Coburn: ‘I Think It Was Probably A Mistake Going To Iraq’
Coburn: ‘I Think It Was Probably A Mistake Going To Iraq’
During a town hall meeting in Muskogee, Oklahoma this past weekend, Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) admitted that it was “a mistake” for the United States to invade Iraq in 2003. “I will tell you personally that I think it was probably a mistake going to Iraq,” Coburn told the crowd.
The senator “made it clear” during the town hall meeting that “he did not believe the U.S. could withdraw” from Iraq, but it is unclear when he decided the war was “a mistake” in the first place. Though Coburn was not a member of Congress when the war was authorized in 2002, he made it clear during his 2004 Senate run that he supported the choice to go to war:
QUESTION: Was the war in Iraq a mistake?
COBURN: Absolutely not. I do not believe that the Iraq war was a distraction in the war on terror, as John Kerry and my opponent have argued. [Tulsa World, 10/18/2004]
Coburn declined to comment further to the Tulsa World and his office has yet to respond to calls from ThinkProgress. Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) — “a staunch defender of the war” –did respond, however, telling Tulsa World that he “cannot believe” Coburn’s comments:
“No, no, he couldn’t have said that,” Inhofe said Wednesday when asked to comment.
A veteran member of the Senate Armed Services Committee who has made a number of trips to Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion, Inhofe is a staunch defender of the war.
“I cannot believe he said that,” Inhofe said, adding a few minutes later that he disagreed with Coburn.
Inhofe shouldn’t act so surprised. With his change of heart, Coburn joins the 60 percent of Americans who believe that Bush’s Iraq gambit was a mistake.
UPDATE: ThinkProgress asked Sen. Coburn’s communications director, John Hart, “how the senator came to hold that view.” Here’s his response:
The only question that matters about Iraq now is: When do we leave? Do we leave prematurely, surrender to Al Qaeda and perhaps trigger genocide? Or do we complete the mission that is now clearly working? The debate about whether we should have gone into Iraq is interesting historically but not relevant to the here and now. We are there. We have obviously made mistakes based on faulty intelligence. However, history — and the decisions of our next president — will render the final verdict on Iraq.
Topic Cloud
ArchivesBlog Roll
I was for it till I realized that it was all a pack of lies by the criminal Bush Administration and the public found out about it, so now I’m against it because I could lose my seat in congress.
Nice.
Buck Fush
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:10 pmClearly, Imhotep is one of the proud, the few, the 19%ers.
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:11 pm“It was probably a mistake going into Iraq.”
YA THINK?!!!
I said that going into Iraq was a very, VERY bad idea BEFORE the 1st shot was fired.
I TOLD you so.
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:14 pmYes, you can tell it’s an election year because repubes everywhere magically get moderate.
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:14 pmCoburn is up for re-election, huh?
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:15 pmI am outraged by Inhofe’s outrage!
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:15 pm“No, no, he couldn’t have said that,†Inhofe said Wednesday when asked to comment.
Because no one is allowed to talk out of line or in opposition to your “fearless leader” and his imbecilic policies ?
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:15 pm‘I Think It Was Probably A Mistake Going To Iraq’
thats funny a$$hole, cause i along with 85% America know for 110% fact it was.
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:18 pmWell, that’s odd. He isn’t up for re-election until 2010. It sounds like this is a true conversion on his part. I wonder how many other Republicans will follow suit? They don’t like being on the losing side of an argument, do they?
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:18 pmdig that haircut. it’s like the hair version of norm coleman’s teeth.
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:20 pmJust on the outskirts of Muskogee, Oklahoma, there’s a coffee/donut shop on state hwy 69 whose sign reads:
DO
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:24 pmNUTS
Clearly, after the latest Muqtada Freidman Unit expires, the Ramadan upswing in violence will have quite an effect of our November elections.
Then he’ll be proven right.
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:25 pmOn May 24, 2007 the US Senate voted 80-14 to fund the war in Iraq. Coburn voted nay.
On October 1, 2007 the US Senate voted 92-3 to fund the war in Iraq. Coburn voted nay.
Comment by good_golly — February 22, 2008 @ 2:20 pm
Are you insinuating that Coburn is a “traitor” , 19%’er ?
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:28 pmHey GiGi, why do you keep avoiding my question?
Where is your PROOF to back up your claim that Bush served?
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:28 pmUncle Ho at # 3 …
You beat me to the punch! ;) My very first thought upon reading the headline was …”Gee Ya Think…?”
Totally off topic:
the telecomm Immunity thing is heating up again so please EVERYONE,
Go here: http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW.shtml
And write your congress critter. Below is my copy to the Speaker feel free to cut and past and ammend at will. ;)
Thanks!
Dear Madame Speaker:
Thank you for not caving into this outrageously illegal request for Immunity for the Telecomms.
Not only did they violate the 4th amendment by doing this administrations bidding but they started this outrage at least seven months prior to 9-11! If they did nothing wrong then they don’t need immunity!
And since we all know that they did something very wrong, they deserve to be punished! Our constitution clearly does not allow ex post facto law which is exactly what immunity would be.
Further more, there were at least two companies that refused to break the law and do this administrations bidding. I am quite confident that those companies did not have legal departments that were so superior to the companies that did break the law that they alone knew better.
Everyone knew that what they were being asked to do by this administration was ILLEGAL! The companies that did it must be held accountable and this Administration MUST be held accountable.
I am urging you to KEEP IMMUNITY OFF THE TABLE and PUT ACCOUNTABILITY BACK ON THE TABLE! Please, for the sake of our Country do the right thing!
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:29 pmnothing about re election nightmares, hm?
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:31 pmis this guy another closeted self loather?
i am full on hetero….but that pic is making my gaydar go off.
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:31 pmRadRight; One of the nurses I work with always says “snooze, ya loose.”
That’s ok, others have beaten me to the punch on other threads with nearly identical things I would have said. (:-D)
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:36 pmI’m proud to admit, I knew Bush was a lightweight, phony born-again Christian liar around ‘93!
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:38 pmMy family and friends told me in late ‘99-’00 that he was just the right man, at the right time to deliver America out of it’s funk and sinful ways!
Boy do I love attending family get-togethers now!
This Jack Daniels, Bud drinking, pot-smoking ex-Marine Nam Grunt, showed up all the smarty pants on both sides of my family!
And me with just a GED, earned In-Country in Oct of ‘67 during a little slack time, from the killing and dying!
I’d love just 2 minutes alone with Gunga-Din Bush, and that smirk would be re-arranged permanently!
It was a mistake to go into Iraq, but now we have to stay. That will become the Republican mantra now that the tide is turning so rapidly towards the Democrats.
Hopefully Obama doesn’t buy into that crap. It sounds like he doesn’t. I was so happy last night when he said that he would talk to Raul Castro now that he is officially in charge of Cuba. Hillary, of course, parsed her words and said she would talk to him once she knew for sure that things were changing. I so want a President who can talk to our enemies. If we don’t talk to them, then we have only two choices 1) ignore them and 2) fight them. Neither of those two choices are likely to have a good outcome.
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:41 pmKlem; I would gladly guard the door to ensure your privacy with W. From one Nam vet to another.
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:43 pmComment by Klem Kiddilehopper
Isn’t it fun watching the righties disavow Bush. They totally ignore the fact that they supported him for years and are just now disavowing him. And I love their “Bush is really a liberal” mantra. If that’s the truth, then all the Republicans in Congress are really liberals too because they have walked in lock-step with him for 7 years now.
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:44 pmComment by rastaman — February 22, 2008 @ 2:31 pm
Maybe it’s his lips? They look very nice in that pic.
But as to this change of heart thing – is it possible it’s genuine? I’m usually one of the more cynical among us but over the years the smarter people have realized that the war in Iraq WAS a mistake (if they couldn’t already tell from the outset).
Maybe it’s the pretty snow falling outside my window making me mellow but I’m wondering if he might be one of the smart ones AND brave enough to admit he was wrong? It takes guts to admit you were wrong (a quality the current administration doesn’t seem to have much of) and maybe, just maybe he means it?
Those of you who know him can let me know if I’m dreaming if you feel like it.
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:45 pmIt was a mistake to go into Iraq, but now we have to stay. That will become the Republican mantra now that the tide is turning so rapidly towards the Democrats.
Hopefully Obama doesn’t buy into that crap. It sounds like he doesn’t. I was so happy last night when he said that he would talk to Raul Castro now that he is officially in charge of Cuba. Hillary, of course, parsed her words and said she would talk to him once she knew for sure that things were changing. I so want a President who can talk to our enemies. If we don’t talk to them, then we have only two choices 1) ignore them and 2) fight them. Neither of those two choices are likely to have a good outcome.
Comment by bilbobaggins — February 22, 2008 @ 2:41 pm
Hear! Hear! No wonder missmolly loves your postings!
xo (are we allowed to send kisses on this site?)
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:49 pmOn May 24, 2007 the US Senate voted 80-14 to fund the war in Iraq. Coburn voted nay.
On October 1, 2007 the US Senate voted 92-3 to fund the war in Iraq. Coburn voted nay.
Comment by good_golly — February 22, 2008 @ 2:20 pm
GG, get that man out of your mouth, it’s too crowded in there today already.
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:51 pmRastaman–#19–heteros don’t have gaydar.
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:52 pmI’d love just 2 minutes alone with Gunga-Din Bush, and that smirk would be re-arranged permanently!
Comment by Klem Kiddilehopper — February 22, 2008 @ 2:38 pm
And we’d love for you to have that 2 minutes!
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:53 pmHe was honorably discharged. Without service, there would be no honorable discharge.
Does anyone think that short of murder committed in broad daylight with dozens of witnesses that any Bush scion would be discharged from the military any other way than “honorably”?
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:54 pmHe was honorably discharged. Without service, there would be no honorable discharge.
Dan Rather’s discharge from CBS, on the other hand, was far from honorable.
Comment by good_golly — February 22, 2008 @ 2:41 pm
This is a put on isn’t it gone_goony, nobody is really as dumb as you sound.
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:54 pmRastaman–#19–heteros don’t have gaydar.
Comment by Viking — February 22, 2008 @ 2:52 pm
I’m hetero and I have gaydar.
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:56 pmHe was honorably discharged. Without service, there would be no honorable discharge.
Comment by goon_goony — February 22, 2008 @ 2:41 pm
Yep – and he graduated from Yale and Harvard, too.
LEGACY much?
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:57 pmRepublicans admitting that the war is a mistake will have a real problem because of the McCain stance on the war. I think that even Demcrats agree that a percipitate withdrawl is not appropriate. However, your view as to whether the war was appropriate or a mistake will make a big difference as to when and how you leave Iraq. McCain believes that this is the central front in the “war on terror” and that the US faces a battle of civilizations. Those who believe that the Iraq War was not justified understand that AQ never existed in Iraq until our invtervention and that the occupation has permitted our real enemies to rebuild and devise new attacks against our interest. McCain will keep the US in Iraq idefinitely with an agenda of a stable, democratic and US supporting country just as was Korea, Germany and Japan. We all know that we will never have such an arrangement. We know that our continued presence permits sectarian battles to continue with some semblence of order (we referee the schoolyard fight). We know that in the end, we can only hope to have a barely stable country that leans towards Iran. Resources need to be shifted to Afghanistan. The US needs to deal with AQ. The US needs to leave Iraq as soon as is practicable to stop feeding AQ propaganda that the US is on a new crusade to occupy the Middle East.
February 22nd, 2008 at 2:58 pmGiGI; W. got that honorable discharge the same way he got in the guard in the first place-family connections.
In his own service record, W was unaccounted for a year. He did not get his annual evaluation from his commander, because he was NOT there to BE evaluated.
AWOL: gone 30 days.
Ergo, Bush is a deserter.
February 22nd, 2008 at 3:04 pmErgo, Bush is a deserter and a known coke head.
Comment by Uncle Ho
GiGi denies knowledge of W’s coke use also, probably also denies that at age 25 he got his girl friend age 15 knocked up, isn’t that considered rape?
Buck Fush
February 22nd, 2008 at 3:08 pmHe was honorably discharged. Without service, there would be no honorable discharge.
Dan Rather’s discharge from CBS, on the other hand, was far from honorable.
Comment by good_golly — February 22, 2008 @ 2:41 pm
MORE LIES FROM GG. SO, YOU HAVE NO PROOF. ENOUGH SAID, LIAR.
February 22nd, 2008 at 3:09 pmGiGi: We know that a c—s–ing Bush worshipper would never understand that power and position trump virtue, morals and the law when it comes to the Republican elite. Now bend over and ask for Bush to shove it up your ***.
February 22nd, 2008 at 3:10 pmWe have obviously made mistakes based on faulty intelligence.
What a polite way to say the President’s a dolt.
After all, our intel services and the IAEA kept saying ‘the proof’s not there’ and the dolt kept saying ‘wrong answer’ till they twisted the story to fit his insistence that they demonstrate Saddam had WMDs.
Blame it on the intel agencies, Coburn. You may impress some with your admission but you’re still covering the ass of the idiot-in-chiefly-drivel.
February 22nd, 2008 at 3:13 pmI believe the double g is saying that Dan Rather wasn’t treated fairly. I also believe that gg doesn’t know how to have an intelligent debate.
“The only question that matters about Iraq now is…..” That’s complete BS and is spit in the face of every family that has lost someone due to this conflict.
February 22nd, 2008 at 3:13 pmisn’t that considered rape?
Buck Fush
Comment by Buckie Boy — February 22, 2008 @ 3:08 pm
Just not rape, but statutory rape. hmmm… wouldn’t that make the guilty party a registered sex offender?
February 22nd, 2008 at 3:16 pmI know it’s contributing to a derailing of the thread, but let’s extend the logic behind Gigi’s “proof” that Bush served.
Gigi says that Bush got an honorable discharge, and that this is proof that he served. Thus, Gigi says that, short of any formal charges or reprimands in his military record, one must conclude that Bush completed his committment, and any claims to the contrary are false.
If we extend that standard of proof, then we must conclude that, since John Kerry was honorably discharged from the Navy, and honored with medlas and award for his actions in combat, that the claims of the Swiftboat liars are comletely false.
Can you confirm that for us, Gigi?
February 22nd, 2008 at 3:18 pmDan Rather’s discharge from CBS, on the other hand, was far from honorable.
Comment by good_golly — February 22, 2008 @ 2:41 pm
Hmmm… Dan rahter’s lawsuit…
nymag.com/daily/intel/2008/01/photo_getty_imagesbreaking_it.html
Don’t Bet the Trailer Money Yet: Rather Lawsuit Moves Forward
Breaking: It looks like former CBS News anchor Dan Rather will indeed get his day in court. On Wednesday evening Justice Ira Gammerman of the New York Supreme Court in Manhattan made a preliminary ruling denying the TV network’s motion to dismiss Rather’s $70 million lawsuit. “I think discovery should go forward,” said Gammerman.
Rather’s suit, you’ll recall, claims CBS unfairly shuffled him off the air after that infamous 60 Minutes Wednesday story about Bush’s performance (or lack thereof) in the Texas National Guard. Rather alleges that being shown the door was just the network’s misguided attempt to placate the White House and shield CBS’s then-parent company Viacom from political fallout.
You know, the usual reasons for dismissal from a high-profile media job.
Now that the case will be moving forward, Rather’s lawyer Marty Gold wants CBS to start forking over internal e-mails and documents to prove his case, including exchanges between network brass and the White House.
Naturally, this has CBS lawyers asking the court to limit the scope of the discovery. “It seems pretty clear they don’t want to produce [the documents],” said Gold.
Uh, why is g_g even commenting on this? The thread is about Coburn’s comments. Off topic, Li’l g?
February 22nd, 2008 at 3:22 pmThe debate about whether we should have gone into Iraq is interesting historically but not relevant to the here and now.
Interesting perspective.
“Interesting historically”.
So questions of how this administration settled on what is widely regarded as the worst foreign policy blunder in history are “interesting”. “Historically”.
I don’t really have much more to add. It all seems so self-evident.
February 22nd, 2008 at 3:22 pmCan you confirm that for us, Gigi?
Comment by ralph the wonder llama — February 22, 2008 @ 3:18 pm
Oh Hell no, Ralph. Kerry’s 3 Purple Hearts and Silver Star mean NOTHING, while Bush’s … ah… the medals George… ah…
Gimme some help here, Li’l g!
February 22nd, 2008 at 3:25 pmUh-oh.
I’m sure they’ll send him to “Republican Rehab” for re-programming.
Or perhaps a microchip implant….
February 22nd, 2008 at 3:26 pmGOOD NEWS! Al Sadr is Going to Allow Bush’s Surge to Look Like It’s Working…hahaha
February 22nd, 2008 at 3:31 pmRead this:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/21/AR2008022102157.html
February 22nd, 2008 at 3:33 pm“We have obviously made mistakes based on faulty intelligence. ”
Perhaps it would be more accurate to say, “Based on a complete lack of intelligence…”, no?
February 22nd, 2008 at 3:37 pmThen he started crying about future fetuses that won’t become grownups.
February 22nd, 2008 at 3:38 pmThe US did not go to war based on “faulty intelligence;” it went to war because Bush/Cheney cooked the books and lied (even though the rest of the world was screaming “they’re cooking the books!”)
Liars and lies need to be fought with the truth. haven’t the last 8 years taught us anything?
February 22nd, 2008 at 3:39 pmGENOCIDE? NOW they worry about “genocide”?
I can only assume that this word was used without John Hart having any idea what it means. The comment seems to be a repetition of the talking point that once US troops withdraw, any Iraqis who collaborated with the US will be killed. That would/will indeed be unfortunate, but it isn’t “genocide”.
As to “surrendering to al Qaeda” – come on!! Yes, al Qaeda came into Iraq after the US invaded. Yes, there is an al Qaeda presence in Iraq…. but they are hardly the primary force of resistance. We are being resisted by regular Iraqis, most of whom are not affiliated with al Qaeda. Remember – al Qaeda regards the Shiites as infidels and polytheists. There are lots of Shiites in Iraq, and a lot of the people who make up the resistance come from this sectarian group. Quite frankly, the easiest way to rid Iraq of al Qaeda is for the US to leave and let the Iraqis do it themselves – and trust me, they don’t like foreign insurgents any more than they like foreign occupiers.
Yet again, we have the “win vs. surrender” meme. But neither victory nor failure have been defined. “Victory” can mean practically anything – as can “defeat”.
February 22nd, 2008 at 3:48 pmIf the ethnic cleansing can be stretched out over 10 years, it is managed, slo-mo genocide, which is morally acceptable.
February 22nd, 2008 at 3:55 pmI’m for against it.
February 22nd, 2008 at 4:12 pmI’m sure it’s been said before — but, “probably”???
“Certainly”, “Positively”, “Without a doubt” are the terms the majority of Americans, & the VAST majority of people in the rest of the world, would say.
Iraq was not only a ‘mistake’– it was illegal, criticized, and deplored by the majority of the world.
Repubs & Bush & Co. live in a horrific dreamworld.
February 22nd, 2008 at 5:46 pmWhen will the GOP realize the GEONCIDE has already happened under there watch.
Over 700,000 have been killed. 4 million have fled the country.
That sounds like a genocide to me.
February 22nd, 2008 at 5:52 pm“Does anyone think that short of murder committed in broad daylight with dozens of witnesses that any Bush scion would be discharged from the military any other way than “honorablyâ€?”
Comment by Viking — February 22, 2008 @ 2:54 pm
Nope, not even then…
And BTW, I’m hetero and I’ve got Gaydar too! ;)
February 22nd, 2008 at 6:31 pmJT: “Read this!”
How funny. JT strongly suggests we read a piece by Charles Krauthamer, a neocon thug who has been wrong about, oh, everything. Krauthamer thought invading Iraq was a great idea. He called Al Gore “hateful” for arguing against the invasion of Iraq. Krauthamer argued strongly that Valerie Plame wasn’t covert even after the prosecutor in the case said she absolutely WAS covert under the terms of the statute in question. Krauthamer thought we should bomb Iran quickly because of their nuclear program which we later found out didn’t exist.
And now, of course, JT thinks we should all rush to the feet of the master, Charles Krauthamer, for words of wisdom. Too funny.
February 22nd, 2008 at 6:46 pmThe only question that matters about Iraq now is: When do we leave?
???
I still cannot fathom how anyone with a crumb of wisdom wouldnt consider how they came to be someplace they would rather not be. How would they ever learn if they failed to acknowledge the experience?
Just admit you were on board.
February 22nd, 2008 at 11:35 pmThis sounds about right. Yes, the Iraq war was bungled horribly, to be generous, and was a mistake. But the question is what do we do now. Obama is partially correct when he says we should be as careful getting out as we were careless getting in. However, I think withdrawing prematurely is a careless view, when you keep in mind how much more violent things would get, and how all military, economic and political progress would be lost.
February 23rd, 2008 at 3:58 amWell, DUH. You have to be brain dead to think this wasn’t a huge strategic mistake. The only question is, how bad of a mistake was it? And we won’t know that for a while.
http://newsprism.wordpress.com
February 23rd, 2008 at 9:55 amThe debate about whether we should have gone into Iraq is interesting historically but not relevant to the here and now.
Not relative to the here and now? WTF? Of course it’s relevant to the here and now, and also to the there and forever. We need to make sure no future president f___s up as bad as Bush has.
February 23rd, 2008 at 7:59 pmViking #29, what makes you say that? It may not be 100% effective, but it’s there. Oh hello!
February 23rd, 2008 at 8:52 pmhttp://osi-speaks.blogspot.com/2008/02/conservatives-conservative-u-s-senator.html#links
February 23rd, 2008 at 9:13 pmCoburn on other topics.
On the sky:
“I think the sky is probably blue.”
On the nature of feet:
“I think most people probably have two.”
On the shape of the earth:
“I think it’s most probably spherical.”
Thank you Coburn, you are a mine of information.
February 24th, 2008 at 10:18 pmSomtimes I thing the real reason we invaded Iraq was so that we could score points against liberals for not supporting it.
February 25th, 2008 at 3:54 pmAs to “surrendering to al Qaeda” – come on!! Yes, al Qaeda came into Iraq after the US invaded. Yes, there is an al Qaeda presence in Iraq…. but they are hardly the primary force of resistance. We are being resisted by regular Iraqis, most of whom are not affiliated with al Qaeda. Remember – al Qaeda regards the Shiites as infidels and polytheists. There are lots of Shiites in Iraq, and a lot of the people who make up acer travelmate 610 battery,acer btp-63d1 battery the resistance come from this sectarian group. Quite frankly, the easiest way to rid Iraq of al Qaeda is for the US to leave and let the Iraqis do it themselves – and trust me, they don’t like foreign insurgents any more than they like foreign occupiers.
October 15th, 2008 at 3:14 am