Sen. Clinton Says Iraq Insurgents Failing

NY Times ^ | February 19, 2005 | NA

[neverdem]

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Filed at 1:01 p.m. ET

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton said Saturday a string of attacks killing more than 50 Iraqis in two days were failed attempts to sow sectarian strife and destabilize the country.

Clinton, a New York Democrat, and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., were part of a five-member congressional delegation that met with U.S. officials and members of Iraq's interim government.

Both Clinton and McCain have been strident critics of the Pentagon's planning and management of the war in Iraq. But Clinton said Saturday that Sunni Muslim insurgents were failing in their efforts to destabilize Iraq through sectarian violence.

Her comments came as numerous suicide bombings and other insurgent attacks across Iraq killed dozens of people, Iraqi officials said, as Shiite Muslim worshippers celebrated their holiest day of the year. A U.S. soldier was among those killed in the attacks, the military said.

On Friday, insurgents staged five attacks killing at least 36 people and Shiites blamed radical Sunni Muslim insurgents for attacking them in a string of bombings, shootings and kidnappings.

Authorities had hoped to prevent a repeat of last year's attacks during the Ashoura festival when insurgent blasts killed at least 181 people in Karbala and Baghdad.

Clinton said insurgents had also failed to disrupt Iraq's landmark Jan. 30 elections, won by the Shiite clergy-backed ticket. The United Iraqi Alliance won 140 seats in the 275-seat National Assembly.

``Not one polling place was shut down or overrun and the fact that you have these suicide bombers now, wreaking such hatred and violence while people pray, is to me, an indication of their failure,'' she said.

``The results of the election are a strong rebuke to those who did not believe that the Iraqi people would take this opportunity to demonstrate their own commitment to their own future.''

But Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, said he did not believe the U.S. military would leave Iraq anytime soon.

``How long I don't know, but to leave too soon would be devastating to stay too long is unnecessary,'' Graham said. ``I ask the American people to be patient, because what happens here will affect our security back home.''

McCain said the U.S. military presence was tied to the numbers of casualties taken by American forces, but he was heartened by the Jan. 30 elections in Iraq.

``We have a long hard difficult struggle ahead of us and I'm far more optimistic now,'' McCain said.

In December, McCain said he had ``no confidence'' in Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, but he added that keeping Rumsfeld in the position was President Bush's choice, not his.

The delegation also was briefed by U.S. Lt. Gen. David Petraeus, who is leading the effort to create an independent Iraqi security force, McCain said.

The group had not left the Green Zone, home to Iraqi government institutions and the American and British embassies, because of the security situation, McCain said. They were expected to meet with U.S. troops stationed elsewhere in Iraq on Sunday.

At least 1,476 members of the U.S. military have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count.

The five senators that flew into Iraq included Clinton, McCain, Graham, Maine Republican Susan Collins and Wisconsin Democrat Russ Feingold.

[Coldwater Creek]

actuals my blind Husband spelled that wrong. Thanks for calling it to my attention. I will tell him not to be spouting Latin phrases if he can not see the screen.

[cake_crumb]

Hillary'!s pretty smart, AND extremely cunning. However she lacks the sense God gave the average chicken. Otherwise she wouldn't have insisted that "we are the president", tried gladhanding 9/11/survivors MONTHS after completely snubbing them, expected even her fans to believe she really never knew Bill cheated on her, gotten up in front of that audience of NYPD and FD after campaigning on spitting at police and calling them murderers or told our troops in Iraq that Americans support them but not the war. She wouldn't hae alienated her base by pretending support for the war in teh first place. Actually there's such a LONG list of stupid things that nobody but a New Yorker would have voted for her.

[Marano NYC]

No she is smart enough to say I was wrong and move on. Yet she knows once she is in the White House she gets free reign.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Yep, way too much of that crap!

Out of here to catch some sunshine before the nest wave hits,....it's wet here!

[demkicker]

For those of you who want to read the entire transcript, Here it is. Please note that even Hillary Clinton doesn't try to give the terrorists any ideas like McCain does.

Here are two examples of why John McCain is a traitor:

MCCAIN: On the issue of withdrawal, let me just point out, I think it is a false argument. The key to our continued presence here is not how long we stay, it is the U.S. casualties. We've been in South Korea for more than 50 years. Americans are perfectly happy with that. We've been in Bosnia, we've been in all over the world, but we don't have casualties. If we can bring American casualties down as the Iraqis take over military and law enforcement responsibilities, then I think the American people will be satisfied to see significant progress. I think that is the key to it, rather whether we withdraw or not.

McCain just has to get one more dig in:

MCCAIN: I've said many times that we have made serious mistakes and we've paid a heavy price for those mistakes. And I have pointed them out a long time ago. But the fact is that the elections have taken place.....

The benefit of watching this press conference live was the ability to see how negative and dangerous John McCain can be. IMO, his motives are dishonorable and I'm sick that no one is calling him out on these irresponsible remarks.

[cake_crumb]

You're the second person today trying to convince us that Kerry's lap puppie is a conservative. When he starts supporting our military PAST and PRESENT, stops eroding the 1st Amendment and stops trying to take away our guns (only police should have them) then I'll change my view.

[Coldwater Creek]

Sorry, meant actually.

[Bommer]

Positioning herself to the right of everyone else in the Democrat party with Presidential aspirations.

Appearing with a RINO like McCain sure will help her look more conservative.

[Osage Orange]

Beware the Imp's?

[Osage Orange]

"It's NOT a tumor!"

[cake_crumb]

Lucky bugger....I suppose I could get some skiing in before the snow thaws....

[Coldwater Creek]

Where did she actually say that she was wrong? In over 25 years I have never heard those words uttered by Mrs, Clinton.

[Marano NYC]

That Vast Right Wing Conspiracy question is not going to get a Larry King type response.
She will eventually sit for an interview with Russert and he is tough on all. Russert was tougher on Kerry than anyone else.
Some people say Free Republic is the home of this Vast right wing Conspiracy. I am still looking for the home of the real Vast Right Wing Conspiracy.

[Osage Orange]

McCain still votes with the Repubs 80% of the time according to the 2004 vote record....he may be borderline but he still is primarily Repub....

Well...I'm 80% certain that McCain is a RINO....so, I guess it's a wash.

[Coldwater Creek]

She might not lie to an American Soldier, but she sure didn't mind using them for servants to pass food and drink trays.

Didn't she also forbid the military in some parts of the White House? Maybe I have such a jaded view of the Hildabeast that I am imagining things.

[Osage Orange]

Russert was tougher on Kerry than anyone else.

That's rich..!!

Like that took some doing...

[CyberAnt]

You must be kidding, right ..??

She's positioning herself as a hawk - because she will need that quality to run for president.

However, when she was in Iraq the last time .. she told our troops "the outcome [of the Iraq war] is not certain".

Actually - her goal is: What can I say to fool them today. She has no clue that we aren't fooled anymore.

[DoughtyOne]

Yep! That's the witch all right. Plus their little darling said something to the effect that mom (or dad) refered to them as glorified rent-a-cops. I've never wanted to smack a few people more in my life!

[cake_crumb]

McCain is indeed dangerous.

The idiot might want to stop rambling about the number of US troops in Bosnia and Korea though. He sounds like a cross between Wesley Clark and his boss, Hanoi Johnny Boy.

Remember this: it's not AMERICAN casualties that are the key, whatever John the not-so-tactically-inclined veteran thinks, but the number of IRAQI casualties. As long as Saudi and Syria back the Sunni Ba'athists against Shi'ia and Christian Iraqis and as long as Iran eggs both sides on in an effort to finally control Iraq, our presence will be necessary. You can bet that Iraqi leaders will ask us to continue to stay as long as it takes.

Iraq has lost as many people to the terrorist enemy as we have.

[NorCalRepub]

I never said the McCain was a conservative.....he is a moderate for sure........I simply said that his record shows he votes with the Repubs 80% of the time and he supports the party alot more than disagrees with it.....that is all...the media like to show him only when he is disagreeing with a Repub position......I choose to also see his positive side as well as his negative....