Michael Ware on CNN right now n/t

[malaise]

[CTyankee]

1. Could you fill me in on Ware? I have missed the memo....

Who is he?

[Monkeyman]

3. Media in Iraq and he does not like the funding being cut off

[malaise]

5. He's the CNN correspond who took on

McCain about walking around Baghdad.

Right now he's saying withdrawal of troops would be very bad. Ah well.

[rodeodance]

2. tell us cubies the story please

[Monkeyman]

6. He said we will make our enemies stronger

[orleans]

4. randi was playing the clip from last week where he talked about

mccain taking a "stroll" in bagdad--since mccain said it's so fucking safe there.

[flyingfysh]

7. Drudge tried to smear him

He's a reporter in Iraq. Drudge published a report claiming that Ware heckled McCain during a news conference and was also an alcoholic. The video of the news conference showed that Ware didn't even ask a question.

[malaise]

8. He sure carried the Rethug line

in that interview.

[lyonn]

14. Very True. So, he has been telling all that as soon as our heavy

presence in Baghdad is gone the Sadrs will return to do more killing. That the enemy moves out of an area when we move in. Then today he says if we leave it will be for Iran to take! That the ME will be in severe chaos. So is he saying it is up to the U.S. to stay there indefinitely to keep down the killings, not settle anything???

[blitzen]

19. I've been following Ware closely for a few years--he's a gung-ho

Anti-Iran guy...While he's been offering devastating critiques of US military incompetence, the subtext of what he says is usually that we're not kicking enough terrorist ass...I really don't think he's the hero of the left that some of us wish him to be...Sometimes I think he's a crazed ultra-righty! That said, he is a good reporter.

[malaise]

25. Bingo n/t

[CTyankee]

26. If we could "kick enough terrorists" a la Clinton, wouldn't that be OK?

I mean, before Bush got into office Clinton was doing a lot of terrorist kicking. I would be fine with that whole idea of terrorist kicking, hell yes!

[flyingfysh]

17. Rawstory reported on this

See http://rawstory.com/news/2007/CNN_reporter_slams_Drudges_charge_that_0402.html

[peaches2003]

22. Drudge

Drudge has taken his story off his website this afternoon. What he had written was all his and not a published account of anything. It was one of his 'developing' stories which are 9 times out of 10 something he made up to slam somebody at the White House's request. After they create a furor and the damage is done he takes it off his site with no explanation.

This was all the talk on XM Fox New Talk 168 all morning. I was fascinated at how they were quoting Drudge as fact. One guy did call in and blast 'Brian and the Judge' for what they were doing- quoting Drudge as fact. Of course, damage done and there will never be a retraction.

[judaspriestess]

9. has he always felt this way?

He trashes the war in Iraq quite badly, and now he says a withdrawal is bad? just curious about the timing.

[leftchick]

10. it has always bugged me about him

he has always said "awl-kyda" and Iran will be the winners if the US pulls out which is horseshit. Perhaps he will lose a high profile reporting job if the US pulls out?

[The_Casual_Observer]

11. Apparently bush has really got us in a fix. We're damned if we stay

& damned if we leave. Sounds like UBL has won round 2.

[gratuitous]

12. I suspect troop withdrawal would be bad

About the only thing worse that I can think of would be to dick around without any plan, get a few hundred more troops killed, a few thousand more wounded, several thousand more Iraqis killed, a few hundred billion more dollars wasted, and then withdraw the troops. And we seem to be well on our way to that alternative.

[tblue]

16. That's the best argument I've ever heard for leaving now rather than later. If we extricate our

troops, there will be ZERO Americans killed in Iraq.

[elfin]

13. I noticed that sentiment "embedded" in

one of his first responses about McCain. It was a small mention - but the media chose not to emphasize it at that time.

The guy appears to be strung out from the tension working in the area and he feels violence will escalate even more without our presence.

Of course it will - no matter WHEN we leave - and most likely even if we do not leave.

[bluedog]

15. was he threatened?......seems to me

that he was trying very hard to toe the Repug line........he worded his comments very carefully..........yea.they probably got to him.....his boss put the fear of losing his job into him.

[tblue]

18. That's what I always think, too, when someone pulls a 180 and it just so happens to match the *

party line

[bluedog]

20. check this out

this is what he said on CNN in Sept. 2006


MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The angry debate over the war in Iraq. Does it stop or actually create brand new Islamic militants means little to these guys. No doubt here, their enemy is al Qaeda.

http://archives.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0609/30/tww.01.html


trying to find more quotes about what he really thinks......

[grytpype]

23. Maybe he's just telling the truth.

Pulling US troops out will NOT end the war. Not by a long shot. The war is going to go on for decades no matter what we do. Why don't you listen to him instead of coming up with this conspiracy bullshit.

[jbnow]

24. I think he is just saying what he thinks is true

When he reports what is going on now it's based on what he is really seeing.

Predictions are another thing, he doesn't know the future. But I understand what gives him that idea. I'd noted this elsewhere.

After the infamous interview with Blitzer Cooper asked about the reports that sectarian violence was down. Ware said some of it had just moved but it was down in Baghdad for one reason. The troops were staying in and around Baghdad with the Iraqi troops and police. He said the death squads are made up by those Iraqi troops and police so they weren't able to do their usual killing since they were with Americans 24/7.

So little was made of that chilling comment-the police and Iraqi troops are the death squads!

But given that I can see why Ware would be concerned about what would happen if we left. Who will try to keep peace if we are gone, the Iraqi troops and police? How can they rely on the death squads themselves to stop the death squads?

I don't think Ware is speaking under pressure or to please bush anymore than he spoke before to please us.I think he just says what he believes.

I'm not saying I agree with him or that we should stay. But if he is correct about who makes up the death squads it isn't going to get prettier.

I wish we had a real administration now because there should be some powerful talking and negotiating going on within Iraq and surrounding countries. It should have been going on for a long time and should have preceded withdrawal. But even if bush did do that we know it wouldn't be too fruitful.

[crappyjazz]

27. I agree

I don't think he's doing anything but reporting what he sees and he's seen a lot.

It's the holding the dog by the tail thing that Bush got the US into and if and when they leave, of course it's going to escalate. Does anyone really believe that there will suddenly be peace in Iraq because the troops leave?

[ToeBot]

21. He's welcome to report on the situation there, his opinion on what the US should do - Irrelevant n/t