Baird now sees need for U.S. troops in Iraq (D-WA changes mind on War after visit to Iraq)

Seattle Times ^ | 8/18/07 | Associated Press

[NavyCanDo]

WASHINGTON — Rep. Brian Baird, D-Vancouver, voted against the Iraq war, but the Democrat now says the United States should stay in Iraq as long as it takes to ensure stability in the war-torn country.

"We're on the ground now. We have a responsibility to the Iraqi people and a strategic interest in making this work," Baird told The Olympian newspaper after a recent trip to Iraq.

A hasty pullout could cause chaos that helps neighboring Iran and harms U.S. security, said Baird, who returned this week from a trip that included stops in Israel, Jordan and Iraq. He said he met troops, U.S. advisers and Iraqis, whose stories have convinced him the military must stay longer.

Baird voted in March in favor of a Democratic plan requiring President Bush to bring combat troops home from Iraq next year.

"People may be upset. I wish I didn't have to say this," said Baird, who is under pressure from liberal-leaning groups in his southwest Washington district to support a troop withdrawal.

The United States needs to continue with its current "surge" of military troops "at least into early next year, then engage in a gradual redeployment," said Baird, a five-term lawmaker. "I know it's going to cost hundreds of American lives and hundreds of billions of dollars."

His comments are based on two beliefs, Baird said:

"One, I think we're making real progress. Secondly, I think the consequences of pulling back precipitously would be potentially catastrophic for the Iraqi people themselves, to whom we have a tremendous responsibility ... and in the long run chaotic for the region as a whole and for our own security."

[syriacus]

Too bad that Harry ("The Buck Stops Somewhere Else") Truman wasn't smart enough or determined enough to insist that our troops linger in S. Korea after we freed it from Japan in 1945.

Most of our troops were removed from S. Korea by 1949, and in 1950 N. Korea invaded the unstable and militarily weak South.

Then Truman sent American troops back to Korea, after announcing those Americans would be fighting a "police action" against "bandits".

30,000 Americans died in the following 30 months.

[elder5]

HEY!

We were Vancouver FIRST!

[Earthdweller]

"The United States needs to continue with its current "surge" of military troops "at least into early next year, then engage in a gradual redeployment," said Baird, a five-term lawmaker. "I know it's going to cost hundreds of American lives and hundreds of billions of dollars." "

BTTT (Am I really bumping a Dem? My keys feel funny...like icky or something)

[AD from SpringBay]

Rep. Brian Baird, D-Vancouver, has seen tha light (i.e. poll numbers)!

[Earthdweller]

Actually he saw Iraq outside the MSM image. You can only perpetrate a lie for so long. Time has run out for the moonbats.

[G8 Diplomat]

Whoa...do you believe in miracles?? A Democrat supporting the war effort? Wow! Now tell this to Harry, Baird.

See when you actually get your nose out of Washington and into the world where very real things are happening and see for yourself what’s going on, you’re likely to change your mind on some things.

[G8 Diplomat]

Just sent him a letter congratulating/thanking him for this. After writing to Harry Reid over and over again about his wrong position on Iraq, that felt good to send!