FoxNews: Top Republicans blast Bush on Iraq

[delirious]

WASHINGTON ? Senators from both parties urged the Bush administration on Sunday to face the reality of the situation in Iraq (search) and change its occupation policies.

"The fact is a crisp, sharp analysis of our policies is required. We didn't do that in Vietnam, and we saw 11 years of casualties mount to the point where we finally lost," said Sen. Chuck Hagel, a Vietnam War veteran who is co-chairman of President Bush's (search) re-election committee in Nebraska.

"We can't lose this. It is too important," Hagel, R-Neb., said on CBS' "Face the Nation."

A major problem, said leaders of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was incompetence by the administration in reconstructing the country's shattered infrastructure.

The chairman, Sen. Richard Lugar, noted that Congress appropriated $18.4 billion a year ago this week for reconstruction. No more than $1 billion has been spent. "This is the incompetence in the administration," Lugar, R-Ind., said on ABC's "This Week."

"Exactly right," interjected Delaware Sen. Joseph Biden, the committee's top Democrat. He said later: "This has been incompetence so far. Five percent of the $18.4 billion that George Bush keeps ... beating the other candidate up and about the head for how he voted and didn't vote, and he's released 5 percent."

Sen. John McCain (search), who has campaigned often with the president, said mistakes in Iraq generally can be attributed to inadequate manpower. McCain, R-Ariz., said problems began arising shortly after the dash through the desert to take Baghdad, the capital, in April 2003.

"We made serious mistakes right after the initial successes by not having enough troops on the ground, by allowing the looting, by not securing the borders," McCain said.

"Airstrikes don't do it; artillery doesn't do it. Boots on the ground do it," McCain told "Fox News Sunday."

Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., said Bush had pointed out from the beginning that the risks of combat in Iraq.

"I find it shocking that some people are surprised by the fact that it is a long and difficult conflict," Kyl said.

"What's important is that you have a leader who recognizes that there are difficulties, but who is committed to prevailing; who has a firm idea of what he wants to accomplish, confidence in his commanders in the field, and who doesn't send mixed messages to the troops or to our allies, or most importantly, to our enemies," Kyl said.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., acknowledged that the situation may deteriorate further before it gets better as antidemocratic forces try to prevent democracy from taking hold.

"So this is not a civil war. This is a part of the war on terror, where the terrorists have gone to Iraq, and we need to fight back or we'll lose the region," Graham told CNN's "Late Edition."

McCain was asked about a report in Sunday's New York Times that U.S. commanders were planning a drive in November or December to retake areas where insurgents have won control. Such a timetable would place the operations after the Nov. 2 election for the White House.

McCain said Bush was not being "as straight as we would want him to be" about the situation. "The longer we delay with these sanctuaries, the more difficult the challenge is going to be and the more casualties we will incur and the Iraqi people will suffer because they will be able to operate out of these sanctuaries obviously now with somewhat of impunity," McCain said.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,132864,00.html

[toasty]

Re: FoxNews: Top Republicans blast Bush on Iraq

If anyone is interested in hearing McCain's comments in full, they are included here: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,132848,00.html

Transcript: McCain Says 'Serious Mistakes' Made in Iraq

CHRIS WALLACE, FOX NEWS: With new concerns about what's going on in Iraq, we want to get a reality check from Republican Senator John McCain, who joins us now from Las Vegas.

And, Senator, welcome. Always good to have you with us.

U.S. SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN, R-ARIZ: Thank you, Chris.

WALLACE: Let's start with that New York Times report that U.S. commanders are planning a drive by the end of the year to take back control of the areas now held by insurgents. In fact can they wait until the end of the year?

MCCAIN: Oh, I think every day that goes by that we don't remove these sanctuaries in Fallujah (search) and other places in the Sunni triangle, the more expensive it's going to be at the time we take this out.

I would never have allowed the sanctuaries to start with. And allowing those sanctuaries has contributed significantly to the difficulties that we're facing, which are very, very significant.


WALLACE: Let me follow up on that. How serious a mistake do you think it was to allow our enemies to have safe havens inside the country?

MCCAIN: Chris, we made serious mistakes right after the initial successes by not having enough troops there on the ground, by allowing the looting, by not securing the borders. There was a number of things that we did. Most of it can be traced back to not having sufficient numbers of troops there.

But let me emphasize, things always go badly in wars. That's one of the reasons why we try to avoid them. The key is to correct our mistakes.

In the Fallujah issue, our general in Baghdad said we were going to go in and capture or kill those who were responsible for the deaths of Americans. And we went in, and then we pulled out.

As Napoleon said, if you say you're going to take Vienna, you take Vienna.

And so, we, by allowing these sanctuaries ? and Fallujah isn't the only one; there's a number of them particularly in the Sunni triangle ? then they were able to establish bases where they can equip, train and harbor people who are coming across the border from Syria and others contributing to this very serious challenge that we face.

And let me emphasize, we can and must win. I mean, it's not a question of not winning, because failure, in my view ? and we need more of this debate in this presidential campaign, by the way. We cannot afford to lose this, in my view. We must win. And the consequences of failure are enormous, and the fruits of success will also be incredible.

WALLACE: I want to pick up on the exit strategy (search) in just a moment, but let's talk about the situation right now. Another bloody week in Iraq: an average of 50 attacks a day against U.S. or coalition forces. Iraqi police and military are special targets.

Some have suggested that what we're seeing, to use a Vietnam analogy, is a kind of rolling Tet offensive to try to break the will of the American and Iraqi people and to play a role in defeating President Bush.

Do you think that's what's going on there now?

MCCAIN: I don't think they're interested so much in defeating President Bush. But I think that they see a period of vulnerability here during a presidential campaign that perhaps they could weaken American will.

I don't think they know President Bush from Senator Kerry. But I do think they're smart enough to know that American public opinion can be more easily swayed and national policy could perhaps be more easily impacted during a period of a run-up to elections. And I think they're smart enough to realize that.

But I don't think they have a candidate in the race. But they'd love to see a repeat of the Madrid bombing, which changed the government.



WALLACE: The media this week, Senator, revealed that the president has had a National Intelligence Estimate since July that forecast that through the end of next year, through the end of 2005, at best, we're going to have the violence that we have right now, and at worst, a civil war.

How seriously do you take that National Intelligence Estimate?

MCCAIN: I take it very seriously. I'm not privy to those. But the situation has obviously been somewhat deteriorating, to say the least.

And we've got to go in there. We've got to take out the sanctuaries. We're going to have to sustain, tragically, some more casualties.

And we grieve for every young man or woman who is wounded or killed in this conflict. But theirs, in my view, is a noble cause.

I think it's going to be very tough, and particularly between now and the election. But I also think we have both the will and the ability to prevail.

WALLACE: Following up on that, Senator, I want to play for you some comments that President Bush has been making about Iraq recently. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We will help new leaders to train their armies and move toward elections and get on the path of stability and democracy as quickly as possible.

BUSH: In Iraq, there's ongoing acts of violence. This country's headed toward a democracy. There's a strong prime minister in place. They have a national council. And national elections are scheduled for January.

(END VIDEO CLIPS)

WALLACE: Senator, you made your reputation talking about straight talk. Is the president being straight with the American people? Is he leveling with them about just how tough the situation is in Iraq?

MCCAIN: Perhaps not as straight as maybe we'd like to see. Although I've been with him when he has told audiences that this is a very tough struggle that we're in and made them aware of the difficulties.

But look, airstrikes don't do it; artillery doesn't do it. Boots on the ground do it. That's one of the fundamentals of warfare.

And the longer we delay with these sanctuaries, the more difficult the challenge is going to be and the more casualties we will incur and the Iraqi people will suffer because they will be able to operate out of these sanctuaries obviously now with somewhat of impunity.

But it's not satisfactory to just use airstrikes or artillery. You've got to send our troops in there on the ground. And that, of course, means the most difficult kind of fighting.

I think the president is being clear. I would like to see him more clear, because I believe the American people, the majority of them, know what's at stake and will support this effort.

WALLACE: In the interest of straight talk, of leveling with the American people, what would you think of issuing a declassified National Intelligence Estimate so voters, before the election, can make up their own minds about the situation in Iraq?

MCCAIN: That would be fine. But I think it's also more important that we just tell the American people.

So I think we should have hearings in the Senate and House Armed Services Committee on the issue to explain exactly what the plans are and how we're going to improve this situation, which, to any objective observer, is very tough now, and correct the mistakes that we have made.

Chris, I don't ? I know we're on a short program. But in the Korean War, General MacArthur told President Truman the Chinese would not invade. You know, I mean, mistakes are made in every conflict. The key is, recognize those mistakes, correct those mistakes, and prevail.

WALLACE: So let's talk about the future. If, as you said, failure is not an option, what do we do? Do we need more troops? What do we do between now and getting our troops out?

MCCAIN: We need to get into the sanctuaries quickly and soon, not only in the Sunni triangle but in other parts of Iraq, as well.

Second, we need to make plans for an enlarged Army and an enlarged Marine Corps. It may be as many as 70,000 Army and 20,000 to 25,000 Marines.

Because if you accept the reality that we're going to be there for a long time ? which, by the way, is not terrible if you keep the casualties down. We've been in Kosovo. We've been in Bosnia. We've been in South Korea for more than 50 years.

So the key is to get this military action initiated as quickly as possible, recognizing we'll be there for a long time, enlarge the size of our regular forces so we can reduce the enormous strain on them and on our Guard and Reserve forces. The Guard and Reserve forces were never designed to have this kind of sustained and repeated deployments.

WALLACE: Now, Senator Kerry said the other day, as I'm sure you're aware, that the administration has a secret plan to call up more Reserve and National Guard right after the election. He did not offer any proof.

But should the president say flat out what he plans to do, whether he has plans to call up the Reserve, the National Guard, whether he even plans to increase troop levels in Iraq?

MCCAIN: Well, I think it's clear that we already have significant Guard and Reserve, thank God, presence there. Around 40 percent of the forces in Iraq are Guard and Reserves. And some of them are in very, very key kinds of positions, like civil affairs, linguists and other very essential jobs.

I'd like to see more of an overall plan articulated by the president.

And also, by the way, again, congressional hearings are very good at getting answers to questions. And I think we'll be having at least one or two in the Senate Armed Services Committee.

WALLACE: How confident are you that the Iraqis, in fact, are going to be able to hold those elections, those national elections, in January as scheduled?

MCCAIN: Twice you referred to straight talk.

We're not going to have those national elections until we get rid of the sanctuaries. Or at least they're not going to be effective.

WALLACE: And do you think we can get rid of the sanctuaries by January?

MCCAIN: I do. I do. I do. I believe we can do it. And again, I believe the American people, when told what's at stake here ? and most of them appreciate that already ? would be very supportive of it, as we grieve the terrible loss and wounding of America's finest.

WALLACE: Senator, you're pretty ? I want to change subjects with you ? you're pretty sophisticated about the media. What advice...

MCCAIN: Who, me?

(LAUGHTER)

WALLACE: What advice do you have for Dan Rather and CBS News about those memos on the president's National Guard service?

MCCAIN: Get to the bottom of it. Get to the bottom of it quickly, and get it behind you.

It's like any other scandal that takes place in our nation. And that is, you've got to get all of the information out, get it out as quickly as possible, and get it behind you. You cannot stand the sustained kind of situation like this is.

WALLACE: Now you say it's a scandal. Do you, in fact, believe that these documents are forgeries, from everything that you've been able to read?

MCCAIN: I have no idea. I really don't.

I'll tell you what I regret though, Chris, is that we now have the bizarre situation where we are refighting a war that was over 30 years ago. It seems to be the focus of our attention, while, as our discussion today, some young American is probably going to be severely wounded or killed in Iraq.

And instead of figuring out how together we can fight this war and how we can prevail and having the different presidential views, we're going back and re-opening the wounds of a war that I spent the last 30 years trying ? by the way, sometimes working with Senator Kerry ? trying to close those wounds.

I cannot erase a single name that's inscribed in granite on the Mall in the Vietnam War Memorial. And to re-open these wounds I think is disgraceful, and it's a heck of the commentary on the state of American politics and the control that consultants and pollsters have.

WALLACE: Senator, let me ask you about another aspect of that though. Is it true that you warned Senator Kerry some months ago not to make Vietnam and his service there such a big issue in the campaign?

MCCAIN: Well, I don't like to discuss my private conversations. But the fact is, yes, I think that it was well known to most Americans that Senator Kerry served honorably ? and I emphasize, honorably ? as did President Bush in the National Guard; that John Kerry served honorably in Vietnam.

And sometimes, when you highlight it, I didn't think the impact ? so much the impact as it has today, but it's just, it makes sense to let other people talk about it, since it's a pretty well-known fact.

WALLACE: Well, given that, though, Senator, didn't, then, Senator Kerry contribute to all of this? Didn't he open the door to the situation that gave the Swift Boat Veterans so much attention?

MCCAIN: I think, certainly, by bringing it up, it made it more for a legitimate discussion. But his service in combat was honorable.

If you want to debate other aspects of Senator Kerry's political career, that's fine. But if we're going to go back and reexamine every medal and citation that every Vietnam veteran got, we're in one heck of a mess.

And again, you know, when I came home, Chris, from the war, I was astonished at the divisions within American society. Eighteen-, 19-, 20-year-old kids served honorably, came home, were not well received.

Look, we've all made our peace with ourselves, as to how we conducted ourselves during the war, including me. And to reopen all these and to rip it open, this is really unfair to those veterans, particularly those who have had difficulty coming all the way home.

WALLACE: Senator, thank you. Thanks for being with us.

MCCAIN: Thank you, Chris.

WALLACE: See you again soon.

MCCAIN: Thank you.

[LV-8]

Re: FoxNews: Top Republicans blast Bush on Iraq

Do you work for the John Kerry with all these Bush Bashing threads??

[kyyoon]

It's hard no to bash Bush with the mess he's made of the Middle East. I'm not trying to praise Kerry either though -- just saying Bush is putting America in a big hole.

[alexfish333]

Re: FoxNews: Top Republicans blast Bush on Iraq

I think what illustrates what a fool bush is the most clearly is that he led an unnecesary war into a country where the only conceivable benefit to Americans was oil and a new port in the growing storm that is the middle east. Since moving into Iraq all we have done is angered more and more impoverished muslim youths and basically left several of them with little else to do but concentrate their hatred back on our country. If you lived in Iraq you would hate the shit out of us and try to fuck us up in any way you could. With Kofi annon(sp??) at the UN ruling our invasion illegal he draws attention to the simple fact that the way in which we carried out this war was rushed and done so in a way that alienated more nations and peoples than we had before september 11th. America will not be able to withstand what will happen when the whole world decides we suck and are arrogant. When We have it SOOOOOOOOOOOO much better than 99% of the world we come off as just shity people for killing others and ruining lives for the sheer sake of our national interests.

[Nekrolicious]

I am almost as sick of hearing the "war for oil" crap as I am of hearing the term "flip-flop." Aside from oil, there's: -the fact that Bush is finishing what his daddy started
-the fact that Saddam is/was a threat to peace in the middle east
-the fact that, historically, wars have been used to bolster ailing economies.

I'm not defending Bush or the war..I'm just pointing out that saying that Bush went to war just for oil is like saying Kerry wants to become President just so he can carve his initials into the windowframe in the Oval Office. That might be one reason, but it's not the whole story.

[EvenSteven]

Re: FoxNews: Top Republicans blast Bush on Iraq

When We have it SOOOOOOOOOOOO much better than 99% of the world ...

that's debatable.

monetarily yes, but our country is a bit fucked in the head. i guess that comes with being the big boy on the block. bunch of arrogant imperialists we are roaming about the planet.

[PhAntoM MeNaCe]

i cant stand disingenuous and ungrateful fools, like some on this board. *shaking head. Get the fuck out of the country then folks! Yeah the imperialist nation of the US, we're the enemy, the Iraqis lived prosperously, life was good there until the US(because bush had to finish the job and because we want their oil) 'occupied' the country, and none of the Iraqees want us there right?? Your insouciant perspective makes me think you all are hmmm 'anti american', fact is you havent done your homework, you've been divorced from reality, and you guys are thinking one dimensionally for the short term. The Bushs agenda has been a chess game, with each strategic move setting itself up for the next, you however are still playing checkers.

[neoee]

^^^^
I'm kinda doubtful that Bush knows how to play chess.

[toasty]

The Bushs agenda has been a chess game, with each strategic move setting itself up for the next!

HEY, KOOL AID!!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously, here at home, I'll agree -- although I would argue that it is a chess game whose end result is ultimately bad for the citizens of this country, but that's a matter of ideology. If you're talking about the war in Iraq, you've got to be kidding. If you actually believe that things are well at hand in Iraq, that Bush has everything under control, and that this growing insurgency and daily reports of the deaths of American solidiers is all part of Bush's master plan, I've got to scratch my head.

I'm beginning to feel like Bush has taken a page from the Iraqi information minister's playbook when he gets up and talks about how well things are going in Iraq right now. I think the plan is, "just keep repeating it, and it will eventually people will view it as the truth." Seems to have worked -- on PM, at least...

[EvenSteven]

i cant stand disingenuous and ungrateful fools, like some on this board. *shaking head. Get the fuck out of the country then folks!

To blindly live in your own "free" country and not question its authority is dangerous buddy. But go ahead if you wish, walk with the sheep.

Yeah the imperialist nation of the US, we're the enemy, the Iraqis lived prosperously, life was good there until the US(because bush had to finish the job and because we want their oil) 'occupied' the country, and none of the Iraqees want us there right??

I said nothing about Iraq. America IS an imperialist nation. Fact. We are arrogant. Fact. What planet do you live on?

Your insouciant perspective makes me think you all are hmmm 'anti american', fact is you havent done your homework, you've been divorced from reality, and you guys are thinking one dimensionally for the short term. The Bushs agenda has been a chess game, with each strategic move setting itself up for the next, you however are still playing checkers.

Fact is, you have not done YOUR homework blind mouse. As for this "one demensional thinking on our parts, lol, read your own statements first. Narrowminded.

Chess - lol, that's a good one. Check yourself buddy, the world isn't a game to be played.

[PhAntoM MeNaCe]

hmmm, guess i'll check myself because you told me to. I won't get into an insult match with you here, not my schtick, but it's evident with every new word that your playing yourself, playa. Seems to me the only thing even about you, steven, is your shifty and insidious attitude. Now if you can straighten everything else out there might be hope for you.

Now where were we...oh yeah you think America is arrogant and imperial, right. Heres alittle timeline for you: 70's fundamentalist islam claims jihad(holy war) on America, 80's & 90's all kind of terror plots and attacks, 2001 we get hit hard by jihad. BECAUSE of this, were forced to root out terrorists where they lay their heads because eventually they will try to kill mass Americans in the most gruesome way possible. And because of this we are Imperialist? Can you explain to me how?

As far as arrogant, guess its an opinion, but even if we are so what, we have a right to be.

[alexfish333]

Re: FoxNews: Top Republicans blast Bush on Iraq

hmmm, guess i'll check myself because you told me to. I won't get into an insult match with you here, not my schtick, but it's evident with every new word that your playing yourself, playa. Seems to me the only thing even about you, steven, is your shifty and insidious attitude. Now if you can straighten everything else out there might be hope for you.

Now where were we...oh yeah you think America is arrogant and imperial, right. Heres alittle timeline for you: 70's fundamentalist islam claims jihad(holy war) on America, 80's & 90's all kind of terror plots and attacks, 2001 we get hit hard by jihad. BECAUSE of this, were forced to root out terrorists where they lay their heads because eventually they will try to kill mass Americans in the most gruesome way possible. And because of this we are Imperialist? Can you explain to me how?

As far as arrogant, guess its an opinion, but even if we are so what, we have a right to be.

Everything you say makes you sound like an asshole. We are not "rooting out terrorists we are recruiting them. The reason all of these terrorist acts have been perpetrated is because of our incursions into these peoples' holy lands. Bombing civilians on a tip that there may be someone of "interest" inside only converts every family member of those who died into someone who will carry unabashed hatred of america to their grave. And You have no right to be arrogant and neither do I. You and I were given everything we fucking have. Sure you probably work every day. But you didn't fight for anything in any of our wars and you didnt put your ass on the line ever. So what right does that give you to be arrogant. When people's lives are at stake. Plus these strategic movements will never amount to anything because we simply cannot win against this growing insurgency.

[EvenSteven]

Re: FoxNews: Top Republicans blast Bush on Iraq

Everything you say makes you sound like an asshole.

Couldn't agree more about Phantom Menace.

We have a right to be arrogant?

Where did you learn this mongoloid thinking PhAnToM MeNaCe? :?

[janky]

Re: FoxNews: Top Republicans blast Bush on Iraq

Any of you that get your news from Fox need to need see this documentary:

http://www.outfoxed.org