Lantos announces Series of Hearings on Iraq

[Monkeyman]

Contact Lynne Weil ,202-225-5021

Democrats have heard the message of Nov. 7th: The public wants a top-down review of what our country is doing in Iraq, and why, and how the situation there can be improved ,"Lantos said. "We are going to cover a lot of ground in the coming weeks to get those answers."

Starting this Thursday afternoon with Sec. of State Condoleezza Rice providing an over view of current diplomatic efforts, the committee will examine every aspect of the conflict that falls within its jurisdiction.

Former Sec. of State Madeleine Albright will provide some much-needed contect at a hearing on Wednesday, Jan. 17. And Friday , Jan. 19, former Committee of Foreign Affairs Chairman Lee Hamilton is set to testify about follow-though on the Dec. 2006 recommendations of the bipartisan Iraq Study Group, which he co-chaired; a witness from the group representing the Republican point of view is expected to be named later.

Lantos planned to hold other hearings in the coming months on the reconstruction effort and on related regional matters.

"We have not been engaging others in the region as we should in steering the situation in Iraq away from debacle,"Lantos said. "And the efforts of the international coalition with respect to reconstructing this war-torn country have been rife with waste,fraud and abuse. In any sense of the term, this country cannot afford to let things continue in Iraq as they have. We owe it to our troops and to the Iraqi people to effect a real change."


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[ShortnFiery]

1. If I'm not mistaken, I've seen this elderly man on Cable TV.

It's amazing that he can draw breath and is both age and physical equivalent to Senator Byrd.

Why do the people that they represent keep re-electing them when it is well beyond their time to retire? No, I'm not for forced retirements, but these two guys are ridiculous examples of "well beyond" fully functional. :shrug:

[Monkeyman]

2. I know I just want the hearings started

Bush plans to put more in. Hell No

[ShortnFiery]

11. Yes, at least a step in the right direction. eom

[leveymg]

3. I don't expect Lantos to lead the most aggressive hearings.

He seems to be more interested in "engaging others in the region" and in collective disaster management than in tough investigations of the lies that led us into the Iraq debacle. I'd be very surprised if Lantos, himself, voted against the IWR. :eyes:

[Monkeyman]

5. Do you know who else is on this Committee

We might have a Dem who will get the hearings to where we need to go.

[Norquist Nemesis]

7. Same thoughts here

The times I've watched him on the floor for introducing and debating bills/resolutions, he's pretty much "Right" there with Iliana Ros-Latham (sp).

[Cassandra]

10. That was my first thought...

is he preempting other, tougher members from holding hearings?

[Norquist Nemesis]

4. Which committee is he chairing?

[Monkeyman]

6. Sorry Foreign Affairs

[Norquist Nemesis]

8. Thanks. I'm not holding out much hope for it to be a lot of sunshine

on anything but hyping up interferance from Iran and Syria, frankly.

[Monkeyman]

9. Agree thats all Rice will say

I want more from these hearings