Posted on 11/16/2001 1:10:45 PM PST by america-rules
By Charles Aldinger
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Vice President Dick Cheney (news - web sites) fired a broadside at critics of the U.S. military campaign in Afghanistan (news - web sites) on Wednesday, saying they had been ``dead wrong'' in sniping at the pace of a 39-day bombing against the Taliban.
Boasting that the Taliban were in flight ``virtually all over the country,'' he chided analysts who accused the Pentagon (news - web sites) of not dropping more bombs or putting more troops into Afghanistan.
``It's nice, at a moment like this, to be able to remind them (critics) that a lot of what they put out over the course of the last few weeks was just dead wrong,'' Cheney told the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (news - web sites) in a speech.
He was not specific about the critics but said it included military pundits, the Washington press and ``talking heads'' on television.
Praising Air Force Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the military Joint Chiefs of Staff, the vice president said that ''we've got some great people running the operation. And the results are there for all to see.''
Cheney cautioned that the war was far from over in Afghanistan despite the collapse in many areas of military forces of the fundamentalist Muslim Taliban, who have ruled the country for five years.
``This is a very good beginning to what's likely to be a long struggle,'' he said.
``They (the Taliban) have lost their control over a major part of Afghanistan. They've lost control of most of the cities. Many of their forces have been killed, captured or fled to the hills,'' he said.
But in another apparent jab at critics, he noted that President Bush (news - web sites) had vowed to end support by the Taliban and other countries worldwide for ``terrorist'' networks such as al Qaeda guerrillas of fugitive Osama bin Laden (news - web sites), accused of masterminding Sept. 11 attacks on America.
``I think this morning, in the fate that has befallen the Taliban, there is proof positive,'' the vice president said.
``If anybody has any questions about whether or not we're determined to carry through on that threat, all they have to do is go visit Afghanistan today and interview members of the Taliban -- if they can find any.''
Do you think Bush seems like the kind of guy who would stand for public insubordination? Or for someone repeatedly stepping outside of their bounds?
Don't you just love Andrew Sullivan. He has the knack for knowing how to say the right thing at the right time. He has an uncanny intuitiveness about him.
Nice fireworks -- thanks for the gif's.
Guess W isn't good enough for them. They'd rather have Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Al Goron or or....or I don't know who. Maybe they're just perpetual complainers...about our government, their wives, their kids, their dogs..
Maybe they're just unhappy. Maybe we can send them all to Afghanistan. What you think??
Bet he hasn't kissed her so passionately since the big SHOW off. He kissed her like he didn't know how to kiss a woman.
In a non-rant situation, I would never wish that on a FR poster. A disruptor maybe...
Hopefully their constituents will realize their inability to govern during difficult times.
There’s a great deal of difference between being a decorated soldier and managing a war.
I agree big time!
Boasting is NOT Cheneys style. He was stating a fact. I love this man. Liked his little "talking heads" jab too.
You forgot Reno. Perish the thought! We prayed way too hard to avert that catastrophe.
Thank you, God, for the Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld/Rice team. Please bless them with wisdom and keep them safe under your protection.
87%-91% for record-breaking 7 weeks straight.(!)
The Media's approval rating:
Approve: 43%-47%
DISAPPROVE: 53%(+/-)
Well, let's see, the last President we had set the standard for deny-lie-and-cover-up. His legacy is a big plop of dogpoop that President Bush must continually scrape off his shoe.
The media simply do not know how to deal with an honest man, but then look what they're used to.
Tell 'em CC - the adults are back in town.
has been replaced by
Help has arrived!"
Thanks for the correction.
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