Posted on 03/23/2005 10:31:15 AM PST by areafiftyone
WASHINGTON -- The United States needs to focus on four goals in Iraq -- security, reconstruction and political and economic stability, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said after spending Tuesday in the war-torn capital of Baghdad.
Reid said he was shaken by the destruction of the country caused by by former leader Saddam Hussein's policies and by the U.S. military.
"The place is devastated," Reid said in a telephone interview with Nevada reporters Tuesday, speaking from Georgia in the former Soviet Union, mid-way through an eight-day overseas congressional trip. "It is going to take years to reconstruct Iraq."
Each of the four goals poses massive challenges for the United States, Reid said. Rebuilding the economy is a daunting task given the violence, demolished infrastructure and rampant unemployment, he said.
"It (economy) is a mess, to say the least," Reid said.
Reid is leading a delegation of five Democrats and two Republican senators on a trip to examine security and issues in developing democracies that took them to Israel for a meeting with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, then to Kuwait via Jordan, Iraq, and Georgia, Reid said. The senators are scheduled to meet Thursday with newly elected Ukrainian president Viktor Yushchenko in Kiev before a brief stop in France to meet with military officials and a scheduled Saturday return.
In Iraq, the senators met with U.S. military officials as well as Kurdish and Sunni leaders.
Reid also met with Nevada reservists from the Henderson-based Nevada National Guard 1864th Transportation unit, including a junior high school teacher from Elko. Reid described them as mostly lonely young men who want to get home. A few asked Reid to contact their loved ones.
"I've got several phone calls to make to wives and mothers," Reid said.
The soldiers appear well-trained and generally well-supplied, Reid said, although it was noted to Reid that some vehicle armor was not scheduled to arrive for four months. For soldiers awaiting that armor in a unit that trucks supplies to fellow soldiers, "every day is an eternity," Reid said.
The Nevada senator reiterated a call for a clearer U.S. plan for an eventual exit in Iraq. But he also said U.S. military forces could not begin a withdrawal until more stability has taken hold.
Security measures in Iraq are extreme, Reid said. Drivers routinely weave their cars to avoid being an easy target, he said. Reid attended a press conference in Iraq where 15 to 20 members of the media asked questions while about 50 law enforcement officers stood watch "guns at the ready."
Reid said it seemed nearly everyone -- people of all ages -- were armed.
"Every place you went there were people with guns," Reid said.
Sometimes the Dems have to repeat aloud what they have been told by the adults so it sinks in.
You're right. I also notice they do what DUers tell them to too. The DUers bombard them with hate e-mails relentlessly. Congress Critters are such cowards!
"Same reason Massachusetts keeps electing Kerry and Kennedy and NY will keep electing Hillary: The people took too much LSD years ago!"
well mass is full of union and liberal zombies
NY the same
Nevada though strikes me as more conservative - voted for Bush have R in house and senate which is why i posed the question
I always thought Nevada was conservative too but maybe it's changed over the years from the influx of people moving there. Maybe more liberals are living there now than ever. I'm from NY actually so I live in the liberal Hell Hole!
"liberal Hell Hole!"
i hear you, originally from MA (God help me) and fled to NH for at least some common sense. Getting polluted now with too many massholes immigrating. still work in Mass though
Are they? Violence isn't a new thing you know.
That letter was made public but not a word from the media about that kind of subversive influence.
Where the hell did he think he was at Jacko's compound.
In Vietnam I remember seeing those congressional delegations who would come in for the weekend...spend a couple of days in Saigon getting drunk and laid....then spend part of a day riding around in a Helicopter with a few stops for photo's and then back on the airplane and home.....whereupon they made profound statements about how the war was going and yada, yada ,yada...which for those of us who were there showed their incredible ignorance. Always reminded me of a drinking song we used to sing in the club"They stand on the runway, they scream and they shout, of which many things they know nothing about; for all of the good they can be they might as well be shoveling $hit on the Isle of Capri"
LOL....if only we could rid ourselves of the coasts......all would be well.
Thanks bunches, Harry. There's trouble in Iraq? Who knew?
Right and DUers were outside her office for days after that. Apparently when she kissed their butts they sent her flowers. Isn't that speeeeeecial?
LOL AHHHHH we're surrounded! We gotta get out of the NorthEast I think! ;-)
Graphic violence is very new in the movies, it started in the late 70's. There is a direct correlation with gun violence and gun violence in the movies but no one (adults) wants to alk about it.
It's still better than Detroit.
Harry's just disappointed because the terrorists aren't the only ones who have guns.
People with guns just fought off and killed insurgents who wanted to kill them.
How familiar was Reid with Iraq BEFORE the troops arrived? I was under the impression the situation was pretty bad everywhere but the Palaces and such.
All the more reason for Harry to be bitterly disappointed. Maybe he can demand an investigation, and call on the President to "get the assault weapons off the streets of Baghdad." How about a gun buyback, Harry? Give those Iraqis free Nike shoes or Britney Spears concert tickets for turning in their AK-47s.
One thing I would rally like to know - who were the two RINOs that went to Baghdad with this clown?
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