Brownback Knocks Down Lieberman Claim That Iraq Resolutions ‘Encourage The Enemy’
Brownback Knocks Down Lieberman Claim That Iraq Resolutions ‘Encourage The Enemy’
This morning on Fox News, Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) echoed the Bush administration and claimed that people who oppose escalation in Iraq are emboldening terrorists. “[I]t will discourage our troops, who we’re asking to carry out this new plan, and it will encourage the enemy,” Lieberman said.
Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS), who announced on Friday he will support Sen. John Warner’s (R-VA) anti-escalation resolution, pointed out the obvious: “I don’t see this enemy as needing any more emboldening or getting it from any resolution. They’re emboldened now.”
Watch it:
Full transcript:
LIEBERMAN: I fear that while this resolution is non-binding and, therefore, will not affect the implementation of the plan, it will do two things that can be harmful, which is that it will discourage our troops, who we’re asking to carry out this new plan, and it will encourage the enemy, because as General Petraeus said to our committee, war is a test of wills, and you don’t want your enemy to be given any hope.
[snip]
BROWNBACK: I don’t — I don’t see this enemy as needing any more emboldening or getting it from any resolution. They’re emboldened now. I was there two weeks ago in Iraq. I was in Baghdad. I was in northern Iraq. This is a very aggressive situation. You have sectarian violence of Sunni and Shia. I was in the Kurdish area. They were talking about we have to get the Sunni and Shia together. I talked with the head of the Kurdish group. He said he wouldn’t vote for more troops because you have to first force the Sunni and Shia to sit down and talk about a political accommodation and that’s not happening.
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63 Responses to “Brownback Knocks Down Lieberman Claim That Iraq Resolutions ‘Encourage The Enemy’”
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LIEberman, stick that rhetoric up your crinkly, old a**hole, and keep it there.
January 28th, 2007 at 10:23 amMan - this wuss is too laughable! If he thinks that any of this rhetoric in support of the adminstration is going to win him any special favor with anyone, he's even more stupid than he looks. This ship's going down fool, and you're going to end up walking the plank like the skank you are.
January 28th, 2007 at 10:26 amLooks like LIEberman will need to go on MTP to get his desired bump...lol...
January 28th, 2007 at 10:32 amJESUS CHRIST I'm so glad Judd is gone.
January 28th, 2007 at 10:33 amTheres no such country in my mind as the USA , Im totally Blanking your rotten to the core country for the rest of my life - StuFFFF You alllll
January 28th, 2007 at 10:35 amJimmy Carter is right.
January 28th, 2007 at 10:37 amOne thing about Brownback; he makes Bush look like a brain surgeon.
January 28th, 2007 at 10:41 amHoly Joe also said that "there's plenty of time for resolutions if the policy fails." Nice to know there isn't a rush.
January 28th, 2007 at 10:45 amI live in the US and I am embarrassed to have such a moron as a leader. No, the Bush plan is much like his Presidency, a total failure. The United States must stop pushing its beliefs and government on other countries; they cannot even take care of their own country. George Bush and his entire puppet administration should be tried as war criminals. My heritage is French-Quebecois (Canadian) and I would love to be able to obtain a passport from
January 28th, 2007 at 10:46 amBush is very bad president according to many here in this topic and violated human rights participated in genocide in Iraq. Today all those Vietnam era protesters, some congressmen, Hollywood actors, actresses and other famous people of USA protested in Washington. Why these people did not demand for trial Bush in Hague as Milosevic or Rwandan leaders. He killed more people in Iraq and Afghanistan than in Yugoslavia and Rwanda altogether. He is a mini Hitler if you count the dead bodies for his cruel greedy misadventure.
January 28th, 2007 at 10:47 amBush will go down in history as the worst president the United States has ever had, bar none! He has broken more laws, broken his oath of office and violated the constitution more than any other president since the founding of the country. His plan to escalate the violence in Iraq will fail to terrorize the Iraqi people into submission just as every thing else he does has failed.
January 28th, 2007 at 10:49 amI don't know why you're so concerned Joe. Even the American People recognize that this protest would DO NOTHING!!!
CNN POLL: Will Saturday's protest in Washington have any effect on President Bush's Iraq war policy?
Yes 9% 2962 votes
No 91% 31413 votes
If anything this will DISCOURAGE THE TERRORISTS, because they now know, as the American People know, that BUSH WILL STAY THE COURSE, and the more people protest, THE MORE TROOPS BUSH WILL SEND TO IRAQ!!!
The TERRORISTS know that the more desparate BUSH GETS the sooner HE WILL ATTACK IRAN!!!
If Iran is smart, it will apply for STATEHOOD and save itself from being bombed back to the stoneage, like we did Iraq!
AMERICA UBER ALLES!!!
January 28th, 2007 at 10:49 amIs Lieberman as lazy a thinker as the Neo Cons, or does he just think the rest of America is?
January 28th, 2007 at 10:52 amBush stubborness and inept military strategy has emboldened the terrorists.
-Al Qaeda in Iraq
January 28th, 2007 at 10:54 amLiebermans disgraceful. Bush started out the war of wills by putting up maintain. He spoke of WMDs. THeres been a shit. Liberman can be luckily theres still any US soldier wanting to fight.
January 28th, 2007 at 10:57 am#10- That's EXACTLY what I would love to see. I believe that Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice, Gonzales, Chertoff, and the whole GD bunch are guilty as hell of treason, war crimes and crimes against humanity. Evidence needs to be compiled however because even if Bush didn't approach the legal system and observe basic procedure we, the American people, need to do that. Otherwise, it (the constitution) doesn't mean a thing. We're looking to the new 110th Democratic Congress to procede, according to the will of the people.
January 28th, 2007 at 11:02 amOkay, lemme get this straight...
Lieberman is for the escalation.
Many Republicans and all Democrats are against the escalation.
How again is it that Lieberman expects us to buy that he's a liberal?
January 28th, 2007 at 11:13 amRep. John Conyers (D-MI), was one of the four congressional leaders who spoke at the rally. He said: “Our government needs to get the message: Out of Iraq, immediately.†Conyers is the new Chair of the House’s Judiciary Committee. This is the committee which has jurisdiction over any possible impeachment proceedings. In a shot over President George W. Bush’s bow, Conyers said that Bush likes to fire military advisors, who tell him he can’t win the war, but “he can’t fire you [the people]. He can’t fire us [the Congress], but ‘we can fire him.’†With that line a roar went up in the audience. The loud chant began: “Impeach Bush!â€
The Chairlady of the House of Representatives’ “Out of Iraq Caucus,†Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), also ripped into Bush. She said: “My name is Maxine Waters and I’m not afraid of George W. Bush. My name is Maxine Waters and I’m not intimidated by Dick Cheney. My name is Maxine Waters and I helped to get [Donald] Rumsfeld fired. My name is Maxine Waters and Connie Rice is nothing but another Neocon and she doesn’t represent me. George W. Bush led us into this immoral war. He tricked the American people...He did not tell the truth...Bush says he is ‘the decider,’ but you know what? He’s not ‘the decider. He’s ‘the liar...’I will not vote one dime for this war...Bring the troops home.†Waters said some Congress people are only paying “lip service†to the antiwar cause. That comment struck home with me.
January 28th, 2007 at 11:13 amEach member of the Congress has taken an oath of office to “uphold and defend the Constitution.†We heard encouraging words today at this rally from our true friends in the Congress.
If that is the case then then NONE of the members of Congress are true to their word - fire them all
January 28th, 2007 at 11:16 amCowards Attack a weak country
How very true America attacked a country that It knew I could beat militarily in Hours based on lies, That makes the troops Bullies and The Goverment lying murdering scoundrels
America should be Ashamed of itself , Scared of NK though
January 28th, 2007 at 11:20 am#16
I believe that Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice, Gonzales, Chertoff, and the whole GD bunch are guilty as hell of treason, war crimes and crimes against humanity. Evidence needs to be compiled however because even if Bush didn’t approach the legal system and observe basic procedure we, the American people, need to do that. Otherwise, it (the constitution) doesn’t mean a thing.
I agree 100%. Well said.
January 28th, 2007 at 11:21 amI'm loving Liebermann on FOX News today. He told Hagel where to go with his clear statement that opposing Bush's surge emboldens our enemies in Iraq. I can't see why you people don't get it. Good job, Joe.
January 28th, 2007 at 11:21 amHey, Joe! Just who is the enemy? Who are the terrorists?
January 28th, 2007 at 11:21 amShut your whiny, doublecrossing mouth and slink home.
Ummm...the Brownback statement about imbolding was made before the Leiberman statement. Brownback didn't shoot down anything. This post is dishonest.
January 28th, 2007 at 11:23 amAdd Biden to that sentiment:
Biden: 'Failed policy' emboldens enemy
January 28th, 2007 at 11:28 am"war is a test of wills, and you don’t want your enemy to be given any hope."
Only Green Lantern can save us now!
January 28th, 2007 at 11:28 amBush's lethally incompetent war plan has emboldened the insurgency in Iraq. He has clearly demonstated to the whole World what our Military CAN NOT DO. Our whole military stands i mpotent against a truck bomber heading for a mosque with plans to start a Civil War. We had Saddam in a box. Now it is Pandora's Box.
January 28th, 2007 at 11:43 amI’m loving Liebermann on FOX News today. He told Hagel where to go with his clear statement that opposing Bush’s surge emboldens our enemies in Iraq. I can’t see why you people don’t get it. Good job, Joe.
Comment by Exley — January 28, 2007 @ 11:21 am
RIGHT ON, EXLEY!!! And if the Government needs to stage another "TERRORIST ATTACK" like the one staged on "the day that shall not be mentioned" the thousands of Americans killed in such an attack will have died for a NOBLE CAUSE: to further AMERICAN IMPERIALISM WORLD-WIDE!
WAR IS GOOD for the PARTY!!!
WAR keeps the people in check!
WAR provides the excuse for ELIMINATING ANY PROTEST AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT!
WAR gives unlimited money to WAR PROFITEERS!
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK, EXLEY!!! We need more people like you to support WAR!!!
DEATHS are JUST A NUMBER.
This WAR will be JUST A COMMA, ushering in a NEW ERA of AMERICA'S DOMINATION OF THE WORLD!!!
January 28th, 2007 at 11:46 am27 - YOU DON'T GET IT!
The insurgency provides a COVER for AMERICAN CORPORATIONS to PLUNDER IRAQ!!!
If there were no insurgency and Iraq had a functioning government, then IRAQ'S OIL PROFITS would go to the Iraqis. Why should they benefit, just because they happen to be living above all that OIL. WE HAVE THE POWER AND THE MILITARY MIGHT to TAKE THE OIL FOR OUR BENEFIT!!!
But if the Iraqi Government didn't need AMERICA to prop it up, they would tell us to leave their sovereign territory and use those profits to REBUILD WHAT AMERICA BLEW UP.
But that would deny BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN PROFITS to CORPORATE AMERICA. The insurgency is thus SUPPORTING CORPORATE AMERICA'S GOALS and INCREASING AMERICA'S PROFITS FROM WAR!
January 28th, 2007 at 11:51 amGood job, Joe.
Comment by Exley — January 28, 2007 @ 11:21 am
Further proof that Lieberman is NOT a liberal... Exley approves of him.
January 28th, 2007 at 12:00 pmyeparoo.....Holy Joe's right on! There's "plenty of time" for war profiteers to steal more of our hard-earned money if we allow this escalation! And, unfortunately, there's "plenty of time" for our dead war heroes numbers to go up significantly, too! And, of course, more time to kill innocent Iraqi citizens caught in the crossfire of this obvious CIVIL WAR.
January 28th, 2007 at 12:00 pmto "fulfill the prophetic vision of Jerusalem"
That's why Lieberman is a senator. And if you have to go to the Bible to explain your foreign and domestic policy you shouldn't be in politics.
January 28th, 2007 at 12:01 pmHey Marie.....that's just it....no one (even Bush himself) knows precisely "who" our enemy is/was/or will be. That's the first requirement for a legitimate "war" I believe. An Ideology is not fought man to man with tangible weaponry. That's archaic.
So, without the identification of a legitimate "enemy" ever, how can there be a legitimate "invasion" and a legitimate "war". Of course, all of this makes logical sense....something which this administration is very short on.
Where ego preservation is the only mantra, all logic and common sense goes out the window and is replaced by psychiatric behavior. We all know this and have seen it by our #1 and #2 in command. How long can we allow these psychologically ill individuals the power to run things? Until they succeed in running this country totally into the ground? I fear so.
January 28th, 2007 at 12:03 pmHmmm....I'd heard that Holy Joe was the "second coming"...anyone else hear that one?
January 28th, 2007 at 12:04 pm#29 Iraq had a functioning government under Saddam and the oil profits went to buy Marble for Palaces, and Poison gas for the Kurds. I agree that it is the corporate "Merchants of Death" (who invented shock and awe ) who are profiting handsomely from this war. It sure seems like lots of oil is going up in smoke these days. But Bush was expecting a Cakewalk. We bought lots of oil from Saddam. Proping up governments doesn't work too well, when the people Hate us.
January 28th, 2007 at 12:05 pmWell, whether you like or dislike Leiberman, what I don't understand is how he's still in the Senate. He lost his party's nomination. Then he shakily said that the people of connecticut were trying to send him a message, and he got that message. He indicated he would work to get the country out of this war. It was on that premise that he was elected with general support, including the democrats he apparently lied to.
Isn't there any penalty for that? I mean, you can run on some clear basic facts, then turn around and do the exact opposite once you're sent to Washington? Lieberman just gave Connecticut the finger. He's all for more war, more money, more escalation, and repeating his original claims of "emboldening" terrorists that got him into trouble IN THE FIRST PLACE.
Why is he even there?
January 28th, 2007 at 12:13 pmTraitor Joe Lieberman spews his rancid baloney again. He must be forced to resign from the Senate, then he can move to Israel the nation he loves!
January 28th, 2007 at 12:17 pmYou know what encourages the enemy? RIght wing comentators. Why? Because the rpesident has always said that this is nto a war on Islam, but the rightwing comentators continually attack issues strictly on the basis of their relationship to islam. Take the attacks on Keith Ellison, they are simply because he is muslim. Or take the statements of Ann Coulter (Pick any) go through the whole lot of comentators and I am sure you will find many many examples that might make the Islamic world feel that the US really is at war with Islam. That being the case, why wouldn't the islamic world become inflamed against us?
How about this, the PNAC website. It pretty much lays out our military domination of resource rich area's. Hmmm, what resources does the mid-east have? You think that might inflame people against us?
How about our administrtions near 100% refusal to negotiate with any who is not already in agreement with them?
There is a whol elot out there that might embolden the "enemy" however I feel that what comes from the right is by far more damaging because it inflames the "enemy" and hurts our relationship with friends.
January 28th, 2007 at 12:18 pmThanks to anyone in the state of CT who returned this dipstick to the US Senate. Check out the Washington Post story on yesterday's demonstration. They have a link to a fantastic photo gallery of images from that awesome outpouring of Americans who demand an end to the War. Joe Dipstick must have missed the demonstration. Here's a sign for Joe that says it all. "Up Yours--No Surge"
January 28th, 2007 at 12:31 pm#33 veritas
January 28th, 2007 at 12:43 pm"psychiatric behavior"
Anyone who does not believe that needs only to watch Cheney's interviews and Bush's pressers -- delusional, egomaniacal, even oedipal.
Agreed that this post is dishonest. The claim is that "Brownback Knocks Down Lieberman Claim That Iraq Resolutions ‘Encourage The Enemy’."
There was NOTHING in the post that refuted Lieberman's statement. Both agreed that the "enemy" didn't need to be emboldenend. This is a much weaker statement that saying that the enemy shouldn't be emboldened, which presumably, both also agree on.
It is hard to imagine that Brownback was suggesting that the violence would continue without being emboldened. It would suggest that their is no correlation between lawlessness and a crackdown on lawlessness.
Brownback seemed to be emphasizing diplomacy which didn't knock down Lieberman either. Lieberman didn't even suggest that diplomacy isn't necessary. The title of this post is needlessly inflammatory.
January 28th, 2007 at 1:06 pmChallenge to readers:
Reread the initial post and see if anything irrational, or untrue was said by either party in the posted text. Most seem reasonable to this reader except for one of Brownback's, which may inadvertently suggest that violence not dependent on being emboldened by lack of force.
Challenge number two: note how violent many of the statements in this post are. It appears to be a violence-oriented group, and that hate, and not thought is what rules this group.
Ben noted that the statements were taken out of order which if true, suggests that we're being manipulated by the author of this post.
January 28th, 2007 at 1:18 pmLieberman continues to kowtow to his AIPAC paymasters. Any surprises there ?
January 28th, 2007 at 1:18 pmThree Blind Neo-Cons hit the Sunday morning shows. No wonder they all flocked to FOX News. Billy, Joey, and Dickie don't have a clue about the American disaster of epic porportions in Iraq that they are defending. Shame on them.
January 28th, 2007 at 1:22 pmCan this fugitive from a mad-house even appear in public in his home state of Connecticutt without getting attacked by angry Dems?
I know if I ran into him on the street I would love to slap that jowly lying face as hard as I could.
Dead-end Joe...he just doesn't know how to stop digging his own grave!!!
January 28th, 2007 at 1:50 pmWhen did the Democratic Party become anti-semitic? Why are they now running wildly away from Israel (ref. Jimmy Carter)?
What other constituents will you throw out of the boat, so that you cowards won't ever have to fight?
January 28th, 2007 at 3:03 pmIn comment #28, The Ghost of NineJuanJuan suggests that the NineJuanJuan "TERRORIST ATTACK" was staged by the governement. If you have evidence of that, please make it known to the proper officials, otherwise please check the basis of your hatred and the hatred that you are trying to spread.
Did anybody see how Brownback knocked down Lieberman's claim? Brownback simply "didn't see" some things, right?
January 28th, 2007 at 3:51 pmre: war crimes
I agree with you "Liberal in New Mexico" and "Canada Baz", any leader who starts an UNNECESSARY war should be tried for their crimes against humanity.
But since you cannot have a war if nobody went, the soldiers (including my own family members!) that went are just as guilty as the leaders, and should be tried for their crimes against humanity too!
Just because someone threatens to shoot/jail you, if you do not shoot someone else, does not give you the right to shoot that someone!
You say NO just like Muhamed Ali did in that Vietnam war, and just like 10,000 brave soldiers did in this Iraq war.
Saying the Nazi soliders were not "innocent pawns", but the American soldiers somehow are "innocent pawns", is pure HYPOCRISY.
The last time the United States was justified in military action against another nation was back in WWII, anything else since then including the 9-11, should be addressed as a police action.
If our military would stay home and the hell out of other countries, we would not have to worry about foreign terrorists, just our home grown ones like Timothy McVeigh!
January 28th, 2007 at 4:09 pmRe: Posting # 22,
For the fourth time in four days (and for the second time today) a name-jacked posting falsey attributed to me has appeared on a ThinkProgress thread. The first two have been deleted by administration, for which I am grateful. Posting #22 is a name-jack. It was not written by me. Please delete it. Thank you.
January 28th, 2007 at 4:35 pmBush will be remembered (50 years from now) for
1. Tax Cuts
2. A great Economy
3. No Child left Behind Act ( its raising grades)
4. Medicare Prescription Drug Plan for Seniors ( Most like the plan)
5. Removing Saddam Hussain.
6. Trying ( Successful or Failed we dont know) to Create a Free Democratic Moslem State in the Middle East over the objections of the media and democrats.
He will be remembered as a bold leader who saw the future world moslem conflict coming, stuck to his guns and will be considered one of the better presidents.
January 28th, 2007 at 4:55 pmAw come on Exley. I thought you love me. Your friend in the Senate, Joe
January 28th, 2007 at 5:42 pmObetwo, you can't fool me. You're taking GOP money to talk Bush up on the web but stabbing them in the back with sly satire.
The giveaway was when you defended his educational policies with a possessive where a conjunction should've been. Deviously subtle, that.
January 28th, 2007 at 7:03 pm#51 - Obetwo,
January 28th, 2007 at 9:07 pmI only hope that humanity will survive until Bush leaves office, much less then 50 years into the future.
Lieberman has become a stooge for George Bush. I'm still stunned he got re-elected by those idiots in Connecticut.
January 28th, 2007 at 10:54 pmLieberman played the voters in Ct for fools and used them to get in office to support the evil Bush plan. That kiss from Bush must have been something for Lieberman is follow so closely. Most woman don't stay with a man that long must have been a Brokeback moment for Bush/Lieberman.
January 29th, 2007 at 12:34 amNow McCain has just lost him mine as he sold his soul to Satan aka Bush. Nothing is going right.
Let's see---Bushies already used up their supply of Zarqawi red herring. Bin Laden is either cooperatively waiting in the wings or is too big an embarassment for his name to uttered right now. Well, I guess that leaves little other choice than to fall back on the old standby-- a blitzkrieg of sophistical BS on every 'news' show in existence. It is abit unfair to blame Joe for all of it since he is playing out his TINY role hoping once again to worm his way toward the White (or is that Whine?) House. Some people will do or say anything to get at the controls of our 'democracy', the better to turn it into something else. Brings to mind G. H. W. Bush and his embrace of the man who lead the first orchestrated assault on our form of government--choose Nixon or Reagan, as you please.
January 29th, 2007 at 7:33 amDon't worry it is way to late to worry about anyone being emboldened. Bush, Dick and Rummy have already done that...going in without a plan to stabalize and rebuild...
There is NO fix to this chaotic situation...we just need to get out as gracefully as possible...all the chaos has allowed everyone to want to get a piece of Iraq...Iran, the Saudis, Al-Qaeda...
Thanks a LOT Bush!!!
January 29th, 2007 at 1:29 pmWhy in the hell did Gore pick this jacka$$ for a running mate in 2000?? I never liked the "Sour puss" face guy. My solution to Joe is this, in 08 hand the dem seven more sits in the senate and tell Joe to take a hike, we don't need you.
January 29th, 2007 at 1:31 pmLet's rename Connecticut Patheticut.
January 29th, 2007 at 7:50 pmThe problem is the Israel Lobby [AIPAC] and their loyality to another country[Israel].Until we as Americans have a real even handed middle east policy and elected officals who have guts to stand up to these traitors we will continue to fight these no-win middle eastern wars for that little bandit state that gave us the Lavon affair and the attack on the USS Liberty as well as Jon Pollard and the biggest spy scandal in US history.We can support AIPAC 'S choice GOP or AIPAC'S choice DEMOCRAT...but until we get rid of AIPAC it will not make a dimes worth of difference.
January 29th, 2007 at 11:05 pmWow. Lieberman has really driven off the road into the desert. What, they not making enough Black Hawks in CT for his retirement ?
February 3rd, 2007 at 11:50 pmAll of this trouble for a country that has not even 4 million people. It doesn't make any sense at all. F*** AIPAC.
February 14th, 2007 at 4:26 pm[...] ultra-lefty blog, Think Progress, posts the transcript and video of this morning’s Fox News Sunday. Lieberman argues that the Hagel/Biden resolution [...]
February 25th, 2007 at 10:37 am