Bob Schieffer: By The Way, Candidates, There's A War On
By Bill W. Sunday Jan 27, 2008 12:32pm
This Sunday, Face the Nation host Bob Schieffer had an important message for "the candidates, and the rest of us" this primary season.
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Schieffer: We interrupt American politics to ask this question: Does anyone remember the war in Iraq? [...]
Until John McCain accused Mitt Romney yesterday of favoring a timetable for withdrawing American forces there, a charge Romney vehemently denies, Republicans hardly mentioned the war.
That would force them to mention George Bush and frankly, they'd rather talk about Ronald Reagan.
Nor do Democrats bring it up. The surge of troops the President sent there last year reduced the violence and that raises questions about the Democrats' previous demands for an immediate American drawdown.
Yet, the war goes on. Last week, 38 Iraqis died and hundreds were injured as a massive bomb went off in the town of Mosul. The Iraqi president promised to "do something," neglecting to mention he had been urged to "do something" in Mosul for months BEFORE the bomb went off.
For the record: While the Iraqis have been trying to get their act together, the war has claimed 4,094 American military and civilian lives and left more than 29,000 wounded.
Iraq may be off the front pages, but it is not over. The candidates and the rest of us would do well to remember that. ... (more)
Although there has been a few exceptions, it's evident that Iraq has been pushed to the back burner in this campaign so far and it really shouldn't have. Iraq and Afghanistan are both still a mess, the surge is not working and it is unsustainable for much longer before the troop levels will have to start coming down. The Iraqi government has still only managed to meet three of the 18 benchmarks President Bush promised they would be held to last year. Political 'progress' in Iraq is starting to look "more like political ‘regress,'" and despite all that Gen. Petraeus is still saying all he needs is one more F.U. to get it right.
The only reason the Republican front-runners are currently feuding over who gets to own Bush's war is because the media is letting them get away with perpetuating the myth that the surge is working. The Democrats would do well to heed Schieffer's advice, quit with the intraparty squabbling and force the media focus on more important things, not the least of which being our troops still in harm's way. Not doing so has consequences.
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FRIST ? Omeach Cheney, and booosh !
He (Bob Schieffer) spoke very eloquently yesterday. It would do all candidates well to remember we are watching, and even though they are giving us rosey reports, or ignoring it all together, we are not buying it anymore!! I also hope someone (any candidate) will put forth an ad with John McCain in 1993 and 1994 speaking volumes about packing up and bringing troops home! Apparently leaving is not "surrender" unless McCain says so (after Bush tells him to say it).
CappuccettoRosso @ 1:
It's not over until everyone votes. Don't let the pundits take away your voice in 2008
EDWARDS 2008 !!
Democrats heed good advice? If only!
Five more US troops killed today by a roadside bomb in Iraq.
FIVE MORE DEATHS!!
Which is much more important than McCain's dementia, or Hillary's and Obama's ego trips, or Romney's Tupperware party successes, or Giuliani's Victoria's Secret collection of panties.
For Christ's sake, folks, getting the hell out of this abominable atrocity that The Dummy and his cohorts created in Iraq is the NUMBER ONE ISSUE, and there is no number two.
Economics!!?? Wouldn't you go hungry if it would save a soldier's life?
Hey We're Goin' A Surging in Afghanistan Now!
That's A Double Victory in our One Million Year War!
Let's not forget that the surge is working. Petraeus said so yesterday on Late Edition:
"PETRAEUS: Well, I think we're just starting to see the government and the council of representatives here perhaps shift into another gear. In recent weeks, last couple of months, we saw them pass a pensions law that extends pension rights to tens of thousands of individuals who were left out in earlier arrangement several years ago. video at http://www.foxnews-follies.com
All of this they accomplished during one year of 'SURGE', at $3B a month and 937 US casualties in 2007 and 2008. Who knows how many Iraqis.
Quite an accomplishment Boooosh
When ever mainstream media is silent on a subject, then we know there cultibility, Folks we will win this war on lying and using propaganda on airwaves, and every one who is doing the lying Shawn Hannity, Rush Limballs, Catie Curlic ect ect ect, they will be hanged from the neck until dead.
So we passed the 4,000 mark huh?
Not to make light of the situation, but I don't seem to recall hearing that story in the mainstream media... hmmm...
Oh that's right - the NFL playoffs were on at the time. DUHHHHH
Are you kidding me? The remaining Democratic candidates ALL support the war. Duh. Despite their political rhetoric (and a-little-too-late apologies), they have all voted for the war itself or to fund it. PERIOD. And just like the congress that was voted in, each of them will do NOTHING to end it. Mark my words (and believe me — I hope to god that I am absolutely wrong on this).
By the way, media, Ron Paul is still in the race and still talking about the war, COVER HIM YOU BROUGHT AND PAID FOR SHILLS.
Bud @ 9:
Priorities sir.
War? What war is that? I don't see no war. War is when two or more opposing armies/nations fight to the death or victory. What we have is two occupations. Afghanistan did nothing except be REAL EASY pickin's. Iraq, well they had all that American oil under them, and a shoddy infastructure that somebody had to make billions on not fixing. War? There are no wars going on right now that the US is in.
1992 - "It's the economy stupid !"
2004/2006/2008 - "It's IRAQ you idiot !"
The war is is gone quiet because David "the great" Patreas had bought off the sunni insurgency to go after al qeada, who the sunni's got pissed off with because of there brutal tactics, once the sunni's finish with al qeada they will resume fighting the US occupation this time with the weapons given to them by the US, can anyone say BLOWBACK ?
MUST READ-
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/if-there-is-no-chang...
ah yes, there is a war on (actually, more like 'wars')...
and, if john 'bomb from a safe distance' mccain is elected preznit expect many more wars.
of course, none of the presidential candidates (save 2-3) are willing to acknowledge the root of many of our problems....
*cough* our roman proconsul-esque, military empire straddling the globe, which does NOT provide us security, but makes us less secure. the only "people" made secure by our war-based economy and foreign policy are those making loot off of war and conflict, the war-profiteers.
I talked with the aide of one of Virginia's state senators recently, who said, "My son has made five trips to Iraq. Let me tell you what I think about Mr. Bush's war."
Mt. Video @ 14:
Ironically, all the candidates now seem to be focusing on the economy because that is the issue Americans are supposedly most worried about, with the war slipping into a lackluster second. Well, okay, like, er, uh, aren't the two CONNECTED!!!!!! How do people talk about them like they are discreet and isolated issues?
andy @ 15:
I read that article a bit earlier. The clock is ticking for Bush. His paid off former "insurgent" fighters turned Iraqi allies are getting pissed and I can't say that I don't blame them either.
What I don't like about the American view on the war(s) is that somehow the number of American soldiers dead or wounded is the essential parameter in deciding whether the war is a "good thing" or not.
If the war is important, useful, morally right, etc... then the sacrifice in American life is worth it. You can argue the death toll show that the war is not well run perhaps.
If the war is not any of those things then the war is wrong even if no soldier ever dies.
This is the part that I really hate. Invasion, occupation, or repression is wrong even if you come out of it without a single scratch, blister or flat tire.
Painless wars like Panama or Grenada were barely noticed but were they just?
By the way, MEDIA, there is possible treason going un-reported-
"buckle up, there's much more to come" - Sibel Edmonds -
http://letsibeledmondsspeak.blogspot.com/
The Democratic candidates should be invoking Bush's name at every opportunity as the Repugs are too chickensh*t to do it although they've been gleefully emptying his bedpan for seven years.
Edwards is the Only member of the Top 3 Dems who gives a damn about getting our troops out.
Edwards 08
Hello, Democratic "contenders". It seems as if the rethugs' "everything is Bill Clinton's fault" has entered your modus operandi as well. Stop the infighting and start blaming BUSHOLINI for everything!!!!!!!
noone special @ 20:
part of this is de to the fact that a lot of americans (of which i am a son of the american revolution) do not consider the lives of vietnamese, iraqis, east timorese, mexicans, etc. of the same worth as american lives.
and, on another point, things will get REALLY SCARY once the pentagon (or private, mercenary, war profiteering corporations) starts fielding non-human entities instead of living, breathing soldiers/marines/sailors/airmen, etc. then we will never have american casualities and, for americans, war will be more acceptable (if that is possible) and more frequent
Samson- @ 25:
That or mercenaries...
BTW, same thing is/was true for any power throughout history, so it's not just an American thing. (but Americans like to think they are not like other powers in history, no?)
Nancy & Georgies House bushiness - too busy debating honoring LSU and West Virginia football teams to discuss contempt, war crimes, treason, murder and impeachment.
America, YOUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK, FOR THEM AND THEIR SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS!
C-SPAN SHOULD Televise Kucinich's Articles of Impeachment against gee dumbya today!!! Why the censorship?
War Profiteers all, impeach bush, impeach cheney...NOW!!!!
After watching the vid all I can think of is the scene in Born on the Fourth of July were a guy sits his crippled friend down and explains to him that people in America don't really care about vietnam as much as they do their day to day lives and they don't like to see maimed vets.
life can be fucked up.
What horseshit! Anyone in the MSM doesn't have ANY grounds to say anything about the sorry state in which Bushco has put this country. Seven years of Bush have bankrupted this country in so many ways it takes a computer to count them all, and the Iraq War is just one of the countless abominations they have created. And to you Mr. Schieffer, you and your absolutely WORTHLESS MSM haven't reported half of them, so as far as I am concerned you don't get a soapbox anymore, because you are one of the reasons there is a war in Iraq, because YOU did not do your job when it counted. So STFU.
http://gnn.tv/headlines/16550/Kucinich_to_Introduce_Impeachment_of_Bush_...
Yes there are words of war between candidate within a political party. There are wars of political platform and ideology between the political parties. There are a war against the middle-class by the establishment. There are wars between the government and the citizens. There are wars against democracy by the facist and the neocons. There are wars between races. There are wars between religion. There are wars between the media and social justice. There is a war between nations. There is a war between the energy establishments and the environmentalist.
The culture of GREED that permiated from the office of the "deciders" in both house of congress and white house is the culprit in the collapse.
CEO's are jumping ship......and Government bailout for the failing corporate giants are the WRONG prescription to the our ailing nation.
WAGES and COMPENSATION need to INCREASE to sustain the inflation.
Relying on the price of HOUSING to decrease to jump start the HOUSING bubble is the WRONG solution. When the housing prices decrease, the WEALTH of AMERICA evaporates. Tax revenue decreases.
IDIOT's are making more and more mistakes while the investors are taking advantage of the dwindling housing market.
INCREASE COMPENSATION and CAP CEO's compensation ............OR ...........you will SEE the continued downward SPIRAL of our ECONOMY expand to a GLOBAL economic disaster. Pass a policy on the CORPORATE NET PROFITS to the EMPLOYEES on a temporary period of time.
By the way candiates. . . there's a Constitution that is getting trashed.
What are your solutions to work with Congress to ensure Bush-like abuses of power are not repeated?
It's NOT a WAR anymore. The war ended in Iraq when we invaded Iraq and executed Saddam Hussein. What ensued was and is an occupation. Quit calling this terror police action a WAR!
The Democratic candidates have forgotten Iraq?
Funny -- I watched Mr. Obama's South Carolina victory speech, and he quite clearly mentioned Iraq as a conflict that we should never have entered and that we should leave as soon as possible. Apparently Mr. Schieffer had better things to do than listen to what the candidates were actually saying.
Billw, good article until the Petraeus reference and url/link. That Hullabaloo/Think Progress article was WAY off the mark - Petraeus DID NOT say he needed another 6 months for the surge to work. That would be BIG NEWS and all over the cable networks (including Countdown) if it were true, wouldn't it? He simply said you can't see significant, meaningful progress on a day-to-day basis from the ground in Iraq; that you'll really notice it after a great deal of time, like 6 months after things start turning around for real. Get it now?
txlvn @ 2:
Yes, he did. He's the only one of his kind left that I like.
But, the text of his remarks provided in this piece varies slightly from his actual spoken words in the video clip. Yes, only slightly, however I think little things like this mean a lot, regardless.
America cannot just leave Iraq. Its bases serve to secure Iraqi oil revenue and act as an irritant to foment sectarian violence, making them necessary agents to prop up a weak and corrupt Iraqi government. One of the arguments put forward as to why America cannot leave Iraq is because America created this mess and to leave would be immoral however this late concern for the morality of the whole venture, after all the lies, being a bit of joke, but there is is a kernel of truth there. America did create this mess, but it wasn't an accident and if there is an air of incompetence to it all it is because incompetence is one of their tools. Instability is key their design and the surge is working if you understand that its true goal is to keep things down to an acceptable level of violence, bearing in mind that peace breaking out would not represent an acceptable level of violence. Peace and stability are anathema to the goal which is to drain Iraq of every drop of oil. To this end the Saudis can be relied on to supply an endless stream of suicide bombers and the Iranians can be manipulated by the constant threat of war into meddling in Iraqi affairs in an attempt to keep America too busy to carry out its "threats".
Why do they continue to call what is happening in Iraq a 'WAR". War was over when our soldiers took down Saddam's regime. Let's call it what it really is an "OCCUPATION".
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