Richardson says congress shares blame for Iraq war

[MethuenProgressive]

Source: www.desmoinesregister.com

Coralville, Ia. Democrat Bill Richardson said Saturday the nation's leadership is broken and Congress must share the blame for failing to end the Iraq war.

The New Mexico governor, who has positioned himself as the strongest presidential candidate for peace in Iraq, spoke to an overflow crowd of more than 100 people at Old Town Hall here that enthusiastically received his remarks.

Richardson repeatedly faulted President Bush for damaging the United States' image around the world, but added the Democratic majority in Congress must assume responsibility for abetting problems created by the White House.


"Washington itself is broken," he said. "Congress, which was elected to end this war, has not done so. They have not merely failed the Democratic Party, they have failed our country. And they have failed the brave men and women in Iraq who deserve to come home."


Read more: http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071229/NEWS/71229010/1001

---

www.2013IsTooLate.com
www.TheDifferenceOnIraq.com

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. -snip-

"...and the sky is blue," Richardson added.

[Toots]

2. I wonder what shade of blue......

People sure get hammered for speaking truth....I guess that's why politicians are not known much for it....

[harmonicon]

5. people get hammered for speaking the truth around here too

Suggest voting for Richardson, and you're a traitor to your country: we have to pick between one of three criminals/liars or you're giving the election to the republicans!

[acmavm]

6. three criminals? Please give me an example of their criminal activity.

I'm not a fan of two of them, but I don't know what crimes they've committed.

Please, enlighten me.

[harmonicon]

7. well, this is how I see it:

voting for an illegal war of aggression, or voting to continue an illegal war of aggression, is a criminal act, against international law. Also, voting for The Patriot Act, part of which has been struck down as unconstitutional, seems to be trying to do something criminal/forbidden in the constitution. I know that saying these things is inflammatory, and I mean it to be, not because I want to disparage candidates, but because I want people to be emotional about politics instead of cold and calculating. Of the "top 3", I see Obama as being the most clean (not in some racist way - in some criminal way), but I don't like any of the former or current senators running, with the exception of Gravel. I think they've all been, to one extent or another, enablers of what most of us agree is a criminal executive branch.

[acmavm]

15. I've read where Obama says he'd 'leave' troops in Iraq.

But you're right about voting for illegal acts of war. You do throw out a good point.

[MethuenProgressive]

16. Until 2013

www.2013IsTooLate.com

[rockybelt]

3. There is some startling news

I can't believe a lame statememnt like that even gets printed. Everybody knows that Congress is complicit in this war and with the torturing of prisoners. Our "leaders" were well aware of that process and did NOTHING.

They, our "leaders" should be impeached as well as the shrub and shooter.

[MethuenProgressive]

4. And yet Senators Obama, Edwards, and Clinton have most of our support.

Governor Richardson has called them on their intent to keep troops in Iraq until 2013:
www.2013IsTooLate.com
To read more about the difference on Iraq between Bill Richardson and the MSM's "Top Three":
www.thedifferenceoniraq.com

[JustAnotherGen]

8. Not going to be popular

But any one of our candidates (INCLUDING Gravell) would be better than ANYTHING the Rethugs have to offer. I can't wait until the Primaries are over so we can get down to business of being ONE party.

There is one candidate that I love what they say 99.9999% of the time.
One I love what they say 98.9999999% of the time.
And the rest I like what they have to say about 75% of the time. Richardson falls in this category.

I just got done watching the speech given by him at the Old Town Hall in Coralville Iowa on C-SPAN that is referenced in the article.

Let me paraphrase something he said: "We saved Europe from Fascism".

Okay, that's something I disagree with. He's taking a "Pat them on the head and send them on their way" approach to what if TRULY joined together as the European Union - will be a 300 million strong competitor in the global marketplace. And I think if we called on our memories and books we've read, older Europeans we've known in our lives - it's safe to say - his statement was inaccurate. Grossly so. That's why all of those Nazis died, Mussolini got his butt whooped, and French soldiers fought on the side of the Nazis. The fascists were our enemies then - and the Fascists in America are Democracy's enemy now.

Now here's something good he said on the 29th:

Richardson touts himself as tested leader
By Pat McTaggart
News correspondent
http://www.gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071229/IOWACAUCUS/652082445/1011/IOWACAUCUS
But - something GOOD he said yesterday! :pals:

Calling the war in Iraq a quagmire, he said, "We need U.S. leadership to get the three sides in Iraq together and we need a UN peacekeeping force, made up of forces from the region, to keep the peace."

Richardson said he would get all American troops and contractors out of Iraq within one year.

http://www.gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071229/IOWACAUCUS/652082445/1011/IOWACAUCUS


I've committed to myself that for every 'bad thing' I say/type/think about ANY of the Democratic contenders over the next few months - I'm going to say something positive about that person as well.

[MethuenProgressive]

9. Great post, especially that last sentence.

I envy your ability for restraint!

[Pastiche423]

10. "...the strongest presidential candidate for peace in Iraq"

WTF?

Has Richardson been out protesting? If so, when and where?

[MethuenProgressive]

11. Here ya go, Pastiche

www.TheDifferenceOnIraq.com
www.2013IsTooLate.com

[Pastiche423]

12. Two papers about Iraq

does not make Richardson the strongest presidential candidate for peace in Iraq.

That honor, w/o question goes to Dennis Kucinich.

As a uncommited voter, that statement tells me all I need to know about Richardson. And it ain't good.

[fascisthunter]

13. He's Right (nt)

[humbled_opinion]

14. Doesn't matter who wins the Presidency..

The troops will remain in Iraq mission unchanged.... To do anything meaningful and real change requires courage of conviction and none of our Democratic leaders have that trait.

[MethuenProgressive]

17. "The troops will remain in Iraq mission unchanged" No. read this:

The difference on Iraq:
www.thedifferenceoniraq.com
and
www.2013IsTooLate.com

[humbled_opinion]

19. Bill Richardson has no chance...

Inevitability predicts Clinton and her and hubby just don't have the courage to make a decision like that. Sorry but the surge is being trumpeted and if you are against the surge then you are for the enemy so I'm being led to believe and if we fail in Iraq it will only be because some Democrat removes the troops... that is the writing on the wall for 08...

[0007]

21. Richardson goes which ever way the wind blows and will carry water

for anyone that has national recognition and a place for him to rest his worn out pitcher's arm.

[Rockerdem]

18. Bush probably is lhao

Our party's leaders have accepted his framing of his "war on terror". Only they are going to do it "smarter".

Why not just come out and say "it's a disaster, we're beginning to withdraw the minute after Petraeus is fired"?

Have one more vote for funding the troops, as long as it's spent bringing them home. After that, the money is going to be spent on American wellness.

[humbled_opinion]

20. Yep...

You got that right... The Democrats are being boxed into a position where they will have to take a stand that may not be in their best interest politically and given the track record of the Democratic Leadership they are just too much like Milquetoast to stand on conviction.

[depakid]

22. No question about that

Washington surely IS broken- and Congress HAS abetted the problems.

[MethuenProgressive]

23. All the more reason to *not* nominate yet another Senator.

www.billrichardson.com
:thumbsup: