WASHINGTON, Sept. 2, 2007
Is Iraq A Failed State?
Senators With Dueling Prognoses Of Iraq And the Success of the Surge
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Senators Joseph Biden, D-Del., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., shared opposing view sof the success of the surge in Iraq and the prognosis for a successful central government in Baghdad. (CBS)
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Interactive Battle For Iraq The government, the insurgency, key players, background and photos.
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CBS Evening News Special Report Katie Couric reports from inside Iraq, from Baghdad to the terrorist crossroads.
Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., dismissed the argument that a military push on the part of the United States could by itself ensure the political success of the Iraqi government. "Look, the idea there's going to be a strong, central government in Iraq is not going to happen in your lifetime, it's not going to happen in mine," Biden told CBS News chief Washington correspondent Bob Schieffer on Face the Nation. "It's the central fallacy of this administration's policy."
"The purpose of this surge was to give breathing room to acquire some political reconciliation. There is no political reconciliation. And the total number of Iraqi civilian deaths are up around Iraq, not down. The number of people fleeing their homes has gone from 50,000 a month to 100,000 a month since the surge."
Biden referred to the Biden-Levin Amendment to immediately draw down combat troops and have them out of the country by March 2008, leaving only those necessary to train the Iraqi army to protect U.S. civilians in Iraq and to deny al Qaeda the ability to occupy Anbar province. "That requires about one-fifth of the number of troops we have there."
"It is true things are better where our military is physically sitting. But it's like putting your fist in the water - the minute you take the fist out of the water, you can't even tell it was ever there. That's why there's a need for a political settlement.
"It doesn't matter how many troops we put there. Unless you have a political settlement, when we leave we're going to leave chaos behind. And you'll find you have a regional war.
"We should begin to draw down these combat troops and get them out of the civil war."
Meanwhile, Senator Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a member of the Air Force Reserve who had just returned from Reserve duty in Iraq for the last two weeks, offered Schieffer the point of view that the surge of troops has been working and only needs more time and more troops to be successful.
"Well, the surge has worked," Graham said. "It's provided a level of security I haven't seen [in Iraq before]. We're finally getting the formula right. Anbar is just not about more troops; Anbar is about the local people, the Sunni Arabs in Anbar rejecting al Qaeda."
Graham pointed to a jump in recruits for the police force in Anbar and a diminishing of al Qaeda's influence in the same area because of the surge. "We can hold areas now because the Iraqi people are getting involved," he said.
"The government at the central level is dysfunctional, but it's not a failed state. [And] the worst thing that can happen for America is a failed state in Iraq, where Iran is the winner and al Qaeda comes back."
Graham predicted that there would be a major breakthrough in political reconciliation in Baghdad, and on the benchmarks, because of pressure being placed on Iraqi politicians by their own people at the ballot box.
"That's the best pressure that could be applied - the people themselves, frustrated with their own elected representatives, having their say. And I saw that all over Iraq.
"The Iraqi people are tired of the killing. They're tired of the dying. And that frustration is beginning to float up to the national level."
Closer to home, Graham predicted that any Senate effort to withdraw troops would fail. "Now is the time to pour it on and not withdraw - more of the same. More political, economic, military support will affect dramatically the outcome in Iraq."
Graham suggested, though, that U.S. support alone would not be all that is needed to ensure that change in Iraq is successful, "if you could have an economic surge, if the international community could come in, if the Gulf States could come in and provide economic help.
"We have a chance to change things on the ground forever in a way that would contain Iran and diminish al Qaeda. We have a long ways to go yet, but we're about to turn a corner."
© MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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See all 54 CommentsPosted by seven-pesos at 07:08 PM : Sep 02, 2007
seven-pesos
You are absolutely right about PSYCHOSIS "CRHSITIANITY" and PSYCHOTIC "CHRISTIANS".
Bush invaded Iraq to bring jesus back to this world, but ended up making islamic radicalism so powerfull like it was never before.
Those PSYCHOTIC "CHRISTIANS" who plan to sacrifise UNHOLY UNITED STATES for a NON-AMERICAN HOLY LAND, who want to sacrifise GOD-NEGLECTED AMERICAM MONEY and GOD-NEGLECTED AMERICAN LIVES for GOD-CHOSEN NON-AMERICAN ENEMIES of their GOD''S ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, are the worst enemies of United States and humanity in general.
This world was much better off with PSYCHOTIC CHRISTIANS playing "THE FATHER", "THE SON", and "THE HOLY SPIRIT" in the churches then to come into US politics and sodomize United States (the holy, god-loving, conservative, republican-supporter christian man is "THE FATHER", that innocent, young, little boy whose pant is pulled down in the name of god is "THE SON" and what is inserted in the BACK HOLE of that innocent boy, in the name of jesus, is "THE HOLY SPIRIT").
Craig is the latest example of CHRISTIAN PSYCHOTICS.
wrong way anti-war protesters flee to canada to evade bush''s expected draft.
unfortunately they end up in south carolina where they are forced to join the army and are shipped off to iraq.
they were brought back yesterday in coffins.
hallelujah, more martyrs for bush and his christian supporters.
ha,ha,ha.
war, hate, phony christian snakes...
nothing good comes out of the south!
Some UK sources indicate that the US is planning a massive 3 day strike against Iran taking out over 1000 targets and destroying Iran''s military.
It appears that Lindsey Graham is making preparations for that.
It seems that Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda are not the only crazy killers in the world.
is she the best and brightest of that state of north carolina?
that comes from those southern religious folks that are always sticking their noses in your business.
bush loving religious war making south...
the closest thing to fascism on the north american continent.
ha,ha,ha.
war, hate, reborns, republican christian snakes...
nothing good comes out of the south.
the south only has that religious power....
christian sheep by the millions.
and religion has nothing to do with christ.
religion is all about power...power and politics.
ha,ha,ha.
christ would cry if he could see the south.
nothing good comes out of the south.
HE IS A BLIND JOCK STRAP OF THE TEXAS DICKTATER!
OR SHOULD I SAY SUPPORTER...STANDING IN THE DARK TELLING EVERYONE IT IS DAYLIGHT!
THE DEMOCRATS MUST SHOW SOME BACKBONE AND NOT FUND THIS WAR!
it doesn''t matter if this candidate is the best qualified.
the south thinks that the most religious is the best qualified candidate.
that''s how america got bush...
ha,ha,ha.
what a bunch of christian creeps that control the politics in the south.
ha,ha,ha....anti-american confederate creeps.
that''s the south for you, folks!
the south has a dark and sordid past.
bush is just the latest snake to come out of that most militaristic and extremist region of america.
the south never does good for america.
always war, hate, phony christian creeps and crooked republican snakes.
ha,ha,ha.
that''s the south for you, folks!
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