Lieberman: There Is No Civil War In Iraq (But Even If There Is, We Should Stay)
Lieberman: There Is No Civil War In Iraq (But Even If There Is, We Should Stay)
Speaking on the Senate floor today, Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) said his answer is “no, no, no” to the question of whether there should be a redeployment from Iraq.
Lieberman offered a discombobulated explanation for his opposition, stating on the one hand he believes the U.S. military can and should “police a civil war,” while on the other hand stating Iraq is not in a civil war.
Lieberman claimed the “facts” suggest Iraq is not in a civil war. But seconds before, he said, “Why do proponents of withdrawal from Iraq keep insisting that [our] American troops shouldn’t be policing a civil war?” Watch it:
Lieberman repeatedly said that “proponents of withdrawal” claim Iraq is in civil war to suggest that the mission is “hopeless.” Note to Lieberman: It’s not just “proponents of withdrawal” who recognize Iraq is in a civil war; the Pentagon and the intelligence community have declared Iraq a civil war.
UPDATE: More on Lieberman’s dissembling on Iraq from Greg Sargent.
Transcript:
The immediate question before us is direct: Should Congress impose a deadline for the withdrawal of troops from Iraq? To that question, I answer, no, no, no.
[…]
First, proponents of withdrawal keep returning to the proposition that American soldiers shouldn’t be policing a civil war. Surely, my colleagues don’t mean to say that the United States military has never or should never police a civil war.
[…]
Clearly, our military has policed civil wars in the past and will do so and must do so in the future. So why do proponents of withdrawal from Iraq keep insisting that it shouldn’t happen now? The answer I think has to do with the way some people choose to characterize what’s happening in Iraq. When they suggest our soldiers are stuck in a civil war, it suggests that the conflict has become hopeless, a pit of violence where there are no heroes, only villains. And where our military cannot possibly do any good.
Is this really the case? I think the facts suggest not.
[…]
The truth is we are confronted in Iraq today with a deliberated, calculated campaign, murder of civilians often on the basis of religious identity alone by insurgents and terrorists.
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74 Responses to “Lieberman: There Is No Civil War In Iraq (But Even If There Is, We Should Stay)”
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Uh,… Just in case I get completely de-bunked, I want it anyway.
March 27th, 2007 at 6:19 pmEveryone’s favorite backstabbing shitheel.
It’s Joe!
-GSD
March 27th, 2007 at 6:19 pmMr. Lieberman,
You are a traitor.
March 27th, 2007 at 6:20 pmWhy does Lieberman hate American Servicemen and Women?
March 27th, 2007 at 6:20 pmGO LIEBERMAN!!! Caucus with the GOP for God’s sake! I’m Independent and I would do it rather than surrender in Iraq.
March 27th, 2007 at 6:20 pmYou say potato and I say po-taught-0….everyone with a brain says “civil war” including those over there, but mush-mouthed Lie-berman says not. Since Lieberman is jack of all trades and master of nothing, no one believes a word he says either. This is a non-issue. Who cares about anything the likes of Joe Lieberman spouts off?
March 27th, 2007 at 6:21 pmhmmm, maybe he can wish away world hunger too!
March 27th, 2007 at 6:21 pmJake = paid troll
March 27th, 2007 at 6:21 pmLieberman = Little Boy Lost
March 27th, 2007 at 6:22 pm#5. Jake honey, God is not on the side of waging war…we’ll forgive you for that one.
March 27th, 2007 at 6:23 pmLIEberman hates the troops… simple as that!
March 27th, 2007 at 6:23 pmGo Joe a real Democrat
March 27th, 2007 at 6:24 pmI do not get paid to post here.
March 27th, 2007 at 6:24 pmClearly, our military has policed civil wars in the past and will do so and must do so in the future.
can some one tell me when any thing good came of such a scenario
March 27th, 2007 at 6:26 pmThat’s right, all you Dems — condemn Lieberman for his vote — call his office to scream at his assistants! Lieberman is a Jewish traitor!!!! If you need the phone number, let me know — PLEASE, DO IT NOW!!!
March 27th, 2007 at 6:26 pm13. Ok then, you’re an unpaid troll.
March 27th, 2007 at 6:27 pmLaura Bush:
God was against the Allies during WWII?!!
March 27th, 2007 at 6:27 pmDoes it matter what Israel Joe has to say?
U.S.-trained Iraqi military is engaging in terrorist death-squad activity, following the pattern we’ve seen in South and Central America, under theinfluence of the School of the Americas. It would be naive to ascribe this activity to ‘rogue elements’. What we are seeing is part of a comprehensive campaign by occupationforces to stir up a civil war among Iraqi factions. We’ve also seen false-flag ’suicide’ bombings, a one-sided Constitution, and atrocities committed by U.S. troops against Sunni towns and villages. The path out of the quagmire, according to this strategy, is to get the Iraqi’s to fight one another instead of fighting against the occupiers. It’s a standard method of imperial management.
http://cyberjournal.org/ cj/ show_archives/ ?id=1006&batch=25&lists=newslog
March 27th, 2007 at 6:27 pmJoe,
Please point our where in the Constitution that we export Democracy at the barrel of a gun?
I will wait……………Maybe Jake could point it out.
March 27th, 2007 at 6:28 pmThat’s right, all you Dems — condemn Lieberman for his vote — call his office to scream at his assistants! Lieberman is a Jewish traitor!!!! If you need the phone number, let me know — PLEASE, DO IT NOW!!!
Comment by Jake
Did Jako miss his nap time?
He seems a bit cranky (or desparate )
Maybe he missed taking his prozac.
March 27th, 2007 at 6:30 pmJake, is there or is there not a civil war going on in Iraq right now?
March 27th, 2007 at 6:30 pmJake, please stay on topic.
March 27th, 2007 at 6:31 pmNot only is the Lieberschmuck out of touch with the majority of sane America and the rest of the world, he’s out of touch with reality. And as for you Jake — you and the GOP losers can have his sorry ass. All reputable vote trending studies point to big GOP losses in the next round of national elections anyway so letting Joe the mealy-mouthed traitor join his likewise traitorous brethren on the wingnut side of the aisle can only be a net positive for the Dems and humanity — and good freaking riddance!!
March 27th, 2007 at 6:31 pmWhy would anyone, ANYONE, trust a Dick or someone with the word LIE in their name?
March 27th, 2007 at 6:31 pm# 8 Correct. Jake spends entirely too much time here …………entirely too much. Makes one wonder if he has a life…..or if indeed he is a paid troll. ( They are wasting their money if so) He is not worth responding to. He is either paid, has no life so just feeds off of provocation. He is immature, ignorant, and wrong often. Please ignore him and those like him. ThinkProgress is a great blog. The right wingers would love to infiltrate,derail, and dominate the discussion. Jake and Patrick1….exely and others……they are here all the time. I’m not saying there are is not intelligent disagreement here between those on the right and left. But there is a brand of troll that is truly sub-standard like Jake…..How many progressives spend that much time on right wing blogs? Ever think of that?
March 27th, 2007 at 6:32 pmLieberman gets dumber by the minute. With any luck, Connecticut will call a special election after realizing their terrible mistake.
March 27th, 2007 at 6:32 pmI’m sorry, I can’t help thinking about Droopy Dog every time I see Lieberman. You’ve been thinking the same thing - admit it.
March 27th, 2007 at 6:33 pmWhy do Jake and his ilk honor the wishes of osama bin Forgotten to be bogged down in an untenable military futile mission, expending our treasure and creating Jihadists more than we can kill?
Why are you people allies with Al-Qaida, you march to their orders. Why do you hate America?
Seriously Rape-Public-Can trolls learn some military history. If you believe the lie this is the long war, War on Terra, then Iraq is a battlefield (of our own mistake) During WWII we surged in Holland only to have US and Britian forces decimated learning a painful lesson, regrouping and retreating we got smarter to not just stay in a broken incompetent agenda.
March 27th, 2007 at 6:33 pmAs Bush said as they stand up we will stand down, isn’t this just another way to say redeployment?
March 27th, 2007 at 6:33 pm“…rather than [have the U.S.] surrender in Iraq”- comment by Jake at 6:20 pm. Surrender to whom, the 2 per cent of the outside forces who are fighting in Iraq or the 98 per cent of the resistance fighters who will stop at nothing until the invader, i.e. the United States, is finally driven from their homeland? The blood lust of people like Jake is simply insatiable.
March 27th, 2007 at 6:34 pmLieberman, Joseph I.- (ID - CT) Class I
706 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4041
Web Form: lieberman.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm?regarding=issue
March 27th, 2007 at 6:34 pmGO LIEBERMAN!!! Caucus with the GOP for God’s sake! I’m Independent and I would do it rather than surrender in Iraq.
Comment by Jake
LOL, Lieberman aint listening to you.
March 27th, 2007 at 6:36 pmGod was against the Allies during WWII?!!
Comment by Jake
You are too funny.
March 27th, 2007 at 6:39 pmThat’s right, all you Dems — condemn Lieberman for his vote — call his office to scream at his assistants! Lieberman is a Jewish traitor!!!! If you need the phone number, let me know — PLEASE, DO IT NOW!!!
Comment by Jake
It would be easier to condemn the GOP right about now. The GOP lost in 2006 remember, keep crying for more war Mammon worshipper.
HEh,
March 27th, 2007 at 6:39 pmWeb Form: lieberman.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm?regarding=issue
Comment by Jake
Say Jake where do you go to worship Mammon BTW?
March 27th, 2007 at 6:43 pmGot a sunken den somewhere with fire and brimstone?
Your Conscience at #19
Extremely well said. Unfortunately, Democrats like Obama, H. Clinton and John Edwards have said that “all options are on the table” regarding Iran, even while the U.S. continues to play war games in the waters off Iran, certainly making it appear that a military option becomes the first, instead of the last, option for the U.S. to consider while [allegedly] attempting to provide a peaceful solution to the next crisis that presents itself in the Middle East. One wonders that if [and when] the U.S. does attack Iran, how many innocent Iranians will have to lose their lives because the U.S. will once again eschew diplomacy for aggression against a country which, like Iran, was never a threat to anyone in these United States.
March 27th, 2007 at 6:43 pmGO LIEBERMAN!!! Caucus with the GOP for God’s sake! I’m Independent and I would do it rather than surrender in Iraq. Comment by Jake
Be careful what you ask for. Many of his votes, especially around taxes, would scare you back into your sister’s bed!
March 27th, 2007 at 6:46 pmI like Lieberman to show us where is it written in the US Constitution that we should send our troops to fight and die in the streets of another country under the guise of WMDS threat….
even if the many factions of that country are fighting among themselves in a civil war.
Iraq was country that did not threaten us,attack us or even have the capacity or the capablitites to do so being under UN sanctions for over 10 years ; could not even import the basics for its existence.
When you have major factions fighting among themselves, we might side with one group against the other…even if did not, one side will attack us alleging that we are.
How many of AIPAC members kids are joining the fight in Iraq? They are the ones who are screaming loudly for more wars….and Lieberman is one of their many voices who want to see this war fought to protect Israel,and that include another war with Iran.
March 27th, 2007 at 6:49 pm37. wow.
March 27th, 2007 at 6:51 pmJoe hates America. He wants us to stay so the Zionists in power in Israel feel protected for the next time they decide to look tough and kick the sh** out of Lebanon or the Palestinians.
March 27th, 2007 at 6:51 pmLieberman is going to find his life in the Senate seriously diminished after 2008.
March 27th, 2007 at 7:00 pmlie-ber-man, least wanted in the united states….I think a recall is in order…Careful lieing joe, they will remove you and send you back to Israel where you and chertoff belong……Blessings
March 27th, 2007 at 7:01 pmWhere does he get this crap about how opponents of the war see no heroes, only villains? I pay a lot more attention to him if he wasn’t obviously pulling all this right out of his butt. “It’s not a civil war, but even if it was a civil war, so what?” And that whole business near the end is to create the fiction that there is one “enemy” creating chaos in Iraq and that all we have to do is defeat that “enemy.”
It’s a complete distortion of the last four years and, oh, what a surprise that is.
March 27th, 2007 at 7:12 pmLIEberman is an agent of Israel, plain and simple as that!!!!!
LIEberman (R-Israel), useless, really!!! CUA!!!!
March 27th, 2007 at 7:17 pmI swear to God Lieberman has said in the past (maybe while he was selling himself to the idiot voters in CT) that if Iraq were in a civil war, we’d be out of there.
CT needs to put pressure on this man.
March 27th, 2007 at 7:19 pmOld, and a has been with the power to jump ship at any time, and float home.
March 27th, 2007 at 7:24 pmFortunately, Kevin was not present. He did not consider Fat cured (nor did anyone else) and anyway God didn’t do it. That is a logic which Freud attacks, by the way, the two-proposition self-cancelling structure. Freud considered this structure a revelation of rationalization. Someone is accused of stealing a horse, to which he replies, “I don’t steal horses and anyhow you have a crummy horse.” If you ponder the reasoning in this you can see the actual thought-process behind it. The second statement does not reinforce the first. It only looks like it does. In terms of our perpetual theological disputations — brought on by Fat’s supposed encounter with the divine — the two-proposition self-cancelling structure would appear like this:
1) God does not exist.
2) And anyhow he’s stupid.
A careful study of Kevin’s cynical rantings revealed this structure at every turn.
- Philip K Dick, Valis
March 27th, 2007 at 7:26 pm“Policing civil war”. Since when did that become our effing job? I’m pretty sure that we would not appreciate another country to come into our country to police our civil war if we were to have another one.
It is NOT our job to police another country’s civil war. Especially a country that we invaded, without due cause mind you, and at the expense of our troops and the tax payers.
Sheesh, the more they open their mouths, the more crap they spew.
March 27th, 2007 at 7:31 pm“We will have to police other countries civil wars in the future”
March 27th, 2007 at 7:58 pmIs this moronic israeli spy for real?
Fool.
March 27th, 2007 at 8:03 pmHEY, LIE-berman! IS THAT A POLYP I SEE STUCK TO YA LIP? NEVER MIND, IT’S ONLY CHIMPya LUSTILY KISSING HIS “LIE-beral” FRIEND Joe LIE-berman AND STICKING HIS FORKED SATANIC TONGUE DEEP DOWN Joe’s THROAT!!!!! HEY! THAT FORKED TONGUE JUST PEEPED OUT OF LIE-berman’s ANUS AND LOOKED AT ME!!!! SHADES OF “THE BRANIAC”(tm) aka “El Baron Del Terror”(tm)!!!!! “No no no no…GET THAT CREEPY LYING QUISLING TURNCOAT LIE-berman AWAY FROM ME!!!!!!!” So said Baron Vitelius of Astara(tm), the BRAIN-SCARFING BRANIAC(tm)—-WHY? BECAUSE LIE-berman HAS NO BRAIN TO BE EATEN, THE DOLT!!!!!
March 27th, 2007 at 8:14 pm[…] Watch Video […]
March 27th, 2007 at 8:17 pmWow, Jake finally getting in a tizzy. As I understand it Jake, Israel never saw Osama as a threat. Iraq and Saddam have been corralled for some time and was pretty much starving. Osama was in Afghanistan not Iraq. Again Osama wanted the Americans out of Mecca, Saudi but never threatened Israel.
If I dont agree with Liebermans vote that doesn’t mean I condemn his religion or consider him a traitor. AIPAC is a powerful lobby and anyone would pretty agree that many Senators left and Right are in agreement with the AIPAC lobby.
Your latest rant here causes me to think that perhaps you have some religious issues you need to work out.
March 27th, 2007 at 8:18 pmYou know, if Joe ever gets to where his blood pressure is readable he might figure out that Osama is a paid black op and that he, himself, is irrelevant. Israel is not more or less special than anyone else on this planet. It’s simple, we either start understanding each other or we just go ahead and start the all-world killfest. But just living in constant fear of each other so a few can benefit from it with a big money-grab, power-grab, land-grab is a sick way to live.
March 27th, 2007 at 9:15 pmIt would seem the handful of respondents here do not have any Idea how Politics and how our Government works.
It also seems you are not familiar with Military history or understand the full dynamics of warfare be it traditional or modern.
It would also seem that some of you have in issue with the Jewish religion.
Your anti Semitic comments and useless banter of calling Lieberman a traitor has no grounds and you lack any proof or even draw an intelligent argument to support your claim.
Before you make a post condemning a Senator or anyone else for that matter, be sure you understand the entire situation and are aware of facts
March 27th, 2007 at 9:25 pmThere should be a rule that dual citizens or hose who work more on the behalf of a foreign government than their own, should not be allowed to serve in the U.S. Government. That would wipe out 2/3 thirds of Congress, the SCOTUS and the White House.
I heard Tom Delay say the other day that his mission was to continue pushing the Conservative agenda and to support Israel. Not a word about rebuilding New Orleans, affordable health care, education, etc…………….
Israel
Israel
Israel
The United States as WE know it, did not exist when Israel of the good books was around. And Israel as WE now know it did not exist when the United States was founded, so why is our allegience so strong to a country that we have no historical ties to?
AIPAC
PNAC
FAUX, CNN, MSNBC, GE, Halliburton blah blah blah blah blah blah blah
Enough Already Mr. Lieberman
I was born in CT and left when I was 17 and joined the Army, saw my first combat duty in 89 (Panama) and have been in EVERY conflict since, did my three tours in Iraq and will retire in Sep 07 (god willing) and I can’t believe that a country the size of 2 Connecticuts is running our country, and everyone is scared to death of it.
Listen to the politicians here, travel to Israel and listen to the Likudnites no f’in difference. My Soldiers and I laugh everytime we here the “WE’RE fighting them over there so that WE dont have to fight them over here” WE what we, I kind of wish that we had to fight them here then all you dumb ass “loyal bushies” would have to fight and really sacrifice and join in the pain and suffering as we do on a daily basis. All who support this BS should suffer a loss of a family member as a result of someone else’s lies, BS, incompetence, inexperience, or plain stupidity. ALL OF YOU!!!!
Support the troops, shut the fuck up, send your spoiled assed kids to a recruiter and put their privileged asses in harms way and hope HOPE you don’t lose them, and when you do, and some will, don’t say nothing, just continue to believe in people like Joe Lieberman.
Thank You
RIP
SGT Stephen R. Sherman
C CO 1-5 IN (STRYKER)
KIA 3 Feb 2005 (Surge#6)
Mosul, Iraq
Or as the POTUS and the REPUPPETCANS call him comma# 1462
March 27th, 2007 at 9:31 pm#53
One must first be a Semite to be discriminated against. You can’t call yourself Semitic if your European and call someone who is Semitic ie Arabs some Africans and others an Anti-Semite. There is no such thing as THE Jewish Religion, it’s called JUDAISM and is practice all around the world eveb in Ethiopia, but they are not recognized by the Europeans to include Lieberman, how’s that for Anti-Semitic. While in Israel in 92 I saw first hand how the Lieberman’s of the world view all who don’t think as they do to include the very righteous Jews that I grew to love as my own Brother’s and Sister’s.
You need to stop reading HIS-story and read the story.
RIP
SGT Stephen R. Sherman
C CO 1-5 IN (STRYKER)
KIA 3 Feb 2005 Surge#6
Mosul, Iraq
Or as the POTUS and the REPUPPETCANS call him comma# 1462
March 27th, 2007 at 9:39 pmApparently you never read a dictionary or encyclopedia.
“The late 19th century term “anti-Semitism” came to be used in reference specifically to anti-Jewish sentiment, further complicating the understood meaning and boundaries of the term.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semitic
As for Judaism and the Jewish Religion you will find that the two terms are interchangeable.
Remeber think before you post.
March 27th, 2007 at 9:57 pmclueless Joe in his particularly nice empty Jordache suit just keeps hanging around
March 27th, 2007 at 10:09 pmLiebeman is such a waste of time. I have no idea why the Democrats are putting up with this little twerp. He is threatening to move over to the Republican party, so call his bluff! The little worm knows perfectly well that the Reps wil lose many seats in 2008 and will be the minority party for at least a decade. So, why is anyone believing his blackmail? Ship the little moron over to the Reps… Good riddance to bad rubbish!
March 27th, 2007 at 10:39 pm#5 GO LIEBERMAN!!! Caucus with the GOP for God’s sake! I’m Independent and I would do it rather than surrender in Iraq.
Yes, O’Reilly, you ARE an independent.
March 27th, 2007 at 11:49 pmWhat war? The war ended when Bush declared victory on the battleship. This is an occupation. You don’t win an occupation, and you get to leave whenever you want.
March 28th, 2007 at 12:11 amcoal_train:
It was an aircraft carrier — not a battleship — and that was the end of major combat operations. The war against terrorists, pursuant to the AUMF, is still on-going.
March 28th, 2007 at 12:56 am#60 Dildo.
March 28th, 2007 at 1:31 am#60 Really, the sign should have said…”The easy part is over…now we are screwed”. But no, the Bushies were celebrating. And so were you because Slingblades like you don’t understand real life.
March 28th, 2007 at 1:34 amJoke - you have no clue do you?
“You’re either with us or aginst us” - means you are either a moral inbecile or a fascist. You, I think we know what color the shirts are in your closet.
March 28th, 2007 at 1:47 am#63 Hmm…I am thinking!! Jeez, this is tough…brown??? :)
March 28th, 2007 at 1:50 amThe war against terrorists, pursuant to the AUMF, is still on-going.
Comment by Jake — March 28, 2007 @ 12:56 am
The AUMF isn’t a *war* - that would declare a *declaration of war* - dum old fool.
March 28th, 2007 at 2:56 amThen by all means Joe, put on the uniform,
pick up your gun, and go stay in Iraq. Go
show us how its done Joe. Instead of just
standing in the posh Senate, go walk the
walk, instead of just talk the talk.
I’m quite sure we will be eating snow cones
in Hell, before that will happen.
Just think, if the 18% of the American population
March 28th, 2007 at 3:29 amthat thinks Iraq is such a groovy idea would just
go fight the war, all our problems would be over
in that area. But as usual, they always send others
to die, or be blown to pieces, instead of leading by
example. Typical.
Lieberman is really the only reason not to regret that Gore didn’t make it to the WH. Just imagine what it would be if this mumbling two-faced has-been had ever become President!
March 28th, 2007 at 8:13 amJoe Liebermann must have been a mole all along. He faked his credentials as a straight shooter and bluffed his way onto Gore’s ticket in 2000. He should just change parties and get real. But I guess power is too important to him. He’ll sacrifice the lives of our bravest to remain a war monger. Clue, we’re in America, not Israel. I can understand his position if it meant defending Israel.
March 28th, 2007 at 10:09 am[…] There Is No Civil War In Iraq (But If There Is, We Should Stay) Lieberman: There Is No Civil War In Iraq (But If There Is, We Should Stay) Lieberman claimed the “facts†suggest Iraq is not in a civil war. But seconds before, he said, […]
March 28th, 2007 at 8:13 pmTHE JEWISH PEOPLE, JEWISH CULTURE, JEWISH FOOD, THE JEWISH RELIGION AND LANGUAGE I ADMIRE AND LIKE—-WHAT I DON’T LIKE ARE THE F*CKING neo-CON-men BOTH IN AMERICA AND ISRAEL WHO USE THEIR RACE TO HIDE BEHIND IN ORDER TO PERPETRATE THEIR ATROCITIES AND THEN CRY “RACIST” AND HIDE BEHIND THE WORD “ISRAEL” AND “JEWISH” TO AVOID BEING CALLED TO ACCOUNT FOR THEIR PERFIDY—LIKEWISE repugnant-repub rightwingnut crank fudge-pachyderms, S-Think(STINK) Tanks,(DUNG-) Pundits, Media SCUM, and RABID WAR-MONGERING POLITICIANS BOTH IN AMERICA AND ISRAEL WHO USE THIS TECHNIQUE OF DUCK AND COVER, CUT AND RUN TO ATTACK THOSE LIKE US, PROGRESSIVES AND DEMOCRATS WHO SEE RIGHT THROUGH THEIR PATHETIC RUSE!!!!! SO DON’T YOU SCUM USE THAT KIND OF ARGUMENT WITH ME OR THOSE WHO KNOW WHAT THE HELL YA BASTARDS ARE UP TO—-LIE-berman is ONE of ya, 82 Airborne is ANOTHER—THERE ARE A LOT OF YA PERNICIOUS BACTERIA-GERMS—–SO SHAPE UP, OR DIE!!!!!!
March 29th, 2007 at 9:47 pm[…] “defenders of freedom” are using Lieberman as their new hero, they’re getting rather […]
March 31st, 2007 at 2:40 am