Key Senator (Lieberman) backs creation of "czar" for Iraq

[lanlady]

Source: Government Executive

Key senator backs creation of 'czar' for Iraq reconstruction

By Chris Strohm, CongressDaily
Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Chairman Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn., says he supports the idea of appointing a senior-level official in the Bush administration to manage operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, adding that his committee might be able to play "a constructive role" in creating the new post.

"I like the idea," Lieberman told CongressDaily in an interview Thursday. "For all the people who have argued that the administration has been too focused on the military aspect of Iraq and Afghanistan, this is a way of saying, as I understand it, that ultimate victory is going to come not just because of military success but also . . . mostly because of political and economic success."

Read more: http://govexec.com/dailyfed/0407/041307cdpm2.htm

[Solly Mack]

1. I hope people choke on the myth being built around Iraq

and America's role.

[skooooo]

2. who'd have thunk it?

I can't stand Lieberman. Well, at least now, Bush won't get what he wants if he has to go to congress for it.

[Joe Bacon]

40. So when is Tom Friedman gonna be named War Czar?

That gasbag keeps telling us all we need is another six months and then another six months and then another six months and then another six months and then another six months and then another six months and then another six months and then another six months...

[ryanmuegge]

50. That punk needs to kill himself already.

[tularetom]

3. You didn't need to insert his name - it was pretty obvious

the rest of the senate except for that sorry piece of shit mccain wouldn't want to touch this cockamamie idea with a 10 foot pole. Loserman probably thinks he's going to get the job.

[txaslftist]

4. Shouldn't he be called the "Scapeczar"

And of course Lieberman supports it. Any shitty GOP idea out there he isn't fully supportive of?

[kst]

32. Scapeczar: agreed

And let me just mention that http://quarkhenge.blogspot.com/2007/04/word-of-day.html">I invented the word.

[DCKit]

5. STFU Joe. You're done, your people are sorry they even went to the polls. n/t

[ClintonTyree]

7. He's done....

in about 5 1/2 more years. The people of Connecticut should be able to recall his sorry Republican, war loving ass. But they, and America, are stuck with him until his current term runs out. How they ever fell for Joementum's line of bullshit still amazes me. What the hell were they thinking of? :shrug:

[tabasco]

26. Two things I will never understand as long as I live.

Joe the Ho elected in CT and Enron Arnie in CA.

Every Democrat who voted for for Lie-bermann (I is for Israel) should hang their heads in shame.

[boilerbabe]

Many of us in CT were wondering, too.

I think all the Repugs and a few misguided Dems (who were probably afraid to back a relatively unknown)voted for him.

[boilerbabe]

38. OOPS I clicked "POST" twice by mistake N/T

[Warren Stupidity]

6. Czar Czar Binks

Kind of looks like JoJo too.

[DCKit]

9. And, no doubt, a close friend of Scooter's n/t

[Zhade]

33. What a nice neat circle, given the facts linked to in my sigline.

lieberscum also embraces the Friends of Scooter.

[deucemagnet]

8. I don't think a "czar" is exactly what they're looking for.

Noun

whipping boy

1. Someone punished for the errors of others

"As the whipping boy Jemmy must take the whippings for the royal heir, Prince Brat."

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/whipping_boy

[whosinpower]

10. What is that smacking sound I hear?

Oh yeah.....It's Joes lips On George's.......butt!

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

11. Hey, Joe, Boobah, there already IS one

He's called President Of The United States.

[Demeter]

12. Since When Is Lieberman a "Key Senator"

unless that's short for "Keystone Kops Senator" ?



The Man Without a Party---HAH!

[flaminbats]

16. something tells me Lieberman wants to be a war czar..

he didn't like being defeated in the primary,:cry: and then Democrats won the Senate in November!

where can Lieberman go now? he can run for re-election as a Republican in 2012, assuming Democrats don't still have a majority in the Senate. or he can run for re-election as a Democrat, and then get defeated again in the Democratic primary in 2012.

but if appointed CZAR of America...he wouldn't have to run for re-election. and even better, he can get political revenge for losing the nomination in 2006!

[Robbien]

41. Probably LIEberman told the reporter to call him key.

These days reporters rarely do things such as that without being told to do so.

[Thickasabrick]

13. Why do they call that turtlehead a "Key Senator"? Who has even a

a shred of respect for this guy anymore?

[hang a left]

14. And I think Lieberman is the man for the job.

He is perfect for it. Someone fax his resey to the WH.

[truthisfreedom]

15. How is using a Russian term going to make things better?

How ludicrous is it to appoint a "KING" of Iraq?

First three definitions of Czar:

1. an emperor or king.
2. (often initial capital letter) the former emperor of Russia.
3. an autocratic ruler or leader.

[CrazyOrangeCat]

18. Yes. And it is a derivative of Ceasar.

Totally perverse.

[saigon68]

21. Joementum for King

What a ring

</sarcasm>

[rpannier]

25. It's an appropriate Title when you consider

Russia has had a history of fairly weak, incompetant and ineffectual Tsars/Czars, with some notable exceptions: Peter, Ivan IV, Catherine (who was German and overthrew her ineffectual husband).

This job will be filled by some weak, ineffectual person whose only criterion will be to cheerlead and toe the toady line.

They could have also called this person:
1. The War Shah
2. War Emperor (But that's George's title)
3. The War Lord
4. The War Mentor
5. The War God-Cave-Boofu (ala Frank Zappa)

[deacon]

17. WH classified ad "War Czar needed- no experience necessary"

Maybe rummy will apply in disguise.

[salin]

19. and exactly zero people are surprised, nor change their personal

read on the situation due to his words.

Hi lanlady - always good to see you :hi:!

[buff2]

20. Why doesn't he just stfu and go away?

Khrist.....he's joined at the hip with Zell (let's have a DUEL) Miller. Two freakin nutcases...Joe and Zell. :puke:

[onehandle]

22. Then step up, Joe.

Resign the Senate and hug the albatross a little closer.

[rpannier]

23. This is just ridiculous

It is the responisbility of the President, the Defense Department working in conjunction with the Joint Chiefs of Staff to conduct policy on any war.

All this is, is the creation of another high level post that the administration can fill with some utter incompetant.

[arewenotdemo]

24. Where are L. Paul the Third and those manly boots of his when you need them?

Cooking With a Pinch of Iraq

Paul Bremer, the first American viceroy in Iraq after the war, came away from Baghdad with more than stories for his new book. A gourmet chef, Bremer tells us that he picked up two ingredients during his Iraq tour that he now uses regularly: pomegranate molasses and dried limes. "I loved Iraqi food,"Chef Paul says. "It is a wonderful cuisine; it is a nice combination of Arabic and Persian cuisine."

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/whispers/articles/060123/23whisplead_print.htm

[rodeodance]

27. joe------do you think Smart people are going to have input? HA!

[rodeodance]

28. Smart Gens are the ones who turned down this job.

[rodeodance]

29. Lieberman also said that a new czar would do essentially what L. Paul Bremer

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GovExec.com

DAILY BRIEFING
April 13, 2007
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RELATED STORIES

* Senate panel moves bill creating reconstruction reserve corps (03/29/07)
* Reconstruction IG urges interagency coordination (03/22/07)
* Inspectors general probe fraud, profiteering in Iraq (03/20/07)
* Senator challenges State official on Iraq reconstruction (01/25/07)
* Rice announces new Iraq reconstruction coordinator (01/11/07)


Key senator backs creation of 'czar' for Iraq reconstruction

By Chris Strohm, CongressDaily
Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Chairman Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn., says he supports the idea of appointing a senior-level official in the Bush administration to manage operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, adding that his committee might be able to play "a constructive role" in creating the new post.

"I like the idea," Lieberman told CongressDaily in an interview Thursday. "For all the people who have argued that the administration has been too focused on the military aspect of Iraq and Afghanistan, this is a way of saying, as I understand it, that ultimate victory is going to come not just because of military success but also . . . mostly because of political and economic success."

The Washington Post reported this week that aides to President Bush are evaluating a plan to create a so-called czar for Iraq and Afghanistan who would be empowered to cut through bureaucratic obstacles.

Lieberman, an independent who parts with Democrats on Iraq, said he envisions such a czar being primarily responsible for the non-military aspects of "post-conflict management," particularly in supporting provisional reconstruction teams. "This is a line that I think is unique and interesting to me and to our committee and so you can count on us to follow it," he said.

Lieberman's committee held a hearing last August to examine problems civilian agencies were having coordinating reconstruction efforts in Iraq.

The April 2 announcement that Meghan O'Sullivan is resigning as deputy national security adviser for Iraq and Afghanistan opens the door to create the new post, Lieberman said. But the position would likely have to be outside the National Security Council structure to work, he added.

"I think to get somebody really top notch, you'd probably have to take the person out of the NSC and have the person reporting probably directly to the president," he said. "One might say the NSC should be doing it but they're not an administrative operation."

Lieberman acknowledged the czar would be responsible for coordinating some military aspects of reconstruction but indicated that would be primarily related to providing security for civilian agencies. He also said the choice would not become part of the military chain-of-command, emphasizing that Army Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. military commander in Iraq, should continue to report to Adm. William Fallon, who heads the U.S. Central Command.

Provincial reconstruction teams in Iraq were first formed in 2005, Lieberman said, but could not get the necessary military protection from the Defense Department under the management of then-Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

"I think the folks at the Pentagon, Rumsfeld maybe, felt that if we put all of these soldiers to protect these civilians that are trying to rebuild the provinces we're going to have to take them away from other combat that they're involved in. We should have done both," Lieberman said.

Lieberman also said that a new czar would do essentially what L. Paul Bremer was supposed to do as head of the Coalition Provisional Authority until 2004. But Lieberman said the biggest difference now is that Iraq has its own government

[Vinca]

30. Fetch, Joe, fetch! Good boy. nt

[tanyev]

31. "If only our Constitution had a provision for a chief commander or a

commander of chiefs or something like that."

(Trying to quote Jon Stewart from memory)

[Kolesar]

42. Ah, Jon Stewart

What great writers they have.

[NewJeffCT]

34. Hey Joe - somebody already has the job of "War Czar"

It's the President of the United States - the so-called "Commander-in-Chief"

[knight_of_the_star]

35. They should just call the job proconsul

At least then it will be accurate what he will be, not to mention that whatever dipshit (please let it be Loserman) gets the job will be stuck holding the bag.

[screenplaya]

36. Lieberman is a Lou-Czar n/t

[Honeycombe8]

37. Not finding anyone who'd take the job, the W.H. has changed the title

from Czar to something else (I forget what the wonderful new name is).

Once again, another GREAT idea by the W.H., seconded by sheeples like Lieberman.

Heard on the news that about 4 generals have turned the job down so far. One of the generals said, in turning it down, that he didn't those guys in the White House knew what they were doing. Ha! Seems that THAT general certainly knows a thing or two...and knows what he's doing in NOT taking a scapegoat job.

[Vinca]

39. I thought "war czar" went along with "Commander In Chief."

Shrub's looking for a scapegoat.

[Felix Mala]

43. He's "ok" with Bush abdicating his role as president and violating oath

I can see the job description:

War Manager needed

Position requires unquestioning love and loyalty to George W. Bush. Must be hardcore, right-wing Christian ideologue with proven record as fervent supporter of Israel, anti-abortion, anti-homosexual and pro strict constructionist of the judiciary. Ties to Haliburton or other mega military-industrial entities preferred but not required as long as you're willing to develop ties personally or through the aid of whomever you happen to be sleeping with.


Now We Can Win!!!

[Evergreen Emerald]

44. He sold his soul to Rove and Bush for the election win.

Paybacks are a Bi*ch.

[saigon68]

47. Yup

[maxrandb]

45. Please Joe

When we want your opinion, we'll get it from Rove.

[Occulus]

46. Oh, of COURSE he does

What a schmuck.

[Forkboy]

48. Did someone steal this guy's brain?

This guy is a thick as a whale omelet.

[PurityOfEssence]

49. Fundies love autocracy

Yeah, he's an Orthodox Jew, but that's just another form of extremist certainty.

Still, in many other ways, he's quite liberal. Enough of that, though; Quisling Joe will forever stick in my craw as the first prominent Dem to chide Clinton, and I'll still see Gore's choice of him as a running mate as the ignominy of Gore trying to distance himself from a witch hunt.

Sure, let's have another dictator; to those with all the answers, that's always an appealing tack.