Webb on CNN: Open to troop surge.

[Infinite Hope]

He said he, like Levin, will consider the proposal. He wants it to be part of a broad and clear plan. It sounds like his position is much like Hillary Clinton's. No surprise there for me. I knew he was going to be moderate as he always has been and he's a conservative state. As I predicted in the past, it's only a matter of time before some DUers will bash him as they do Hillary and other moderates.

Though I disagree with the troops surge, I respect Webb as a thoughtful voice of deliberation.

[Cooley Hurd]

1. Answer to Webb: Find me 5 military leaders in favor of it...

...and I'll consider it.

[The Count]

2. It's escalation, not surge. And let me be the first to say: SHAME!

It's like Lucy with the football - Democrats are Charlie Brown. Forever fall for the traps set by an imbecile.

[in_cog_ni_to]

3. Saying he will consider it doesn't mean anything. If there's no PLAN to go with the

"escalation", the Democrats will not agree to the troop increase.

[Cooley Hurd]

17. People like Hillary and Harry Reid have echoed the same sentiments...

...and DU has been quick to jump on them. IF they still approve of the "surge" without any sort of cognizant plan being in place, then shame on them!

[orpupilofnature57]

4. Anyone Considering Killing more Children ,has nothing to do with

"Thoughtful deliberation"

[Nite Owl]

5. And when * doesn't follow through

on his end of the deal are they going to say again that they believed the President but were lied to? That excuse is wearing mighty thin, they should learn not to trust this guy.

[originalpckelly]

6. This doesn't mean Webb is a bad man, nor Hilary...

It means we have to do work to make sure that there won't be any electoral consequences. They must be picking up on something, something we are not. Maybe we have to present more facts and anrguments to the American people for them to consider.

[Infinite Hope]

10. Indeed.

Good response. It does mean we have more work to do. Hopefully Democrats in the end won't support the increase.

[Leilani]

7. You were looking for a soundbite

& you didn't get it.

His answers to the questions were MUCH more complex.

And he said Congress is LIMITED in what it can do to counter Bush because of Congressional vote to go to war.
That vote gave Bush more power to conduct the war the way he chooses.

And yes, he disagreed with Dennis Kucinich.

Find 5 Senators who agree with Kucinich & would cut off funding for the troops.

[sandnsea]

8. He said he wants a strategy to end the war

Clear benchmarks, clear goals and how they will be met. If more troops is a clear part of that strategy, he'll listen. That's what he said.

[On the Road]

9. Let Bush Have His Surge

it's going to be more like a bump and, it will not change anything on the ground in Iraq.

But if it's denied Republicans will forever use it as an excuse for failure, and frame Democratic critics of the small invasion force as hypocritical. It will also have the effect of turning the military even more strongly against Bush.

[Plaid Adder]

11. Look, "I'll consider the proposal" doesn't mean "I'll vote for it."

You guys gotta get over taking everything a Democratic politican says at face value. Part of the reason we won this round is that we've figured out how to play the framing game. Webb evidently wants to make it look as if he's open-minded and non-partisan, and that's more important to him than playing to the base. Whatever, but I'm not going to get bent out of shape until he actually votes for it.

C ya,

The Plaid Adder

[Infinite Hope]

12. Yeah, I'm not sure why anyone's taking it as certain. He's only "open to it" as main post states nt

[sandnsea]

14. Not as an independent strategy

He isn't. Your post is an intentional distortion of what he said. He was clear that his goal is getting a strategy to end the war, and that outside of that, he does not support Bush's open-ended 'surge'.

[ellisonz]

16. Bingo.

I can't stand this short-sighted slandering of Jim Webb. Furthermore, I think it reveals how irrational some people can be here in terms of the realities of governance...

A smart man does not rule things out before he has a clear view of what is proposed. I appreciate Jim Webbs thoughtfullness.

:patriot:

[Beetwasher]

13. Exactly, It's Called "Appearing Reasonable and Open Minded"

He will look at, consider and evaluate a proposal. There's nothing wrong w/ that or saying that.

[Infinite Hope]

15. Right. That's what I like...thoughtful and deliberate. n/t

[goforit]

18. His hands too will be tainted with blood, and he's just begun.

[ellisonz]

19. He already has had blood on his hands...

The Navy Cross is presented to James H. Webb, Jr., First Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving as a Platoon Commander with Company D, First Battalion, Fifth Marines, First Marine Division (Reinforced), Fleet Marine Force, in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On 10 July 1969, while participating in a company-sized search and destroy operation deep in hostile territory, First Lieutenant Webb's platoon discovered a well-camouflaged bunker complex which appeared to be unoccupied. Deploying his men into defensive positions, First Lieutenant Webb was advancing to the first bunker when three enemy soldiers armed with hand grenades jumped out. Reacting instantly, he grabbed the closest man and, brandishing his .45 caliber pistol at the others, apprehended all three of the soldiers. Accompanied by one of his men, he then approached the second bunker and called for the enemy to surrender. When the hostile soldiers failed to answer him and threw a grenade which detonated dangerously close to him, First Lieutenant Webb detonated a claymore mine in the bunker aperture, accounting for two enemy casualties and disclosing the entrance to a tunnel. Despite the smoke and debris from the explosion and the possibility of enemy soldiers hiding in the tunnel, he then conducted a thorough search which yielded several items of equipment and numerous documents containing valuable intelligence data. Continuing the assault, he approached a third bunker and was preparing to fire into it when the enemy threw another grenade. Observing the grenade land dangerously close to his companion, First Lieutenant Webb simultaneously fired his weapon at the enemy, pushed the Marine away from the grenade, and shielded him from the explosion with his own body. Although sustaining painful fragmentation wounds from the explosion, he managed to throw a grenade into the aperture and completely destroy the remaining bunker. By his courage, aggressive leadership, and selfless devotion to duty, First Lieutenant Webb upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.