Posted on 01/15/2007 5:12:29 PM PST by mdittmar
LANDSTUHL, Germany U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton said on Monday that Afghanistan has made some progress, but the country is tottering and needs more troops to finish off Taliban and al-Qaida forces.
Clinton, D-N.Y., was in Germany on Monday with Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., and U.S. Rep. John McHugh, R-N.Y., after traveling to Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan over the weekend.
The congressional delegation met with wounded servicemembers at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center and Ramstein Air Base before heading back to the United States.
Im encouraged by the progress in Afghanistan, but Afghanistan is tottering, Clinton said. Weve got to get more support there to make sure we try to finish off the Taliban and al-Qaida that are regrouping, coming across the border. We expect a big spring offensive.
The bipartisan group met with Afghanistan president Hamid Karzai in addition to leaders in Iraq and Pakistan. They also met with U.S. commanders in both Afghanistan and Iraq. About 23,000 U.S. troops are in Afghanistan.
The good news in Afghanistan is that the Afghans are relatively united in the direction they want to go in, Bayh said. The difficulty in Iraq is will the Iraqis step up and do what they need to do to get their country in a better position.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki told the group in a meeting on Saturday he expects the country to have full security control of the countrys provinces in six months, McHugh said.
It was very ambitious, McHugh said of the Iraqi leaders timetable. It may not be achievable. But I wasnt going to try and talk them out of it.
Many Democrats have called for a gradual withdrawal of American troops, but President Bush plans to send 21,500 troops to Iraq to stem the violence.
Marine Cpl. William Harrelson, who injured his eye in Iraq and is a patient at Landstuhl, was frank on what he thinks should be done.
Do you think more troops would help? Clinton asked Harrelson.
Its just my opinion, but I think that once Saddam [Hussein] was captured we should have got out, he answered. But I think its also good that were also helping rebuild their security.
One servicemember who saw Clinton in the hallway offered to help her campaign if she decides to run for president. Although she has not made any formal announcement about her presidential ambitions, it is widely speculated that she will make a run for the White House in 2008. Bayh announced last month he was forming a presidential exploratory committee.
The group traveled to Ramstein Air Base to tour the Contingency Aeromedical Staging Facility after meeting with patients and hospital staff members. McHugh had a scare midway through his visit at Landstuhl.
He became shaky and lightheaded after meeting with some wounded servicemembers and was briefly admitted to the hospital for tests. He was discharged minutes later and said he was dehydrated from the rigors of the trip, adding the group had gotten only about three hours of sleep every night and he worked out every day.
He said Landstuhl is one of the best in the world and joked, I dont think I needed to test it personally, but I did.
We need to stop this woman. She will turn this county into a Socialist Republic.
What a treat! You're observing premium triangulation at its best. Flawlessly performed by the second-best triangulator in the world:
We hope you are suitably impressed!
I look at that picture...and expect her to expect someone to go Heil Hillary!! Heil Hillary!!
According to Boxer, Hillary shouldn't be able to have an opinion. Hillary won't be paying a price for sending troops over there.
Shut up, Hillary, this trip is nothing but something to cite in your upcoming campaign as an example of your "expertise".
.
NEVER FORGET
During America's Fight for the Freedom of others in a then Free South Vietnam long ago...
...Diane HILLARY RODHAM was actively supporting our Communist Terrorist Enemy invading from the North.
And nothing has changed since.
For...
...the Enemy is now Within
...and always has been.
Signed:.."ALOHA RONNIE" Guyer
Veteran-1st Major Battles for Freedom of the Vietnam War 1965-66
http://www.WeWereSoldiers.com
http://www.lzxray.com/guyer_collection.htm
http://www.RickRescorla.com/The%20Statue.htm
NEVER FORGET
.
Remember back when the U.S. was going to invade Iraq, and the liberals were complaining about the other nations we ought to be invading too? Now that there's going to be a troop surge in Iraq, they're thinking of other places we ought to be having surges in, too.
Hitlery will say or do anything if it helps her. She is an evil witch.
Since Hillary has no military experience, isn't she unqualified to speak on military matters?
Her daughter is still at age to serve. Why doesn't she ask Chelsea to serve??
SWEINHILDA
ROFLMAO
I wonder if she has a mustache she has to get waxed?? LOL
She's not a chickenhawk, just a mother hen.
Come to think of it, when we were talking about invading Iraq an awful lot of liberals were saying we should be focussing on Iran. Now that Iran is heating up, they are saying if the soldiers set one foot in Iran in hot pursuit, that will spark a Constitutional confrontation.
BREAKING NEWS: SENATOR CLINTON CALLS FOR TROOP SURGE IN AFGHANISTAN!
According to the new rule, she is only unqualified to speak on military matters if she is childless.
The most sad part of "Blackhawk down" wasn´t the death of the brave soldiers, it was the end, when the epilogue remembered us of the withdrawal from Somalia - meaning that the troops died there IN VAIN!
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