Edwards Statement on Criticism by McCain Ally Lindsey Graham of American Military

[Catchawave]

http://blog.johnedwards.com/story/2007/1/8/185632/1476

1/08/2007 at 6:56 EST

Senator John Edwards released the following statement today in response to Senator Lindsey Graham's comments on Meet the Press yesterday, where Sen. Graham said: "Well, I hope we will hold the generals accountable for their work product. I respect General Casey and Abizaid, but the strategy they've come up with for the last two years has not worked. Iraq is not more stable than it was when they took over two years ago."

Edwards said, "Senator McCain is the leading advocate for escalating the war in Iraq against the advice of our military leaders, what I call the McCain Doctrine. Now, one of his top allies is attacking those generals and blaming them for the terrible situation in Iraq. That's outrageous. The failed Iraq policy lies squarely on the shoulders of the people who make that policy - the president and his Cabinet - and Senators McCain and Graham know that. Senator McCain should ask Senator Graham to apologize to the men and women of our armed forces who have done nothing but heroically serve their country while trying to carry out a broken policy set in Washington."

He continued, "Instead of scapegoating our military leaders, Senator McCain and Senator Graham should start listening to them. Escalating the war in Iraq sends exactly the wrong signal to the Iraqis and the rest of the world about what our intentions are there. We need to make it clear that we intend to leave Iraq and turn over the responsibility of Iraq to the Iraqi people. The best way to do that is by actually starting to leave."

[The Count]

1. "The failed Iraq policy lies squarely on the shoulders of the people who make that policy"

Good point, John. Who would those people be?:shrug:

http://www.congress.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d107:SJ00046:@@@P

[Lex]

11. ". . . the president and his Cabinet . . ."

Edwards said, "The failed Iraq policy lies squarely on the shoulders of the people who make that policy - the president and his Cabinet - and Senators McCain and Graham know that."

[citizen snips]

14. Bush, Chaney, Rumsfeld

and everyone else who has manged this war.

[Catchawave]

21. Yep, JRE gets it....

Aren't we lucky :hi:

[Ninja Jordan]

2. Once again, Edwards gets it.

[Kikosexy2]

3. The McCain/Lieberman Doctrine...

the McCain/Lieberman GOP ticket for '08...they will be a fine pair to rip apart...bwahahhaahhaha...

[Catchawave]

6. Unity Party '08 !

...how scary is that :scared:

[zeemike]

4. He gets it and is going right after them for it. n/t

[Lex]

16. I like the fact that he's taking it to them.

That is what is needed.

[Hailtothechimp]

27. Me, too. And Lindsey Graham is batshit crazy.

Good on Edwards for calling him on that ridiculous speech he gave on MTP.

[Catchawave]

5. Bush doesn't care about "The Generals"

I'm glad Edwards is tuned in to that.

[benny05]

10. Yes, he does

I was surprised at Sen. Graham's comment.

[Catchawave]

22. Thank goodness for MTP....

Sen. Graham's comment is now on record !

[Imagevision]

7. Senator Graham could also be replaced in 2008 with his current disposition on Iraq..

Senator Lindsey Graham is the Dems version of Senator Joe Biden...

[The Backlash Cometh]

8. bravo!

[Lex]

9. Edwards to McCain & Lindsay Graham: STOP blaming the troops/generals

for the failures in Iraq.

It aggravated me when I heard McCain and Graham blaming the Generals for the failures in Iraq and I'm glad that Sen. Edwards picked up on it too.

I also like "Edwards said, 'Senator McCain is the leading advocate for escalating the war in Iraq against the advice of our military leaders, what I call the McCain Doctrine.'"

[Catchawave]

24. Nobody should be blaming the troop commanders....

for Bush's folly, and I'm really getting pi**ed off that the military analysts on the MSM aren't defending them either :mad:

I'm taking names right now :evilgrin:

[tularetom]

12. What about our big giant embassy and the 14 permanent bases

we are building in Iraq? It's pretty sharp of Edwards, a potential 08 presidential candidate, to link McCain, a potential opponent, to the disastrous, fucked up bush policies that brought about this clusterfuck. But nobody is going to believe we are ever going to get out of there while we have Halliburton runnin around putting up these big goddamn structures. What kind of signal does that send? We'll never leave as long as there's a buck to be made in Iraq.

[Cha]

13. KNFR!

Really glad to see John Edwards pointing out the fucking hypocricy of the mccain/lieman Doctrine.

Get those two ol' murderous buzzards to Iraq to lead the fucking "surge".

[Catchawave]

23. My fingers are crossed.....

...you are right :toast:

[caligirl]

15. K&R and voted up.

[Imagevision]

17. Lindsey Graham typical repug, like Bush, blame the generals on the ground!

[Catchawave]

19. What other "candidate" is supporting the Generals ?

I see rhetoric blah-blah, but no one else is watching the troop commanders' backs on the fronts :(

I'd like to see more like Edwards' comments :hi:

[dk2]

18. I like his statement

I think Edwards is on top of the issues important, and this is certainly one of them.

[Catchawave]

20. Nor did he need "draft" donations

:evilgrin:

But I always knew his supporters were smarter than that too :hi:

Welcome to DU :toast:

[Lex]

25. Kicked and Recommended.

:kick:

[Imagevision]

26. What exactly has Senator Graham done to help the situation in Iraq besides

parroting Bush's failures... Senator Graham may need to be replaced in 08