Rumsfeld Rejects Timetable For Iraq Withdrawal ("a way to go")

[sabra]

<<SNIP>>
http://cbs2chicago.com/politics/politicsnational_story_174101715.html

Rumsfeld Rejects Timetable For Iraq Withdrawal

Democrats Demand Answers About U.S. Troops Future

Jun 23, 2005 9:16 am US/Central
WASHINGTON (AP) Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld rejected calls by some congressional Democrats on Thursday that the Bush administration set a timetable for U.S. withdrawal from Iraq. “That would be a mistake,” he told a Senate panel.

“Timing in war is never predictable. There are never guarantees,” Rumsfeld told the Senate Armed Services Committee. “Those who say we are losing this war are wrong. We are not.”

Congressional Democrats are demanding answers about the future presence of U.S. troops in Iraq.

Rumsfeld, testifying on the progress in training Iraq’s own security forces, said these forces have “a way to go,” but progress was being made.

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[wtmusic]

1. How many throes are in a way?

The metric system is so confusing.

[Cocoa]

2. who's been more "wrong" than Rummy?

[Wright Patman]

3. What war, Dumsfeld?

"Major combat operations" ended more than 2 years ago or didn't you get the memo?

* flew onto an aircraft carrier and declared it so on prime time national TV.

[Cha]

4. I guess cheney didn't know what

the fuck he was talking about on tim russert's gag fest.

"Host Tim Russert asked whether "we would have to have several hundred thousand troops there" in Iraq "for several years in order to maintain stability." Cheney replied: "I disagree." He wouldn't say how many troops were needed, but he added that "to suggest that we need several hundred thousand troops there after military operations cease, after the conflict ends, I don't think is accurate. I think that's an overstatement."

Russert asked: "If your analysis is not correct, and we're not treated as liberators but as conquerors, and the Iraqis begin to resist, particularly in Baghdad, do you think the American people are prepared for a long, costly, and bloody battle with significant American casualties?"

Cheney would have none of it. "Well, I don't think it's likely to unfold that way, Tim, because I really do believe that we will be greeted as liberators. I've talked with a lot of Iraqis in the last several months myself, had them to the White House. . . . The read we get on the people of Iraq is there is no question but what they want get rid of Saddam Hussein and they will welcome as liberators the United States when we come to do that."

Russert: "And you are convinced the Kurds, the Sunnis, the Shiites will come together in a democracy?"

Cheney: "They have so far." And the vice president concluded: "I think the prospects of being able to achieve this kind of success, if you will, from a political standpoint, are probably better than they would be for virtually any other country and under similar circumstances in that part of the world."

More of cheney's bullshit..
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/20/AR2005062001177.html

[cliss]

5. This is one of the most bizarre quotes I have read

since joining the DU almost 3 years ago. Notice the Cheney statement, "Tim, because I really do believe that we WILL be greeted as liberators".

And when will that be? Haven't we already been there 3 years now?????What is Cheney thinking; that we're going to re-invade, and do it right this time?

Am I the only one who thinks this is Over the Top, Out of Sight, and off the deep end? This man is living in an alternate universe, and he needs to stay there.

[habitual]

6. Meanwhile, they control the distance of the "way to go"

I don't have any evidence to back this up other than my sneaky suspicions. But something tells me that they have a perfect situation there to stay AS LONG AS THEY WANT. If they can always fall back on the "we can't leave them yet, they aren't ready." reasoning, they will always have their ace. If things start to get less violent there, well, they can easily have a few explosions go off and blame it on the "insurgents". Obviously, they aren't in any position to have to use this *it seems* at the moment, of course, if they were using this strategy, it would probably appear to be just as things are happening now there. Who knows.! not I

[newyawker99]

7. Hi habitual!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast: