crocker basically said

that Iran's influence is limited. Did he just take the air out of Bush's warmongering about Iran?

[OzarkDem]

127. He mentioned Syria, too n/t

[harun]

118. What a d%ck, tries to blame Iraq messup on that it is in

the Middle East. Sir, if it wasn't sitting on a giant lake of oil, we wouldn't have even thought about occupying it.

[LSK]

119. #5 please

[whistle]

121. They are again pushing for war with Iran

[Cameron27]

128. We're trying to referee a competition for power

with American lives. Yes

[eleny]

134. I remember when we worried about Menendez during the election

But had he not been elected, that statement may never have been made today. :thumbsup:

[Cameron27]

141. Menendez is sticking it to Petraeus,

we're lucky to have him at this hearing.

[flyarm]

151. i love Menendez!!!!!!!!!..i live in Fla and NJ and i helped Menedez get elected and damn proud of it

[ThomWV]

132. I sure hope Webb can get an answer out of these two asswipes, nobody else has.

[independentpiney]

133. They talk about al-Qaeda ,Syria and Iran but avoid Saudi Arabia

where most aqi fighters and financial support comes from. I wish someone would call them on that.

[harun]

140. Repugs obviously got their marching orders to mention

Iran, Syria and Al-Qaeda in Iraq every chance they could.

[whistle]

137. Menendez, just say it...we are stalemated!!!!

[whistle]

142. Ira War stalemated!!!

[Breeze54]

145. They're arguing!!

I love it!!

[bdamomma]

149. Menendez is giving it to him

shut the fuck up Petreaus.

[Breeze54]

138. Did Petraeus just say 40,000 home by December?

He just said he's beginning the redeployment of a quarter of the troops by December!!

[rodeodance]

147. NO He said down to pre-surge by NEXT summer.

[PatSeg]

156. Referring to a quarter of the surge troops

[Breeze54]

157. No, I heard him say a quarter would be out!

And down to pre-surge by NEXT summer. is total bullshit!!

The surge wasn't supposed to be this long, let alone next summer!!

They want to stay there until 2010!!! :grr:

[LSK]

143. NEW THREAD UP

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1783461

[Cameron27]

146. How long is this going to continue?

The benchmarks have largely been erased here.

[eleny]

148. He told Jan Shakowski, Dem, IL that we would be there for another 10 years

He had no problem telling her that during her recent visit to Iraq. So, what's the problem today? :shrug:

[whistle]

150. Iraq War stalemated!!!

[Cameron27]

152. OMG Isakson's still trying to exonerate bush for the invasion.

[flyarm]

154. mods please do not lock this so we have time to go back later and ask and answer questions!! thx!!