| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"Andres64" |
| Date: |
23 Jun 2005 08:30:10 PM |
| Object: |
OT: Insurgency NOT in "last throes"... |
Top Commander Says Insurgency Still Strong By LIZ SIDOTI, Associated
Press Writer
2 hours, 10 minutes ago
The top American commander in the Persian Gulf told Congress on
Thursday that the Iraqi insurgency has not grown weaker over the past
six months, despite a claim by Vice President ***** Cheney that it was
in its "last throes."
Gen. John Abizaid's testimony came at a contentious Senate Armed
Services Committee hearing at which Defense Secretary Donald H.
Rumsfeld clashed with members of both parties, including a renewed call
by Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (news, bio, voting record) of Massachusetts
for him to step down.
Citing what he called repeated "gross errors and mistakes" in the U.S.
military campaign in Iraq, Kennedy told Rumsfeld: "In baseball, it's
three strikes, you're out. What is it for the secretary of defense?"
"Isn't it time for you to resign?" Kennedy asked.
"I've offered my resignation to the president twice," Rumsfeld shot
back, saying that President Bush had decided not to accept it. "That's
his call," he said.
Kennedy has called for Rumsfeld's resignation before.
Rumsfeld, Abizaid and other top defense officials were grilled on the
future presence of U.S. troops in Iraq. As to proposals from some
lawmakers to set a timetable for U.S. withdrawal, Rumsfeld said: "That
would be a mistake."
But even some Republicans expressed open skepticism with how the U.S.
is conducting the war in Iraq, with U.S. deaths now surpassing 1,700
since the war began in March 2003.
"Public support in my state is turning," said Sen. Lindsey Graham
(news, bio, voting record), R-S.C. "People are beginning to question.
And I don't think it's a blip on the radar screen. We have a chronic
problem on our hands."
Committee Democrats and some Republicans on the panel accused the
administration of being overly optimistic, including Cheney's Memorial
Day "last throes" observation about the insurgency.
Abizaid told the panel: "I believe there are more foreign fighters
coming into Iraq than there were six months ago." As to the overall
strength of the insurgency, Abizaid said it was "about the same" as six
months ago.
"We see good progress in both Iraq and Afghanistan... But we are
realistic. And we know that great change is often accompanied with
violence. We are not trying to paint a rosy picture," Abizaid said.
Told by Sen. Carl Levin (news, bio, voting record) of Michigan, the
committee's senior Democrat, that his assessment directly contradicted
Cheney, Abizaid said: "I don't know that I would make any comment about
that other than to say there's a lot of work to be done...I gave you my
opinion."
In a CNN interview last month, Cheney said: "I think they're in the
last throes, if you will, of the insurgency."
"The fact is that the insurgency has not weakened," Levin said. "Our
men and women in uniform are serving with great honor. They deserve an
objective assessment of the situation in Iraq. They deserve a clear
layout of the next steps there. They're not getting either from the
administration."
Rumsfeld voiced strong opposition to congressional calls for an exit
strategy with a timetable for withdrawing U.S. troops.
"Timing in war is never predictable. There are never guarantees,"
Rumsfeld said. "Those who say we are losing this war are wrong. We are
not."
Testifying on the progress in training Iraq's own security forces,
Rumsfeld said these forces have "a way to go," but progress was being
made.
The administration contends that Iraqis must be able to defend their
own country against a lethal insurgency before a timeline for bringing
home troops can be considered.
But progress has been slower than expected. In recent weeks, insurgents
have increasingly targeted Iraqi security forces. And U.S. casualties,
war spending and public skepticism continue to climb, ruffling both
Republicans and Democrats.
"Leaving before the task is complete would be catastrophic," Gen.
Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the panel.
Levin said there was "no military settlement without a political
settlement."
He said the Bush administration should tell the Iraqis that if they do
not meet their deadline for drafting a constitution - August 15, with
a possible six-month extension - the United States will consider
setting a timetable for troop withdrawals.
"We must demonstrate to the Iraqis that our willingness to bear the
burden ... has limits," Levin said.
Iraqis are to vote on the proposed constitution in a referendum by Oct.
15. It must be ratified by a two-thirds majority of voters. If
approved, elections for a permanent government would be held by Dec.
15.
Rumsfeld and committee Chairman John Warner, R-Va., added their voices
to those urging Iraq to stick to that schedule.
Warner, meanwhile, praised Bush for "steady and unflinching resolve.
"Our great nation has an enormous capacity for sacrifice and hardship
when we understand the cause is just," he said.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050623/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/rumsfeld_iraq&printer=1;_ylt=AslFq0hWrmMKgvx6zxZ0EzmWwvIE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3MXN1bHE0BHNlYwN0bWE-
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| User: "Razor 616" |
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| Title: Re: OT: Insurgency NOT in "last throes"... |
23 Jun 2005 10:03:34 PM |
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On 23 Jun 2005 13:30:10 -0700, "Andres64" <andresc64@excite.com>
wrote:
Top Commander Says Insurgency Still Strong By LIZ SIDOTI, Associated
Ever notice how it weakened in Afghanistan just as it grew stronger in
Iraq? They flock to where the action is. More come from all over the
muslim world every day, and at the rate muslim women are being forced
to pump out this 'live ammunition' there ain't no way the US is gonna
win. Not with it's hands tied, anyway. And the alternative is
unacceptable.
--
#1295
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| User: "Fred Stone" |
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| Title: Re: OT: Insurgency NOT in "last throes"... |
23 Jun 2005 11:43:48 PM |
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Razor 616 <nobody@nowhere.net> wrote in
news:b7cmb1tdnbigeodtrabrooeu8krdti7vgf@4ax.com:
On 23 Jun 2005 13:30:10 -0700, "Andres64" <andresc64@excite.com>
wrote:
Top Commander Says Insurgency Still Strong By LIZ SIDOTI, Associated
Ever notice how it weakened in Afghanistan just as it grew stronger in
Iraq? They flock to where the action is. More come from all over the
muslim world every day, and at the rate muslim women are being forced
to pump out this 'live ammunition' there ain't no way the US is gonna
win. Not with it's hands tied, anyway. And the alternative is
unacceptable.
It's the flypaper strategy. Draw them in and kill them in Iraq rather
than let them dig in and subvert other countries. The recent sweeps in
Iraq have already paid off in intelligence about terrorist assets in
Europe. Spain just made another major raid on terrorist recruitment
cells.
It still takes fifteen to twenty years to grow a suicide bomber. And
even Iran couldn't keep up the suicide bombings against Saddam during
the Iran-Iraq war. Jihadis may be religiously motivated but the still
have morale issues when they aren't making perceptible progress of their
own.
The radical madrassahs aren't the only influences working in the
mideast. Democratization is also happening, and modern democratic
societies do not breed terrorists at the same rate as 9th Century
thugocracys.
--
Fred Stone
aa# 1369
"Metaphysics is almost always an attempt to prove
the incredible by an appeal to the unintelligible."
[H.L. Mencken, "Prejudices"]
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