Lieberman Introduces Amendment To Recognize The ‘Strategic Success Of The Troop Surge In Iraq’
Lieberman Introduces Amendment To Recognize The ‘Strategic Success Of The Troop Surge In Iraq’
In late July, Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) said he would introduce a resolution in the Senate to applaud the success of the surge “against enemies who attacked America on 9/11.”
Yesterday, Lieberman introduced the formal amendment (S. Amdt. 5368 to S. 3001), which “expresses the sense of the Senate recognizing the strategic success of the troop surge in Iraq.” In his statement, he linked the surge to 9/11 (via the Congressional Record):
If there is anyone in this Chamber who doubts the strategic stakes in Iraq, I urge them to listen to General Petraeus. Listen to General Petraeus who warned us in an interview published today in the Washington Post that “Iraq is still viewed as the central front for al-Qaida.” Let me repeat that: “Iraq is still viewed as the central front for al-Qaida,” which is to say by al-Qaida. Not Afghanistan, Iraq; not Pakistan, Iraq.
This is not the opinion of a Member of Congress. It is not the opinion of a politician running for office. It is the judgment of America’s most successful battlefield commander in the war on terror which began 7 years ago tomorrow when America was brutally attacked on 9/11/2001.
While the surge has certainly produced calmer streets in Iraq, it has not achieved its primary purpose of facilitating political reconciliation. The surge has essentially frozen into place “a fragmented and increasingly fractured country” and produced an “an oil revenue-fueled, religious Shia-dominated national government with close ties to Iran.”
Lieberman claimed to offer his “bipartisan amendment” (that has no Democratic co-sponsors) in hopes that the “Senate can unite” around it. But speaking in favor of the amendment, Sen. Lindsey Graham quickly politicized it: “General Petraeus said today in the Washington Post, I believe, that Iraq is still the central battlefront in the war on terror. Senator Obama has disagreed with that on numerous occasions, saying it is Afghanistan and Pakistan.”
As Yglesias explains, “An al-Qaeda offshoot only arose in Iraq in the first place because we invaded there and created an appealing venue in which to try to kill American soldiers and bleed American resources.” The current challenge is to refocus on the areas where al Qaeda poses the most significant strategic threat to the United States.
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Bootlicking toady. Disgusting.
September 11th, 2008 at 3:01 pmEvery time I see Lieberman speak all I want to ask him is whatever happened to Alf?
September 11th, 2008 at 3:02 pmWhy not just call it the “Join Me in Licking McStain’s Balls” amendment and be done with it?
PEACE
September 11th, 2008 at 3:04 pmThe success of the escalation (no way it was a surge) can not yet be determined. Look to see if true political reconciliation is occuring in Iraq. If not, the surge is a failure.
September 11th, 2008 at 3:08 pmIt’s amazing Joe Lieberman could see anything with his head so far up JM’s ass.
.
Does this include the Success of the Non-Existent Political Solution?
.
September 11th, 2008 at 3:09 pmHow much is this amendment to pat themselves on the back going to cost us?
September 11th, 2008 at 3:12 pmI hope the people of Connecticut that voted for this Bush licking Republican-in all-but-name toady are ashamed of themselves. They damn well should be.
September 11th, 2008 at 3:13 pmtrollsbwild Says:
The success of the escalation (no way it was a surge) can not yet be determined. Look to see if true political reconciliation is occuring in Iraq. If not, the surge is a failure.
It’s amazing Joe Lieberman could see anything with his head so far up JM’s ass.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Not only that but now we have a timetable for leaving that was ALWAYS a pre-requisite for Iraqi political reconsiliation so NOW we wont know how much the paying off of Iraqis to stop killing each other was a factor and how much our publicly saying we will leave was a factor. What we KNOW is that the 18 benchmarks Self righteous JOE so wants us all to forget have NOT been reached as of THIS point in the surge. Orwells memory hole is SACRED to rightwingnuts. We are supposed to be obligated to forget all those things inconvienient to their Post hoc ergo propter hoc arguments.
September 11th, 2008 at 3:14 pmWhat we do not see is the press (right wing and corporate controlled media organ of the state) objecting to the obvious political gambit being played here. It is not a mere resolution to support the troops or to recognize their sacrifice on behalf of the nation. It is nothing more than a piece of political blackmail to force members of Congress to agree with the Republican representation of the success of their policies or be branded as not supporting the troops.
Have there been similar efforts in past military actions? I do not believe so. It needs to be recognized by the press and by the Congress. It needs to be slapped down and slapped down hard. This country is becoming more of a joke and a Banana Republic each day.
September 11th, 2008 at 3:14 pmRecognize the Iraq war as the wosrt foriegn policy mistake ever, first.
Someone needs to tack on the ‘bush is indeed the worst President ever’ amendment.
September 11th, 2008 at 3:16 pmwow, sycophantic resolutions now. Is Lieberman still holding out for the vp slot?
September 11th, 2008 at 3:17 pmSenator…surge THIS.
September 11th, 2008 at 3:17 pmAnd for Traitor Joe’s next trick, he will introduce a resolution in the Senate to applaud the success of the Bush Administration in getting him re-elected…
September 11th, 2008 at 3:18 pmFlat out disgusting. It looks like he is taking yet another step to put an R after his name. Now he is lying about ties to Iraq and 9/11. What a slimeball.
September 11th, 2008 at 3:18 pmHow about someone introducing an amendment that expresses the sense of the Senate to tell Senator Benedict LYEberman to STFU?
September 11th, 2008 at 3:19 pmThe best things about Joe Lieberman are 1) that his tongue is long enough to reach the prostates of Bush, Cheney, and McC(umst)ain, and 2) he loves the taste of their shit…
September 11th, 2008 at 3:20 pmWhile we’re at it, can we call for a moratorium on the term “central front?” How can there be any such thing as a “central front?” Isn’t a front, by geometric definition, on the edge of something?
September 11th, 2008 at 3:20 pmSpeaking of “lipstick-on-a-pig”…
September 11th, 2008 at 3:20 pmyea, go ahead Joe LIEberman, introduce a completely useless amendment and ignore all the real problems we have.
f($&*#** traitor.
September 11th, 2008 at 3:22 pmIt is obvious that the intent of such resolution is to help McCain as the candidate of the best judgement to be the next president,although the Surge impact on the grounds in Iraq is not yet proven to be the only factor and the direct cause for the improved situation there.Such claim is still debatable.
Lieberman is simply trying to help his friend by intorducing this resolution, although he still claims to be acting as an independent(I)in the Senate.
September 11th, 2008 at 3:23 pmI don’t get it. If:
#1. Iraq is still the central front in the war on al Qaeda
and
#2. General Petraeus is not ready to declare victory in Iraq
then why should Congress recognize the “strategic success of the surge”?
September 11th, 2008 at 3:24 pmWhy did Al Gore pick this chump?
September 11th, 2008 at 3:25 pm“America is still viewed as the central front for Fascists,” which is to say by Republican Fascists. Not Afghanistan, America; not Pakistan, America.
Oh and by the way LIEbermann, Iraq did not attack us on 9/11, this is a LIE.
al-Qaeda Iraq is made up of pissed off Iraqis who are fighting to get the INVADERS, USA, out of THEIR country.
What do you call victory in Iraq? When all the Iraqis are dead that don’t want us OCCUPYING THEIR COUNTRY, is that what you call victory, because that is never going to happen.
Traitor Joe – you suck.
September 11th, 2008 at 3:27 pmDon’t they have more important things to do in Congress? Why not just throw in an amendment to recognize that “Bush is cool” while he’s at it?
September 11th, 2008 at 3:29 pmBuckie Boy; pssst; don’t look now, but we are already a fascist nation. I happened in December, 2000 when party hacks in black robes awarded the Oval office to Bonzo.
September 11th, 2008 at 3:32 pm“While the surge has certainly produced calmer streets in Iraq, it has not achieved its primary purpose of facilitating political reconciliation.”
_____________________________________________
…but…but…but we moved the goal posts! NOW it’s a success!
September 11th, 2008 at 3:33 pmhussein toasterhead Says:
While we’re at it, can we call for a moratorium on the term “central front?”
September 11th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
For the same reason thay we call the guy on the front row who passes the ball to the quarter back a “center”.
September 11th, 2008 at 3:33 pmI get the feeling that this is a CYA move….get Congress to agree that the surge was a success so when its time for Chimpy and Darth to get charged with the war crimes they committed, they have a little cover.
I don’t know…it may be time for me to step away from the blogs, I’m starting to fold my own tinhat:(.
September 11th, 2008 at 3:35 pm@ 22, Count Istvan Says: Why did Al Gore pick this chump?
September 11th, 2008 at 3:25 pm
It was the DLC who picked him. And it cost the Dims the election. It (East-Coast, librul Jew) cost Gore his home state, and Clenis’s, with either of which he could have laughed at Florida.
Also, of course, there’s the little matter of Lieberman being the Bush family’s hand-picked (Dem) Senator and a GOPuke mole deep in the Dim party…
September 11th, 2008 at 3:36 pmWhat success? We certainly
* were not able to steal the oil
September 11th, 2008 at 3:41 pm* have not restored a decent living environment for the Iraqi people
* did displace/kill millions of Iraqi’s
* Have killed and ruined the lives of tens of thousands in our military
* Have lost our treasury to this so called fraud
* Have built up corporate wealth
* Have become the terrorist nation of the world
Damn, there’s an endless list of things to recognize that span over seven years: Aug.6 PDB; No connection between Iraq and 9/11; Saudi Arabian 9/11 hijackers; Ground Zero declared safe long before it was; 9/11 happened on bush’s watch with a r controlled Congress; and on and on; and that’s not even the first full year of bush. Recognize No WMDs; no connection to 9/11, recognize inhumane treatment that came from the top…. Crist, this could go on forever.
September 11th, 2008 at 3:43 pmYou can frame that, and mount it on the wall of your stall, er office next year.
September 11th, 2008 at 3:44 pmBush has also frozen troop cuts in Iraq. The surge obviously hasnt worked if they cant cut troop levels.
September 11th, 2008 at 3:45 pmDoes anyone on either side of the isle view LIEberman with any sense of credibility?
September 11th, 2008 at 3:46 pmBut Im sure the congress critters will sign this amendment no matter what the reality is. Maybe McCain, MIA, will be able to find his way back to foggy bottom and vote for this amendment.
September 11th, 2008 at 3:47 pmLiebernamm = AIPAC Mole…
September 11th, 2008 at 3:48 pmI’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: this is a distraction for the American People. Don’t fall for it.
http://nationofcriminals.com/crimes/the_surge_is_working_a_distraction_the_highest_order
September 11th, 2008 at 3:49 pmGee I thought that the Sunni’s got scared because the democrats won the congress and that we would be pulling
September 11th, 2008 at 3:50 pmout the troops. The democrats should be saying that things
are going better because the Iraqees know that BO will win
so they need to get their Sheite together.
I’ve thought of an amendment.
Let’s make one that holds all three branches of the US government accountable for their actions. Strict accountability for *every* action and jail time for law breakers and liars.
How novel!
September 11th, 2008 at 3:52 pmRidiculous. A senate resolution to establish “facts”? Facts speak for themselves.
This is just another stupid attempt to try to “corner” Obama:
Look Obama couldnt even vote on a simple resolution to acknowledge the surge!
or..
Look Obama voted not to acknowledge the success of the surge!
or..
Look Obama voted to acknowledge the success of the surge! Obama is a damn flip flopper!
September 11th, 2008 at 4:06 pmJoe Lieberman is a traitor. ‘Nuff said.
September 11th, 2008 at 4:06 pmIt amazes me that we pay these people to do these recognization amendments. I don’t care what they’re for, it’s stupid and a waste of time.
September 11th, 2008 at 4:08 pmIt helps to declare success in the current war, before starting the next one.
Bush drew a line in the harbor on Iran. It requires seizing Iranian ships in U.S. controlled waters.
September 11th, 2008 at 4:09 pmLemme see if I can get this lunacy straight. Lieberman is introducing a rather meaningless amendment (a “sense of the Senate” thing) to S. 3001, the bill for authorizing defense money for 2009. And he is doing this — why? To force Obama to vote one way or the other, in order to bash him no matter which way he votes?
And why would Obama stop his campaigning to go to Washington to vote on a bill that isn’t exactly in any danger of not passing with flying colors? Furthermore, the chances of McCain actually showing up to vote on this bill are even slimmer than Obama’s.
A waste of time, unless it has nothing to do with Obama OR McCain. It’s possible that Lieberman just wants everyone (particularly anti-war Democrats) to go on record as saying the surge has been a success. Because he knows that nobody is going to vote against the entire appropriations bill merely to avoid declaring a statement about the surge (but if they do, they can then be bashed for “not supporting the troops”).
Politics — getting slimier all the time…
September 11th, 2008 at 4:22 pmUnfortunately there has been NO REAL SUCCESS against those who attacked us on 9/11. Bush has cozied up to the royalty that send the men who had the planes fly into the towers, pentagon and the ground. Bin Laden is still at large. And AlQueda has been growing stronger so where IS the success. LIEberman is just a pandering piece of crap that shouldn’t have been re-elected! Stupid Connecticut! STUPID and getting the representation they deserve. But like the fools who re-elected Bushbaby, they are taking us all along for that ride!
September 11th, 2008 at 4:34 pm… a lot of riggamarroo to go through
September 11th, 2008 at 4:36 pmjust to get obama on record…
No Healthcare for you!
No Jobs for you!
No Civil Liberties for you!
No Affordable Gas or Food for you!
No Safe Roads or Bridges for you!
No Home for you!
No Credit for you!
However, let’s give a big round of applause to George Bush and John McCain for insisting we increase, by billions, the amount of money we’re spending in Iraq just to let us stay in Iraq!
September 11th, 2008 at 4:40 pmBarack won’t be standing alone on this issue. It will playout for the lame attempt it is.
Who is going to vote for this thing. A vote for this is a vote for Pres. Bush on the handling of the occupation. There is no way anyone up for election is going to touch this thing.
September 11th, 2008 at 4:43 pmThey should have a resolution admitting that OBL has kicked Bush’s ass. Did not OBL say his plan was to get the US in
September 11th, 2008 at 4:45 pma war in a Muslum country so it would drain US resources,
inspire the Jihadests and kill Americans?
Amen to Lurker’s comments. Bin Laden used boxcutters, airline tickets, and an incompetent President…but his real weapon was and always has been BANKRUPTCY.
Trillions of dollars spent, over 4000 brave lives lost, America’s reputation in the World ruined, our Military stretched to the breaking point, and what do we get for it??
Increased Iranian Influence, An Ethnically divided Iraq, a world class Refugee Problem, and the Enduring Enmity of the Iraqi People.
Oh…and Billions to Bush’s contractor Pals.
September 11th, 2008 at 5:40 pmMight as well introduce the amendment to recognize the success of the Bush administration. It might be the shortest amendment ever. One sentence…
(a) Findings.–The Senate makes the following findings:
September 11th, 2008 at 5:55 pmI’d say sure, but, while we are enacting political legislation to help McCain, lets also have legislation acknowledging that Bush/Cheney lied about the casus belli and that the war was wrong.
September 11th, 2008 at 6:10 pmIraq now becomes an oil base of US. It’s a puppet country.
569. Payment to China for Iran war (9/9/08)
To have a war on Iran, another important country needed to compromise is China. Besides Bush’s attending to the opening ceremony of the Olympic Game. There were other payment.
1. On 8/14, a law maker in Taiwan announced a document from the Justice Department of Switzerland which said the relatives of former Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian having account in their bank. Swiss government alleges money laundry was involved and requests an investigation. Several hours later, Chen Shui-bian admitted the existence of that account and said that money was from political donation from his president election campaign.
Chen Shui-bian is the prominent leader of Taiwan independence movement. I alleged Chen had been the murder target in several secret deal of soured frame case when he was still a president. (see #254,382,383) Now the scandal heavily hit his party and the independence movement.
2. News brief of 8/28: “The Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, was suffering from exhaustion and has canceled two planned international trips to undergo medical tests.” (San Jose Mercury News, 8/28/08)
I think if the Iran war breaks out, Dalai Lama could die on “natural disease”. Which will heavily hit Tibet independence movement.
3. On 8/11, news said Iraq working on reviving oil contract with Chinese. It would be the first Saddam Hussein-era oil deal to be honored by the new Iraqi regime. Two weeks later:
“China hails three-billion-dollar oil deal with Iraq
8/28(?)
BEIJING (AFP) – Becoming the first foreign firm to enter such an agreement since the end of Saddam Hussein’s regime, state-owned China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC) this week won the right to develop the Al-Ahdab oil field south of Baghdad.
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gwu1PN6Wmv3LYYbAMKfdfXJkmqZQ
China is an oil customer of Iran. If Iran’s oil trading is blocked by war, Iraq’s oil will fill that hole. The timing is not a coincidence. Consider China has no special relationship with Maliki government and Maliki government is a puppet of the US. There is no doubt this deal is a US payment. Notice that this is the first oil deal of post Saddam era for Iraq. US not only paid a secret deal by Iraq’s oil business, but also avoids to bear an accusation that the Iraq war is an oil looting war.
Now you know why suddenly Al Qaida mystically weakened in Iraq and disappeared. Their task is fulfilled. US needs a peaceful Iraq to replace Iran. US starts to take advantage of Iraq’s oil business.
September 11th, 2008 at 8:05 pmSO! Let Obama add on to the amendment Recognition of the SURGE in Unemployment, in Gas Prices, in Foreclosures, in Nat’l Debt
September 11th, 2008 at 10:53 pmDamn this man is twisted.
If the majority of US citizens don’t believe the “surge” worked or the “surge” didn’t make a difference during the Sunni Awaking the repugs pulls out of their asses this bs amendment lie.
repugs are infamous for mocking the the US government. They use the very system they are breaking. Now this sillyass nonsense.
And mcchimpy is close to Sen. Obama. Yeah, right.
That’s what I call borderline brain dead.
September 12th, 2008 at 1:56 am