Posted on 01/08/2012 1:16:02 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
Rick Perry established a new gold standard for hawkish foreign policy at Saturday night’s GOP debate in New Hampshire. Not only is he mad President Obama withdrew US forces, he wants to put them back on the ground there immediately.
“I would send troops back into Iraq,” Rick Perry told a New Hampshire audience at Saturday night’s GOP debate, warning that without yet another military operation in Iraq it would fall under the influence of neighboring Iran.
“I think it’s a huge error for us,” he said. “We’re going to see Iran in my opinion, move back in at literally the speed of light. They’re going to move back in. And all of the work we’ve done — every young man that has lost his life in that country will have been for nothing. Because we’ve got a president that does not understand what’s going on in that region.”
US forces were withdrawn at the request of the Iraqi government, who signed an agreement with the Bush administration in 2008 legally requiring them to leave by the end of this year. Perry insisted that Obama could have renegotiated the deal to keep troops there.
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STEPHANOPOULOS: Governor Perry, we know you have differences with President Obama, but who’s got the better of this argument right here between Senator Santorum and Governor Huntsman?
PERRY: Well, I think that you have to -- I would send troops back into Iraq, because I will tell you...
STEPHANOPOULOS: Now?
PERRY: I -- I think we start talking with the Iraqi individuals there. The idea that we allow the Iranians to come back into Iraq and take over that country, with all of the treasure, both in blood and money, that we have spent in Iraq, because this president wants to kowtow to his liberal, leftist base and move out those men and women. He could have renegotiated that timeframe. [***the part that was left out***]
I think it is a huge error for us. We’re going to see Iran, in my opinion, move back in at literally the speed of light. They’re going to move back in, and all of the work that we’ve done, every young man that has lost his life in that country will have been for nothing because we’ve got a president that does not understand what’s going on in that region."
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SAWYER: I would like to turn now if I can back to foreign policy and, Governor Huntsman. Afghanistan, 90,000 troops tonight and we salute them all serving in Afghanistan. What is the earliest you think they should be brought home?
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Following Sawyer's question were rambling exchanges between Romney, Huntsman, Gingrich and Santorum on Afghanistan, Iraq, the Middle East and the WOT. [-- Huntsman: "We got something to show for our mission" -- Gingrich: "Not a military problem" -- Romney: his answer was incoherent, he played verbal "twister" -- Santorum: wait and see; what Newt said]. *** It's worth reading the ABC Trancript to see what preceded Perry's remarks.
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Then the conversation was directed to Gov. Rick Perry:
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STEPHANOPOULOS: Governor Perry, we know you have differences with President Obama, but who’s got the better of this argument right here between Senator Santorum and Governor Huntsman?"
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Perry cut to the chase, spoke like a Commander in Chief. [Due to conditions in the Middle East, we never should have left when we did; before it all collapses and was for naught, U.S. troops should be sent back into Iraq.]
I think he would have done better by saying he would send troops to the border not back to Iraq.
"Rick Perry has always remained faithful." -- First Lieutenant Daniel P. Moran
[6:45] Medal recipients tell of their sacrifice and the sacrifice of their fellow heroes -- and why they support Rick Perry.
“We’re going to see Iran, in my opinion, move back in at literally the speed of light.”
The Iranians must have some extremely advanced weaponry if they can move in to Iraq at 186,0000 miles per second.
That wasn't the question but to respond your comment, Gov. Perry has talked about sending troops to combat the problems on our border with Mexico.
That’s what I say. It’s unfortunate that Obama is pulling them out before they should be, but what good can be accomplished by sending them back in, when Iraq will be a simple mass of chaos for a year, before Perry can do anything?
Did not see anything in the article about how Iran can move into another nation at literally the speed of light.
How Obama’s kow-towing to our Middle East enemies makes friends, influences world stability and keeps us safe. /S
http://abna.ir/data.asp?lang=3&id=289374
Rick Perry spoke the truth.
Did you read what the others up on the stage said?
Care to explain how Iran can move into another country at literally the speed of light?
Thanks for bumping the thread with your stupid comment about a serious situation.
I’m going to watch the debate tomorrow morning, so I could very well be wrong in what I said. It should be on Youtube.
My general position on the military is that we should not be using the military for politicking and allow the military to win the wars we send them to, not interfere with them.
Perry’s right; Iraq has been going to the dogs exceptionally quickly, and we shouldn’t have let ourselves get nudged out of there.
That said . . . telling people he wants to send troops back there again is NOT going to get him many votes.
(And the “literally” at the “speed of light” comment was silly, but people make that mistake all the time. They don’t stop to think what “literally” means. It’s a minor matter, unless you’re just looking for something to make fun of Perry for.)
If you want to read it:
He could have said, “In a blink of an eye.” It’s a figure of speech.
To make an issue of it is done to avoid the point — the truth and essence of his remarks about how Omama has let this become a failed mission to appease his base, as well as avoiding any discussion about the mishmash of the others’ remarks.
Rick Perry is right on regarding Iraq, and many right here on FR don't have a clue, sad to say.
Perry further reinforces his image of being an idiot. There is nothing for us in Iraq worth sacrificing another ounce of American blood. What’s more, we can no longer afford one war let alone two. and finally, the majority of Americans are glad to be washing our hands of this national nightmare known as the Iraq war. We got Saddam, we verified their were no wmd’s. mission accomplished. now it’s time to gtfo. Perry just made himself unelectable imo.
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