Hillary Clinton, Bayh, and Rep. McHugh travel to Iraq

[Robbien]

WASHINGTON - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is headed to Iraq this weekend with two other lawmakers, as the rest of Congress engages in a fierce debate over President Bush's plan to send 21,500 additional troops to salvage the U.S. effort there.

Clinton, a Democrat from New York who is considering running for president, is traveling with Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., who had also eyed the 2008 race but opted out, and Rep. John McHugh, a Republican congressman from upstate New York.

The three, who are all members of armed services committees, are to meet with top Iraqi officials, U.S. military commanders, and also travel to Afghanistan.

"This was the first opportunity we had to be able to go because of the long weekend, and it turns out that the timing is propitious because of the president's plans," Clinton told The Associated Press.

http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/news/local/16445868.htm

[OregonBlue]

1. If I were Mrs. Clinton I'd be nervous. Maybe they could have Iran attack

her and then the Dems would be forced to retaliate!!

[babylonsister]

2. She's getting her pinky toes wet? Good. I've gathered that once

most politicians (exept the usual suspects) see what is realistically happening over there, they can no longer support the blivet's efforts.

[AlGore-08.com]

9. She's been there before - - at least twice before

She went in November 2003:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3248466.stm

And again in February 2005:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1249357,001301600000.htm

I'm just sayin'...

[babylonsister]

10. That's not really the point when she doesn't care to share whether

she thinks she made a mistake getting into this war to begin with. Plus, I have an issue with her going now as opposed to sometime in December when everyone was off. She waits til the Senate convenes after a long break to go? Doesn't make much sense to me.

[AtomicKitten]

12. just wondering

Are you clairvoyant? An empath? You seem so sure about what HRC does and does not care about.

This kind of crystal ball analysis used to punctuate a dig on a potential candidate is gratuitous. If you feel compelled to trash her, please do so based on facts, not this stuff. Besides, I doubt there is anything HRC could do or say to quell the anti-HRC sentiment here, so who are we kidding?

[babylonsister]

15. I'm not trashing her, and it wasn't a dig, just fact.

She hasn't proclaimed what she was thinking, RE: getting into Iraq, she decides to visit Iraq when the Senate is convened instead of the 6 weeks she was off prior? And you don't see any problems with that?
I like Senator Clinton, think she's brilliant, but I don't like her 'methods'. I do believe I'm entitled to my opinion without being accused of being clairvoyant; the fact that you don't like it is so besides the point.

[AtomicKitten]

17. I plan to wait to hear her recommendations

on this most grave issue before precipitously passing judgment. My post illustrated the precise amount of patience you are showing her and understandably explains why that may seen unreasonable to you. I'm sorry if that caused you any discomfort.

[Virginia Dare]

3. Good I hope the military commanders don't hold back...

I hope they come back telling the truth and nothing but. Let's stop dancing around and pretending everything's going to be okay.

[ohio2007]

4. Will they leave "the Green Zone" and see the real battles

for the hearts and minds of the slum dwellers? I bet they stay nice and secure in a Saddam bunker palace.
/ chickenhawk screed

[Virginia Dare]

5. Of course they won't, but it's good that they're meeting..

with the military commanders over there. I hope they get plenty of "ammunition".

[donsu]

6. what the hell for? they all traipse over there, stay in safe places, talk to

to the "officers and officials" in charge and then they traipse back and nothing changes. they could do the same talking over the phone, with the same results.

[Robbien]

7. Yeah. What's up with this anyway?

Why spend all that time on a plane only to go to high security areas in Iraq? They get a couple of paragraphs of good press for going over. That is it.

[ohio2007]

8. Exactly !,Go rub shoulders with the "politico top brass" with their own

agenda's and yes men. Not talking to Iraqi's shows a lack of communication. She needs to check out the Iraqi police beat walkers and the real boots on the ground

[MasonJar]

11. I believe that she went out into the streets one time she went; of

course it is much more dangerous now. I hope that they are all careful. We do not want them killed or kidnapped.

[Ouabache]

14. Really, plenty of Negroponte's black ops payroll still there

no doubt. And Bayh's replacement would be named by Mini-Mitch Daniels.

[IndianaGreen]

13. Like Saint Paul's trip to Damascus, Hillary will see the light

and do a gentle 180-turn on the war in Iraq. Like Senator Brownback, Hillary will say that after consulting with the Iraqis, she is now convinced that US troops must begin an orderly withdrawal from Iraq.

Hillary's supporters will hail her "conversion" as evidence of her statesmanship.

Hillary's detractors, and I count myself among them, will point to the polls showing that 60% of Americans oppose the troop surge and want them to come home, as further evidence of Hillary's cold political calculations and lack of core values.

[Demeter]

16. and the GOP Pigs Will Fly? Don't Hold Your Breath! n/t

[mmonk]

18. Overseeing that rebellious colony?

Pray tell what for? They are not willing subjects and the colonial government probably won't hold.

[lakeguy]

19. damn it, how much does it cost to have these people visit

that country? how many times do we have to send people to figure out that it is f'ed up? how much more money are we going to spend on georgie's fuck up? send him, his wife and his daughters on a one-way and get everyone else outta there.