Stunning recap of how Iraq war unfolded

[ProSense]

here.

I had to pull up this interview that Kerry did during the Iraq election:

Meet the Press January 30 2005:

MR. RUSSERT: Election day, Iraq. Condoleezza Rice, the new secretary of State, has just told the United States and the world, "It has gone better than expected." What is your sense?

SEN. KERRY: I think it's gone as expected. I think it was a good report by Brian. I think it starkly lays out the challenges, Tim. Let me begin, if I can, by saying first of all I was just there a few weeks ago. I think our troops today deserve yet again a thanks and a word of praise from everybody. They are at extraordinary risk. They're doing a remarkable job, and I want to give them that credit.

Secondly, it is significant that there is a vote in Iraq. But no one in the United States or in the world-- and I'm confident of what the world response will be. No one in the United States should try to overhype this election. This election is a sort of demarcation point, and what really counts now is the effort to have a legitimate political reconciliation, and it's going to take a massive diplomatic effort and a much more significant outreach to the international community than this administration has been willing to engage in. Absent that, we will not be successful in Iraq.

MR. RUSSERT: Do you believe this election will be seen by the world community as legitimate?

SEN. KERRY: A kind of legitimacy--I mean, it's hard to say that something is legitimate when a whole portion of the country can't vote and doesn't vote. I think this election was important. I was for the election taking place. You may recall that back in--well, there's no reason you would--but back in Fulton, Missouri, during the campaign, I laid out four steps, and I said at the time, "This may be the president's last chance to get it right."

The four steps were, number one, massive rapid training. Number two, you've got to do reconstruction, and you've got to get the services to the Iraqis. Number three, you've got to bring the international community in the effort. Number four, you've got to have the elections.

Well, today we did number four, we had the elections. But the other three are almost--I mean, they're lagging so significantly that the task has been made that much harder. And I will say unequivocally today that what the administration does in these next few days will decide the outcome of Iraq, and this is--not maybe--this is the last chance for the president to get it right.

MR. RUSSERT: What specifically must President Bush do in your mind? Who should he call? Who should he meet with? What should he do?

SEN. KERRY: Well, you have to behave as if you really are at war. I'll give you an example. I was in Egypt three weeks ago. I met with President Mubarak. We were talking about training. I asked him, "You know, why don't you do more training?" His response was, "We've offered do more training. We're doing 146 officers today. I don't know why we're not doing more. People haven't followed up with us. They haven't gotten back to us."

I had the same response in Jordan and in other countries, including European leaders who have offered to do more with respect to police training, more with respect to border and other kinds of training that could take place. We are not doing today the kind of war footing effort to train people, the Iraqis, to take over their own security. And a year and a half has gone by, Tim, and it has been much of it wasted as a consequence of the administration's approach.

[MBS]

1. a little OT, but I just saw today's MTP

and Richard Perle and Tom DeLay played the role of the defenders of the Surge. I thought to myself, Perle is really , truly insane. (Don't get me started on DeLay). I also thought: "and neither one of these guys has ANY MILITARY experience", and they have caused all th ese deaths, and are pushing for more. . . The neocon creators of this war are maniacs.

joe Sestak was very very good (hmm, note a military man explaining why this war was ill-conceived and poorly run, and why we need to get out) , as was former congressman Tom Andrews.

[Inuca]

2. Sestak was indeed extremely good

Seeing DeLay give him military "advice" was mind-blowing. Both DeLay and Perle were almost insulting to Sestak at times.

[karynnj]

3. Sestak was fantastic

It was especially weird when Delay (whose expertize is as a bug exterminator) questioned Sestak's expertise. Andrews was very good too. (It was interesting to see how many of their answers sounded like Kerry's - here, especially on Afghanistan.)

[cadmium]

4. Thanks I missed this and I meant to watch it. Thankfully

MTP puts up videos. This is pretty pathetic if they have to drag out Richard Perle and Delay to prop up the escalation.

[MH1]

5. Thanks for the kudos to my congressman

I've been busy today so didn't watch it, I taped it.

From all the accounts I've seen on the blogs, Sestak did quite well. I never doubted that he would, though. :)

[Inuca]

6. Sestak vs. DeLay

The exchange that you mention was surreal! The thoughtful and calm way in which Sestak was replying to all the nonsense DeLay and Perle were throwing his way was wonderful, and reminded me of.... well... you guessed. He also looks a bit like my father when he was young. I assume that he must be in his fifites, but he looks much younger, doesn't he?