Posted on 12/05/2004 9:50:27 AM PST by kattracks
The Democratic Party's top foreign policy expert in the Senate said Sunday that the U.S. is losing what he described as a war with "too little legitimacy" in Iraq, even though attacks against U.S. troops have plummeted in recent weeks and enemy leader Abu Musab al Zarqawi has publicly proclaimed the battle of Fallujah a massive U.S. victory.In a morale-busting diatribe that's certain to bring delight to the hearts of America's enemies worldwide, Sen. Joe Biden complained that while U.S. forces have won every battle, the Bush administration's flawed strategy has doomed the war effort. "We've won everything we've tried to do, including Fallujah," Biden told ABC's "This Week." "But then we've lacked the resources to secure what we've won. And we're still paying an awesome price for the initial failures on policy of this administration, of going in with too little power and too little legitimacy."
Biden had just returned from a trip to Iraq with his Senate Foreign Relations Committee colleague Chuck Hagel, who told reporters on Thursday: "I did not find one commander who said to me, 'We're winning.'"
Biden said he agreed with that assessment, telling "This Week," "That's clearly my impression."
On the prospects for a successful Iraqi election in January, the Delaware Democrat was equally pessimistic, saying, "Success is still possible but it is receding rapidly. It is being made much more difficult. And anybody who tells you - like we were told just prior to the November election - that Iraq is more secure, that is simply not true. Not true."
He predicted that American forces would continue to take an increasing number of casualties in Iraq, saying, "We have to level with the American people. This is going to be incredibly painful."
Biden's assessment, however, was contradicted by Pentagon officials, who said last week that attacks against U.S. forces had actually plummeted sharply in the wake of the Fallujah victory.
"Military officials report that attacks across all of Iraq have dropped from 130 to 50 per day," NBC's Pentagon correspondent Jim Miklaszewski reported on Monday.
The Delaware Democrat's pessimistic view also didn't jibe with comments from enemy leader Abu Musab al Zarqawi, who candidly admitted two weeks ago in an audiotaped message posted to an Islamic web site that his forces were on the ropes after suffering a devastating defeat in Fallujah.
"Hundreds of thousands of the nation's sons are being slaughtered at the hands of the infidels," an alarmed Zarqawi announced.
Blaming Sunni clerics for not supporting his reign of terror, the enemy leader complained that U.S. forces were "inflicting the worst suffering, cutting the throats of the holy warriors."
"This Week" host George Stephanopoulos opted not to ask Sen. Biden about either the declining attack numbers or Zarqawi's admission of defeat.
Biden...Biden... Hmmm... Didn't he used to be somebody relevant?
Hoping for it doesn't make it so, Joe.
Biden needs to be scalped.
We haven't won the war until no troops get killed.
Now THERE's a surprise - Boy George failing to ask a skeptical question.
Wasn't the liberal Senator who said that the President lost his mind?
Now who is talking!
Osama Lin Biden
You know you're party's toast when Joe Biden is your top foreign policy expert.
He has never been particularly relevant.
Illegitimate? The bastard foreign terrorists are still around, but their numbers are greatly shrinking.
Biden needs to be scalped.
What, and lose all those expensive hair implants he's had?
Biden is he illegitmate one. Did he even find a Commander that would talk to him.
In my opinion, let him talk... a lot of good it did 'em on November 2...
Hm. Leftists siding with the enemy. Old news.
Just another example of why it is not safe to vote for Democrat candidates yet.
Yeah, but he's pretty good with the scalp transplants.
Another Democrat "Supports The Troops™".
And to think that he might have been Secretary of State had Kerry won...(shudder)
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