20070320 Weekend Commentary On Iraq

What They're Saying: Weekend Commentary On Iraq

March 20, 2007 H/T: GOPCharlie

Defense Secretary Robert Gates

Defense Secretary Robert Gates: "With Respect To The Specific Bill In The House, The Concern I Have Is That If You Have Specific Deadlines And Very Strict Conditions, It Makes It Difficult, If Not Impossible, For Our Commanders To Achieve Their Objectives." "And frankly, as I read it, the House bill is more about withdrawal, regardless of the circumstances on the ground, than it is about trying to produce a positive outcome by incentivizing the Iraqis." (CBS' "Face The Nation," 3/18/07)

Secretary Gates: "So The Issue That We're All Trying To Figure Out Is How Best Do You Get The Iraqis To Reconcile Their Differences, Because After All, This Is Not Going To Be Solved By The Military." "It has to involve political reconciliation in Iraq among Iraqis. We're basically buying them time. That's the whole purpose of this strategy. And they're going to have to step up to the plate, and we can help them by giving them the time to do that and to make their military forces able to carry the burden by themselves." (CBS' "Face The Nation," 3/18/07)

National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley

National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley: "The Problem [With The Democrats' Legislation] Is Arbitrary Timelines." "It's difficult to get reconciliation on a timeline, but the steps are right. And the Iraqis are beginning to perform. They did get their legislature, the legislature approved the Baghdad security plan, approved an extension of the emergency authorities the government needs. There is an oil law that has now been agreed by the major communities and been approved by the cabinet, will go to the Council of Representatives, their parliament. So they're beginning to make these steps. [The Democrats' legislation] sets t hese benchmarks for the Iraqis, but basically, if you read the bill, what it says is whether or not the Iraqis meet he benchmarks, the troops are coming out, and the troops are coming out without regard to progress on the ground against the enemy. And the problem is, that is mandating failure, and that is forfeiting the sacrifice we have made in Iraq." (ABC's "This Week," 3/18/07)

Hadley: "Let's Not Go Through This Charade." "Let's have the Congress present to the president a responsible bill that gives General Petraeus and the men and women in uniform the funding they need and the flexibility they need to get the job done. This is a bill to try to fund the troops. There is domestic spending that has been adding to the bill. Let's do domestic spending in the normal process. Let us get a bill that funds the troops and gives General Petraeus and our men and women in uniform what they need to get the job done." (ABC's "This Week," 3/18/07)

The Wall Street Journal

The Wall Street Journal: House Democrats' Bill Is "'Peanuts' for Petraeus." "To understand why the Founders put Presidents in charge of war fighting, look no further than the supplemental war spending bill now moving through the House. Everybody's a four-star in Congress's Army, and every general wants his own command, especially if it includes cash for the troops, er, campaign contributors. Too bad none of this bears any relation to what real General David Petraeus is trying to accomplish in Iraq." (Editorial, "'Peanuts' for Petraeus," The Wall Street Journal, 3/17/07)

"So What's A Leader Of Congress To Do To Get A Majority? You Know The Answer: Let The Vote-Buying Begin!" "Thus has Mr. Bush's request for $100 billion to fund the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, plus $3 billion to replenish the disaster-relief fund, devolved into a $124.6 billion logrolling extravaganza."

"In Any Case, Democrats Still Aren't Taking Any Real War Responsibility." "Instead of cutting off funds right now, which would at least be a policy, they kick the issue down the road by imposing 'benchmarks.' So unless the Iraqis meet certain conditions set by Congress by July 1 and October 1 of this year, U.S. troops will have to redeploy at once and finish within 180 days. And even if these earmarks sorry, benchmarks are met, all U.S. troops must begin to retreat by March 2008."

"All Of This Is Flatly Unconstitutional, But Far Worse It Is An Insult To The Troops In The Field." "If Iraq's parliament somehow gets bogged down like Congress? on de-Baathification or dividing up oil revenues, American troops have to end their mission. So General Petraeus's war strategy is made hostage to two legislatures, in Baghdad and the Beltway."

"Meanwhile, On The Baghdad Battlefield, General Petraeus Is Moving Ahead And Signs Of Tentative Progress Are Visible." "Shiite death squads are laying low or leaving town, so casualties are down. The new oil law looks like a political breakthrough that would share revenues with all parts of Iraq based on population. Suc cess isn't certain, but the Democratic Congress's only contribution is to make victory more difficult."

Secretary Of State Condoleezza Rice

Secretary Of State Condoleezza Rice Says The Iraqis Have A "New Government That Is Committed Now To A Better Life For Its People." "The fact is that we've achieved a great deal with the Iraqis, but there is still much more to do. And of course, one as always thinks about the tremendous sacrifice, the men and women who have been lost in this war and the innocent Iraqis who have died. But we also have to remember the 12.5 million people who voted, Iraqis who voted, for a new government and a new life, and I think the new possibilities that are opened up by the Baghdad security plan, which thus far is well on the way. ... Thi s is a new government that is committed now to a better life for its people. I think they're making some progress in these first days of the Baghdad security plan, although I would be the first to say there are still going to be hard days ahead. And we do have a more committed government, better Iraqi security forces and frankly more American help for them in the form of American security forces." (ABC's "Good Morning America," 3/19/07)

General David Petraeus

General David Petraeus "'Encouraged' By Surge In US Troops." "The US commander in Iraq said Sunday that there were 'encouraging signs' that a sharp increase in American troops would help quell violence in Iraq, according to a BBC interview. General David Petraeus told the BBC that sectarian attacks had fallen in recent weeks, w ith two of the five extra US brigades now on the ground in Iraq. Despite the 'encouraging signs,' Petraeus cautioned that he did not want to get 'overly optimistic at all on the basis of several weeks of a reduced sectarian murder rate,' according to the BBC. Petraeus was quoted as saying: 'By early June, we should then have everyone roughly in place -- and that will allow us to establish the density in partnership with Iraqi security forces that you need to really get a good grip on the security situation.'" ("US Iraq Chief 'Encouraged' By Surge In US Troops," Agence France Presse, 3/18/07)

"Petraeus Vowed That He Would Speak Out If The Current Operation In Iraq Did Not Go According To Plan." "'I have an obligation to the young men and women in uniform out here, that if I think it's not going to happen, to tell them that it's not going to happen, and (that) there needs to be a change,' the BBC quoted him as saying." ("US Iraq Chief 'Encouraged' By Surge In US Troops," Agence France Presse, 3/18/07)