Hillary headed to Iraq to see what is going on there

[bigdarryl]

just heard on MSNBC that she and Evan Bayh and one republican senator are headed to Iraq to visualize what is going on there. she pasted up being at the hearings of Defense Secretary Gates

[JuniperLea]

1. Good for her

Someone needs to do that. Good thinking bringing a Republican along.

[MH1]

3. Several did it while Congress was on break.

She is doing it while Congress is in session?

[JuniperLea]

4. Maybe to bring more attention to it?

Who knows. We sure didn't hear enough from the others who went.

[MH1]

7. Well, Kerry and Dodd's trip was certainly posted about.

But it probably turned into a flamefest about Kerry running or not in 2008.

See, it goes like this:

O.P.: "John Kerry and Chris Dodd meet with leaders of the Middle East, meet with troops in Iraq"

First post: "No Kerry in 2008!"

Second post, reply to first post: "What does that have to do with the o.p.?"

Reply: "Just making sure Kerry knows we don't want him in 2008!!" (ponder that statement for a moment. just ponder. (1 - we?!? 2 - Kerry will "know" something because it is posted on DU?!? :rofl:)

And so on....

Meanwhile some of us keep reporting the news, but it gets trying at times.

[JuniperLea]

14. I'm sure that was it!

Well done!

For a bunch of free-thinking liberals, there sure are a bunch of tight asses around here. You can't question the actions of anyone because "They've done so much for us!" Then I magically turn into an ignorant bitch, despite the fact that I was trying to become informed by asking a freaking question!

:rofl:

Herding cats I tell you! Keeping things on track around here is herding freaking cats! Kudos to the mods for putting up with us!

[karynnj]

16. Kerry, Dodd and Nelson (who was not with the other 2)

all got a lot of press for going to Syria. The RW was up in arms about it.

You certainly had to know that Kerry went because of the idiotic story that no one sat next to him to eat (even though it was obvious he was speaking to someone). That did lead to more details than Kerry released. Kerry did want a go to the Green zone and have a photo op trip. He was out of the Green zone for most of his time in Iraq and turned down photo ops, instead having a town meeting with 100 + forward operations base. Also, as an added bonus, the foreign policy staffer who went with Kerry who responded to this silly story was Frank Lowenstein, the son of Allard Lowenstein. His statement and a link to an article about Allard and Frank Lowenstein were on John Kerry's blog.
link to: statement and Lowenstein article.
http://blog.johnkerry.com/2006/12/setting_the_record_straight_fr.html


For those too young to remember Allard Lowenstein was a charismatic anti-war and civil rights activist. What I didn't know was that Kerry and he worked together in the 1970s to get kids to register to vote.

[ElizabethDC]

5. I think they're just going over the long weekend. n/t

[MH1]

8. Okay, just wondering.

I just thought it was good of some of them to use their "off" time to make the trip.

But doing it over a long weekend isn't bad, I guess they won't miss much if any time from the Senate.

[Tellurian]

19. I forgot about the long wknd..

and what holiday is this?

[rinsd]

6. How about making Bush look like a cowardly fool?

The strong Democratic women are taking Bush to task.

Pelosi raps his plan. Clinton goes where Bush dares not.

[Captain Hilts]

2. She and Jack Reed made an extensive tour of the whole country a year or so ago. nt

[mtnsnake]

9. I think the Repbulican senator you speak of is actually Rep. John McHugh

McHugh has had a longtime Republican grip on northern NY in his district, mostly because of the Watertown, NY area and him being tied so closely to Ft Drum in that area which houses the 10th Mountain Division of our military.

Apparently, he and Hillary get along pretty good.

[A Simple Game]

10. McHugh is an old style republican who seems to keep a low

profile. He is usually with the republicans but is not an automatic vote for *.

I am hoping he will retire soon, this area is becoming increasingly blue and we could easily vote in a democratic representative if McHugh didn't run.

[Benhurst]

11. I'll save my applause until she returns and gives Bush* hell. NT

[wisteria]

12. Let me know when she ventures outside the Green Zone and

doesn't hold a phto-op press conference.

[mtnsnake]

13. Maybe you could give her a chance. I don't think the plane is even in the air yet

[AtomicKitten]

17. that's not the way it's done at DU

must.be.destroyed
damned if she does, damned if she doesn't
damn

[Tellurian]

20. They try and always fail..why?

because they're shooting blanks..

I can't wait for the debates. Hillary will annihilate all comers.
She has total recall and uses few words to make her point.

Don't forget to talk to the troops Hillary..
And let them have Press access afterward..

Bush kept them sequestered after his visit.
I'd say that wasn't very good for troop morale.

[LittleClarkie]

15. Of course she'll hold a press conference. We would want her to.

The more press the better!

And we've not begrudged anyone else holding press conferences after going to Iraq. Dodd and Kerry certainly got enough press.

I'll see what she has to say when she gets back.

[AtomicKitten]

18. you nailed it

All congress-folk must take a walk on the wild side and venture out of the Green Zone and report back to America precisely who nicely we are winning the hearts and minds of the Iraqis and how much they are enjoying the freedom we delivered with Shock and Awe. Bring it on.

[IndianaGreen]

21. Hillary is going to Iraq to do an impersonation of Sam Brownback

As luck would have it, Senator Brownback was in Iraq when Bush gave his surge speech. Brownback issued a press release in which he said that after talking to the Maliki government, he was now convinced that Bush's surge idea was a bad one.

Hillary will use her Iraq trip to give herself cover to come out publicly against the war in Iraq and for troop withdrawals. This cover will protect Hillary from being accused of being a flip flopper, or so she hopes.

[Morgana LaFey]

22. I wonder if Reality can (finally) override her Opportunism?

Cause I'm sick of her stalling and shuffling her shoes on Iraq. Yeah, I know she finally said she was against the surge -- and that's just it: FINALLY.

Naaahhh. She's too influenced by AIPAC, I'm afraid.

[mtnsnake]

23. Prediction: Almost everyone on DU is going to be disappointed

when Hillary returns from Iraq and levels Bush, telling him to his face that his latest plan of escalation is a disaster in the making. She'll tell him to his face just like she did when she said Rumsfeld should be fired and they showed it all over the news. She loves peace and hates war, but she supports our troops IF they're in a war. The lady has guts!