Posted on 01/26/2007 12:04:55 PM PST by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Roberts Gates said Friday that a congressional resolution opposing President Bush's troop buildup in Iraq amounts to undercutting U.S. commanders in a way that "emboldens the enemy."
At his first Pentagon news conference since taking office, Gates was asked his reaction to the debate in Congress over the effect of such a nonbinding resolution. "It's pretty clear that a resolution that in effect says that the general going out to take command of the arena shouldn't have the resources he thinks he needs to be successful certainly emboldens the enemy and our adversaries," he said.
Gates talked to reporters as Senate Democrats on Capitol Hill prepared for the start debate next week on the resolution of opposition to President Bush's decision to send an additional 21,500 U.S. forces into battle in wartorn Iraq. Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid (news, bio, voting record) said Friday that a quick test vote would likely be taken if Republicans try to delay or block the move.
Gates was referring to Army Lt. Gen. David Petraeus, who was confirmed by the full Senate on Friday to replace Gen. George Casey as the top American commander in Iraq. Petraeus has said he needs all 21,500 extra troops that Bush has ordered to Iraq in order to quell the raging sectarian violence in Baghdad.
"I think it's hard to measure that with any precision, but it seems pretty straightforward that any indication of flagging will in the United States gives encouragement to those folks," Gates said, referring to the anti-government forces in Baghdad. He added that he was certain this was not the intent of those who support the congressional resolution.
"But that's the effect," he said.
And if you think it is, did you loudly cheer the Kosovo mission? Haiti?
How important is success in Iraq to you all?
Is this what we want??
McConnell "skeptical" Iraqi government will step up
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said he is "skeptical" about the Iraqi government but warned the recent U.S troop increase ordered by President Bush is the Iraqis' "last chance to step up and show they can be effective and can join with us to get this mission accomplished."
"This is it," he said.
McConnell's blunt assessment came the same day Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, announced that next Tuesday the Senate will take a key test vote on a resolution stating the troop increase is "against the national interest." The vote will determine if Reid can get support from at least 60 senators, the minimum needed to pass it.
Either way, Reid said the upcoming Senate debate will show that a bipartisan majority opposes the president's policy.
http://www.cnn.com/POLITICS/blogs/politicalticker/2007/01/mcconnell-skeptical-iraqi-government.html
Pledge is here:
http://www.thenrscpledge.com/
Think Coleman, Warner and the other idiot will pick up the hint?
It is not what I want...
It disappoints me that Mitch McConnell felt the need to couch his approval for the plan....with his outward display of not only skepticism, but threatening the Iraqis....
I don't think that is the way to START a new offensive...I think that even what Mitch McConnell said, emboldens the enemy, because he is giving a sort of "deadline"...by saying this is their "last chance"..
FGS...why do these idiots HAVE to try to sound so accomodating...why can't they come out and say that they are with Gen. Petraeus all of the way, and nothing further needs to be said, or SHOULD be said????????
NO, I don't!!!!
I think they are SO worried about losing their POWER, that they will thumb their noses at Gen. Petraeus, Pres. Bush, and now Sec. of Defense Gates.
This is obvious. And the Democrats are either terminally naive if they think otherwise or they're so eaten up with seeking partisan advantage that they're indifferent to the effects of their words and deeds.
I wonder how many of the shoes have Zarqawi's name on them.
Oh...and I forgot to add that I think Warner, McCain and others, especially the Dems are probably VERY unhappy with what Gates has been saying the last couple of days.
I think they thought (I confess, I believed this too)..that since he was part of the ISG, that he would more likely to be more skeptical...and more in the "diplomacy first" mode at first.
I know I have been pleasantly surprised that he has come out as hawkish has he has...and the statement today, about these resolutions, is even better.
I have to admit that when Pres. Bush nominated him..I figured he did that because he didn't think he could get a "hawk" confirmed...but, I was wrong.
Today the President said, "I've spent time talking about Iraq, and I'll talk with you a little bit later on. But my message to the American people was, I thought about all kinds of ideas about Iraq. And I told the American people I fully understand there are differences of opinion. But one of the things I have discovered is, in Washington, D.C. most people understand the consequences of failure. And if failure is not an option, then it's up to the President to come up with a plan that is more likely to succeed...."
Why am I, the Iraqis and the enemy, not getting the same message from the Republican Senators and Representatives?
Non-binding resolutions should be banned from Senate and House. Even if it's those lamer "Vote to wish some other senator happy birthday" resolutions. TIME WASTING.
For things like this latest against the troop surge thing...either vote on it for real and put yourself on record or shut yer damned yap.
Thank you for your service.
I have no idea....I heard Sen. Ensign on with Hugh Hewitt last night...and Hugh was BEGGING him to not let any resolution go on the Senate floor...and told him about the "pledge"...
But, Ensign sounded like he thinks this is what the "American people" want...I wouldn't count on him.
BTW...MOST of these Dems and Rinos bringing up these resolutions made pre-Iraq war statements that were, in some cases, more vehement about going, than even Pres. Bush made..
I think the GOP (if there are any) in the Senate that do NOT want these resolutions, should bring a stack of the quotes made by these same Senators, talking about the necessity of this war....and ask them each, personally, if they, yet again, want to make a statement that will be in the Congressional Record....just as STUPID as the ones they have already made....
Isn't that about 1/4 of the Iraqi population? that's absurd.
Thank you for your service; now send that same note to Senator Warner, Snow, Hagel, Collins, Coleman, ALexander and McCain. I have sent them each lots of emails lately, but none so quite as elegant as your short and very truthful statement.
Video of full press conference is here:
http://pentagonchannel.feedroom.com/iframeset.jsp?ord=959638
I have to give him credit for having the eggs to tell it like it is regarding the congressional wusses. Why do we keep sending these people back?
There, fixed.
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N26392860.htm
Look what I found at DU
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