Embattled White House seeks Iraq upper hand

[leftchick]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060809/pl_afp/uspoliticsiraqwhouse_060809232828

CRAWFORD, United States (AFP) - The White House waged an exceptionally aggressive campaign to turn Iraq from a political liability into an asset after a much-watched US election saw an anti-war political novice beat a veteran senator who backed the conflict.

At stake is how the unpopular war, and broad US public support for a quick withdrawal, will shape the November 7 mid-term elections in which US President George W. Bush's Republicans worry they could lose their majorities in Congress.

<snip>


While analysts puzzled out the relative importance of Iraq, anti-incumbent sentiments and other factors in Lieberman's defeat, the White House seized on Lamont's win as a sign of Democratic weakness on national security.

Vice President Dick Cheney held a conference call with reporters to accuse the opposition party of a "purge" and accused the Democrats of advocating not just withdrawal from Iraq but full retreat from the global war on terrorism.

Islamist extremists "clearly are betting on the proposition that ultimately they can break the will of the American people in terms of our ability to stay in the fight and complete the task," said Cheney.

[bemildred]

1. "I keep yanking the same lever, but it doesn't work anymore ... "

[leftchick]

3. exactly

that weak on terra shit rings pretty hollow these days.

[saigon68]

10. The whip hand comes out now

America's rustics will wallow in pools of blood

Killing those miserable Islamic Brown men

[MadMaddie]

2. This will backfire...because US soldiars are dying every day

and their is absolutely no progress in Iraq....Afghanastan is backsliding.......

[krkaufman]

13. Sadly, it may still work on a substantial percentage of the population.

They don't need much of a bump to get within theft range.

[TheCowsCameHome]

4. And what did they expect?

The phony war waged by a phony administration = Disaster.

Everyone knew it but them.

[jimshoes]

5. Which task dick?

Rid Iraq of WMD? Oh wait, they weren't there were they? Topple Saadam? Done. Bring the Iraqi's free elections? Done. Babysit Iraq for the next 100 years? Not without a draft. Bring freedom to the Iraqi's? Then why are we still killing them? Please define this task with something more than catchy phrases and scare tactics. Define the goal we seek. What is the end game? You've been awfully vague as to what our task is, something besides kill all the terrorists because you can never do it. Ever. It's a fools mission.

[Jazzgirl]

6. That is because the GWOT is an ignorant war.

Oh sure, lets fight a war against a tactic....a noun....what a waste of energy. Oooh, lets ignore why people use those tactics. We can beat 'em into submission! :sarcasm:

[Sagan]

7. Notice

It is no longer about whether Iraq was a good idea or not. It's about how to SPIN it. Our troops deserve better. Iraq's a political football now, but at least the Democrats are on the side of getting the troops out. The Republicans would be happy to break this country and the military, doing the will of terrorists, rather than admit they're wrong.

I don't know what kind of credibility that Republicans hope to retain in the world. We've lost it all already thanks to them.

[cliss]

14. Very good post,

and I agree.

[Monkeyman]

8. You guys should read a letter from Peter Leasch he's there

http//www.john06.com
he is John brother

[UpInArms]

9. Message to Heartless Dick:

Just wait 'til November to see a "purge" and then again in January - there will be another purge - it should happen to the occupants of 1600 Pennsylvania.

[Roy]

11. Wrong

At stake is not how to get as many as those kids over there back with their families? With as many limbs intact as possible?

It's amazing the way that everything is viewed through a political prism with these folks.
Lives and quality of life means absolutely nothing to them.
And what is even more amazing is, they have people that support them.

"At stake is how the unpopular war, and broad US public support for a quick withdrawal, will shape the November 7 mid-term elections in which US President George W. Bush's Republicans worry they could lose their majorities in Congress."

[spanone]

12. Oh shit, not Cheney again. This is getting comical.