Is anyone watching the hearing on c-span with General Patreaus,lieberman said

[butterfly77]

something that set off some of the senators, if so what did lieberman say? From some of the comments of the other senators he must have said something about when the people talk against the war it helps the terrorists...

[halobeam]

1. I am half-watching it.

Didn't see/hear Lieberman, so can't help you there. What I did hear is his BS about how army has a great quality of life factor, responding to Grahams discussion with him regarding why our soldiers keep resigning up to go back to Iraq. Huh? OMG>

Feeling a bit nauseous.

[butterfly77]

3. I heard graham's little message...

what I want to know is was it suppose to be a secret for the past four years, about the stakes of losing in Iraq. The stakes didn't seem to get serious until they went over there in the first place. The stakes seem to be that america needs oil but when AL Gore and others in the Democratic party told these assholes that we needed to change the way we used energy, I remember all of the Republicons made it into a joke.


Tonight they expect to tell us about all of the the renewal energies and global warming, I hope that the media plays some of the tapes of Bush and his crew talking as though there was no problem. The whole world told them about it and they ignored now they want everyone to get on board these people are a joke and have no place in governmen...

[nitpicker]

2. Lieberman pleaded for the war to continue

He said that the legislative trains were on the track, and asked that the brakes be applied. Lieberman asserted that the passage of certain resolutions would boost the morale of the enemies. Another senator said everyone supports the brave men and women in Iraq and hopes that Petraeus succeeds in the difficult mission, but she noted that there are differences about strategy. Another said the Senate was not informed about certain matters and all-but said they had been mislead, and that is why certain people support Sen. Warner's resolution, and cast doubts about the quality of Iraqi security forces. Petraeus admitted that not all of the Iraqi troops are reliable.

[butterfly77]

4. Everytime, I see lieberman speak...

I can see he is not being truthful, He won't come out and say it but he is worried about Israel not the Iraqis...

[nitpicker]

5. Clinton's spin.

Sen. Clinton said there had been a failure to adapt to realities, and thought this hearing should have been held 3 years ago, as the Iraqis have failed to step up. She said Petraeus' manual would demand 125000 troops plus also progress on political institutions, and that the General was being sent to provide a military solution to a political problem. She said that the resolution was meant to send a clear signal to Iraq that the US was fed up with the behavior of Iraqis, versus the pressure that had been put on in Bosnia that had finally stabilized the situation. Clinton said that the attack on a base in Karbala raised serious questions, by stealing uniforms and passing through checkpoints. She wanted additional security and stronger vehicles for the troops there, and a stronger focus on the political side of the equation.

[butterfly77]

7. Everytime a dem speaks one of the CONS...

tries to put words in the general's mouth and they want to reinforce the point of what will happen if we lose...They know they have lost because you can tell who is who and they can't trust anyone. Thune is up now trying to scare us again, maybe we would have the connection about the implications if they weren't trying to hide everything.


I think that the CONS think that they will go in and just kill everybody and then everything will be in control,they seem to be forgetting that these are the same people that they claim to have come to liberate...The general just said no one knows what the implications will be...

[nitpicker]

6. More babble.

One senator wondered if there were specific missions in mind for the extra troops, and if the Iraqis would do what they said they will do. Petraeus admitted he didn't know the Iraqi leader personally, and would have to discuss matters with him.

[butterfly77]

8. They have their nerve ,...

Now thune wants to complain about resolutions and how they send a message to our troops and the world, these people are ridiculous they continue to try to protect asshole...

[nitpicker]

9. Other tidbits

Other senators also thought there should be more Iraqi buy-in. Another asked about the impact of the resolutions upon the troops, but Petraeus said he was avoiding certain political minefields.

[butterfly77]

10. John Warner is trying to have it both ways...

he wants to talk about the options in his resolutions, but he started with the garbage about how soldiers were treated when they came back from Vietnam. These people like to deny it but they are still trying to fight that war...

[DemKR]

12. Warner is definitely worried about 2008

How colemanesque!

[butterfly77]

16. Speaking of coleman...

I am so sick of this ass he jumps on anything that puts him in a group that has some senators who he knows will be listened to, if all of the senators were still saying " stay the course" his ass would be on board he is jumping ship because he is afraid he will lose in the next election.

[nitpicker]

13. True.

To an extent, any American over the age of 45 still is affected by Vietnam.

Warner's conclusion is that they are supporting the troops this time and want Petraeus to succeed, but said the branches of government each have their own responsibilities. He said he was supporting the resolution not to oppose the President, but to provide suggestions for improvements. However, he said that the resolution would be withheld until such time as the Senate Foreign Relations Committee presents its resolution, and then consider whether his resolution or a modified resolution should be issued. He suggested some troops be sent to Al Anbar province to fight the AQs. He said people need to assess if the Iraqis actually take the lead in the fighting. He noted the ongoing sectarian violence, and asked why have the US forces in Baghdad and not have the Iraqi troops take over there to fight the sectarian violence? Petraeus said additional Iraqi forces are being trained up. Warner said if the Iraqis fail to live up to their benchmarks, would Petraeus come back and say that? Petraeus claimed he would.

[terisan]

17. Did he say who treated them badly ?

In the mid-seventies I worked with a non-profit that helped veterans. I don't recall any right wingers working there....just vets, poor people, and liberals working at close to minimum wage.,

[nitpicker]

11. Webb's take

Webb basically said that some polls of the military show a low level of support for the war, but thought a precipitous withdrawal would be damaging. He thought there needed to be law and order in Iraq, but said that should be provided by Iraqis. He wanted to have an endpoint, and said that he wanted to get combat troops off the streets of Iraq. He asked if the limited abilities of Iraqi troops was due to inadequate/culturally inappropriate training/association with Americans, or a lack of will? Petraeus said it is more the latter, and there needed to be a political solution, but said some leaders are now willing to associate with the Americans.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

14. I'm not listening, but from the posts, it sounds like a typical CYA session.

Which is perfectly understandable. The politicians blaming the generals, the generals blaming the politicians, and both blaming the Iraqis.

Of course, all "support the troops", while the troops continue to kill and die in a lost war.

[nitpicker]

15. It's the normal Hill kabuki.

Somewhat exaggerated this time.