This is a rebuttal to Jack Reid’s rebuttal to the President’s speech last night.
I’m Senator Jack Reed from Rhode Island, and I was privileged to serve in the United States Army for 12 years. I opposed the war in Iraq from the beginning. It was a flawed strategy that diverted attention and resources away from hunting down Usama bin Laden’s terrorist network.
Hi, Jack. OBL’s terrorist network is worldwide, or don’t you read the NIE or the newspapers?
And since then, too often, the President’s Iraq policies have worsened America’s security.
And that’s the reason there have been no successful attacks on American soil because our security is worsened. Of course blowing the cover on our surveillance techniques, our financial tracking, our troop deployments, telling our enemies about our every equipment weakness, calling our Generals liars and failures has made us all feel so warm and fuzzy.
Hundreds of billions have been spent.
This is something I do find disturbing. Not that the money was spent but that the method of accounting used by the Democrats is irrational. Weren’t we planning on paying the troops salaries anyway? And because we had to stock up on ammo and equipment due to Democratic lead reductions in troops, and equipment it is costing more. Before Iraq our troops were only 85% ready for war due to budget cuts.
Who are you going to blame for that, Jack? Let’s see, the Senate holds the purse strings; lets blame them and YOU! Yes, Jack, I am aware that you personally split from your Democratic counterparts and have tried to increase the military strength.
Our military is strained.
Troops reductions, and base closures: remember them? If you and your ilk hadn’t been so willing to line your bills with pork, perhaps we could have maintained a decent fighting force. Is it time for a draft again?
Over 27,000 Americans have been wounded, and over 3,700 of our best and brightest have been killed.
The KIA rate is still lower than the traffic accident death rate here in the States. That speaks very highly of our servicemen and women and their training. It is difficult to have a war without death and sacrifice. But as an EX Army Officer you should know that. Perhaps the reason you didn’t get past 12 years is lack of will. Remember Jack, All The Way! Not halfway, not a quarter of the way but ALL.
Tonight, a nation eager for change in Iraq heard the President speak about his plans for the future.
I haven’t seen the Neilsen’s yet, but my bet is the nation was not listening as eagerly as you would like people to believe.
But once again, the President failed to provide either a plan to successfully end the war or a convincing rationale to continue it.
Jack, since your speech was written before the President addressed the Nation, I get the feeling it wouldn’t have made any difference to you what the President had to say.
The President rightfully invoked the valor of our troops in his speech, but his plan does not amount to real change. Soldiers take a solemn oath to protect our nation, and we have a solemn responsibility to send them into battle only with clear and achievable missions.
Soldiers aren’t the only people who take oaths. Remember this one? I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter.
You have shown your allegiance to your Party is greater than your allegiance to your Country.
Tonight, the President provided neither. As a former Army officer, I know the great sacrifices our soldiers and their families make.
For some strange reason Jack … I don’t believe you.
Our military can defeat any foe on the battlefield.
If they are properly equipped and Congress quits trying to be the Commander-in-Chief and quits trying to micromanage the war effort. And if Congress quits encouraging our enemies with partisan speeches and outrageous statements of failure before the fact. Basically, Congress needs to keep its dissent behind closed doors and quit sucking up to our enemies.
Yet, as General Petraeus has repeatedly stated, Iraq’s fundamental problems are not military, they are political.
I noticed that, too, and thought to myself, now we expect our military generals to be politicians on the battlefield? Somehow I think this is the one area where Congress should have done something. I sure didn’t see any of you going over and assisting the education process in Iraq. Instead I heard you say that the Iraqis could never manage a democratic election, but, oops, they have had three already. Guess you were wrong…again.
The only way to create a lasting peace in Iraq is for Iraqi leaders to negotiate a settlement of their long-standing differences.
No, this would be nice but it is a pipedream. Democracy requires education. It takes time for the seeds of freedom to grow. They are taking baby steps, and you are trying to potty train them before they can walk. Get real; you folks in Congress are so disconnected from reality. If you want to do something, organize the planning of an education system for Iraq.
When the President launched the surge in January, he told us that its purpose was to provide Iraqi leaders with the time to make that political progress.
Note: The first troops for the surge arrived in late February and all the troops were not in position until July. I just love it when politicians open their mouths and the lies roll glibly off their tongues.
But now, nine months into the surge, the President’s own advisers tell us that Iraq’s leaders have not, and are not likely to do so.
The leaders of Iraqi are going to make errors. They are new at this, and they are not your puppets. Try treating them, like Ambassador Crocker and our President, with some respect. Congress is doing nothing but blustering and pushing the Iraqi government to seek support elsewhere. And God help us all then.
Meanwhile, thousands of brave Americans remain in the crossfire of another country’s civil war.
Civil war? Did you read Ambassasor Crocker’s report? Have you listened to nothing except the pathetic ramblings of Negative Nancy? Not even the Jones Report called it a civil war. Are you trying to create a self-fulfilling prophecy?
So tonight, we find ourselves at a critical moment. Do we continue to heed the President’s call that all Iraq needs is more time, more money, and the indefinite presence of 130,000 American troops — the same number as nine months ago? Or do we follow what is in our nation’s best interest and redefine our mission in Iraq?.
Now I know you didn’t read General Petraeus’ report, he specifically mentioned a change of mission WHEN the Iraqis are capable. You can’t seem to keep facts straight.
Democrats believe it is time to change course.
Sorry Jack, but I have to disagree, as do a lot more people than the polls really show. The change of course we need is fewer Party pundits and some intelligent people in Congress who are not out to get richer.
We think it’s wrong that the President tells us there’s not enough money for our veterans and children’s health care because he is spending $10 billion a month in Iraq.
Since when did our government become such a nanny state? The President isn’t spending the money. This country is spending the money. Just like they do for all that pork you and Murtha and Pelosi direct into your states so you can get richer and get re-elected.
We have put forth a plan to responsibly and rapidly begin a reduction of our troops.
Say it, Jack, “We surrender.” Cut and run. Demoralize our troops and once again tell the world we are cowards.
Our proposal cannot erase the mistakes of the last four and a half years, but we can chart a better way forward.
Here you go again, talking out of both sides of your lying face. You said the President rightfully so invoked the valor of our troops, and now you are saying that the ones that died did so for no reason.
That is why our plan focuses on counter-terrorism and training the Iraqi army.
D’oh! That is in General Petraeus’ Plan and he is currently doing that. And you stated … oh never mind you aren’t listening anyway. Take Nancy’s prompting device out of the orifice you have it in and try to think for yourself.
It engages in diplomacy to bring warring factions to the table and addresses regional issues that inflame the situation.
Education is the only way to achieve our goals there.
It begins a responsible and rapid redeployment of our troops out of Iraq.
Go ahead and keep waving that white flag Jack!
And it returns our focus to those who seek to do us harm: Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups.
Right, you fool; let them bring the war back to our soil where they can kill another 3,000 innocent souls that won’t have a chance to return fire because or your view on gun control.
An endless and unlimited military presence in Iraq is not an option.
Let’s see…WW2 is over and we have troops in Germany and Japan. Technically, the Korean War is still going on and we have troops there. Let’s just bring everyone home and have a bonfire, roast marshmallows and sing “Kumbaya…”
Democrats and Republicans in Congress and throughout the nation cannot and must not stand idly by while our interests throughout the world are undermined and our Armed Forces are stretched toward the breaking point.
From what I read, hear and see Congress is the one undermining this country, and if they hadn’t pushed for troop cuts we wouldn’t have this problem.
We intend to exercise our Constitutional duties and profoundly change our military involvement in Iraq.
There goes your white flag again. Re-read your oath. It says nothing about being a lackey for your party.
We ask Americans of good will of whatever party to join with us in this historic effort to restore the strength and security of the United States.
By surrendering? By quitting?
I urge the President to listen to the American people and work with Congress to start bringing our troops home and develop a new policy that is truly worthy of their sacrifices.
And I urge the President and everyone in Congress to understand Freedom isn’t Free. And if we don’t spread the seeds of democracy and freedom to those oppressed then we ourselves are not free and never will be.
Mr. President, as a veteran, I salute you. As a citizen, I stand behind you and support you. As a man, I am proud of you. Blessings.