(Publican) Michigan congressman says parts of Iraq are as safe as Detroit

[struggle4progress]

DETROIT -- ... During an interview Monday with WILS-AM in Lansing, Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Tipton, said the returning troops he has talked with "indicate to me that 80 to 85 percent, in a conservative fashion, of the country is reasonably under control, at least as well as Detroit or Chicago or any of our other big cities. That's an encouraging sign."

Program host Jack Ebling remarked, "I've never heard Iraq compared to Detroit before." ...

"It's absurd to compare Detroit and Iraq in any way," James Canning, the spokesman for Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, said Wednesday. "Unfortunately, for years people have beat up on the city of Detroit. Detroit is the word for negative. We are working very hard to transform that image of our city." ...

"To compare our largest city to Iraq, a country currently in the middle of a bloody civil war where thousands of our troops and tens of thousands of civilians have been killed, many by beheading and torture, is unconscionable," <State Democratic Party Chair Mark > Brewer said in a news release. "His comments and rubber stamp approval of President Bush's polices, including the plans for massive troop escalation, are out of touch with Michigan voters and what is needed to resolve this conflict."

http://www.woodtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=6262064&nav=0Rce

[Erika]

1. If Walberg believes that, why doesn't he give the $ to OUR cities

to better the lives and safety of OUR children and citizens?

I hope he is hit hard for that stupid remark.

[struggle4progress]

2. I think that's exactly the right sort of question to ask him in public

[niyad]

3. oh, like detroit during the riots???

[TankLV]

4. If Iraq is as bad as Detroit, we are REALLY in trouble!

Detroit is a pretty sick city...

[struggle4progress]

5. Are 3000 unidentified bodies a month landing in the Detroit morgue?

[happyslug]

6. Over 50% of Iraq is DESERT, the only important part is between the rivers.

The Euphrates and Tigris rivers define Iraq. The Iraq Borders where set up the the British after WWI as follows:
1. In the North and East, by the pre-existing Border with Iran.
2. Along the Turkish Borders just enough Kurds to make sure ALL of the oil around Mosul would be British.
3. Along the Syrian Border to Keep the Mosul Oil Fields British
4. To the South, as far as a Plane could travel in 1921.

Thus while the Borders to the North, West and East are close to the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers, to the south a Huge area of Desert was incorporated into Iraq. Along with the deserts to the North over 60% of Iraq is Desert that NO ONE IS FIGHTING OVER. The war has (Except for the US rush to Baghdad during the early part of the War which ran through the Iraqi Desert) been fought within the borders of the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers. Add to this the Shiite part of Iraq which is quite (Because the Shiites are using the US Forces to straighten the side within Iraq) and the Kurdish part of Baghdad (Outside the Mosul Region) it is easy to get to 80-85% but the 15-20 % of Iraq we are fighting in we have been fighting since almost the Start of this war. There has been no progress in the AREAS WHERE THE FIGHTING HAS BEEN ONGOING.

[U4DU]

7. LMAO

I live just across Detroit on the other side of the Border....Detroit is a scary place at night...People from Detroit come here for walk at night......O Canada !!!