Clinton: Cut Iraq Funding To Force Change

Hillary Clinton Says U.S. Troops Can't "Referee" A Civil War In Iraq

(CBS)  Congress should stop funding the Iraq war to force President Bush and the Iraqi government to "change course," Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., said Sunday on Face The Nation.

"No matter how heroically and dedicated the performance of our young men and women and their officers are in Iraq - which it has been - they cannot referee successfully a sectarian civil war," Clinton told Bob Schieffer. "So I voted against funding last spring. I will vote against funding again in the absence of any change in policy."

President Bush has said that, by setting deadlines for withdrawal and cutting funding, Congress will embolden America's enemies. Clinton, however, said, "The idea that our having a policy that reflects the reality on the ground will embolden enemies, I think is off base. They have been emboldened by the policies pursued by this administration."

The junior Senator from New York pointed to continued nuclear development by Iran and North Korea - and reported cooperation between Syria and North Korea - as evidence of U.S. enemies growing stronger.

Clinton said, if elected president, she would set deadlines for withdrawing the majority of U.S. combat troops from Iraq, but said there would be a continuing American military presence in Iraq.

"I am committed to bringing the vast majority of our troops home, and I will begin to do that as soon as I am president," Clinton, the early front-runner for the Democratic nomination, said.

Clinton said she recognized "there will be remaining missions" for American forces in Iraq, but she said they would not require the roughly 100,000 troops expected to be in Iraq when the next president takes office. She listed counterterrorism, protecting U.S. personnel and training Iraqi forces as the other missions.

"That's the right way to go because that is a much clearer definition of what we're trying to accomplish than what we face today," Clinton said.

Mr. Bush has compared America's future in Iraq to the peacekeeping role U.S. troops play in South Korea, where they have been stationed for some five decades, but Clinton said that she would review the basis for Mr. Bush's plans.

"I'm going to call my secretary of defense, my joint chiefs of staff, my security advisers to give me a full briefing on what is the planning that has gone on in the Pentagon," she said. "You know, planning hasn't exactly been a strong suit of the Bush administration."

John Harris, the Editor in Chief of politico.com, noted that, while Clinton was presenting a strong platform for her presidential campaign, she was leaving herself plenty of wiggle room.

"You can see her preserving her options," Harris told Schieffer. She's not promising figures or saying that we're going to have a complete exit in January of 2009. That's something a future president wants to do: preserve flexibility."

David Sanger, chief Washington correspondent for The New York Times, said that Clinton's plans for Iraq sounded very similar to President Bush's.

"It's a very small difference, and when you tick off the tasks she said the troops would do while she was president - if that happened - counterterrorism, protection of the Kurds, training of the Iraqi army and then protecting us against Iran, that's a big set of tasks," Sanger said. "And it's very hard when you talk to Pentagon people to have them figure out how you do that with fewer than 100,000 troops."

[speakinup]

More proof Hillary will support our troops.

I find it really amusing that this person is more than willing to accept credit in voting for going into Iraq when Saddam is captured, but then decides to change horses mid-stream when the casualities start to come in.

Any day now, I expect her to change her mind. The surge is working, she has backed the wrong horse and she sees her strategy for getting into the white house evaporating.

She is clearly not a leader, but a follower.

[sftodd]

At least Hillary has a brain unlike the current commander-in-chief. I''d rather have a president capable of changing her mind than one who blindly "stays the course" as we pour more and more money into the biggest economic mistake this country has made in decades.

[speakinup]

SFTodd - The current commander in Chief listens to his generals. General Petraeus has proved to him, and the rest of the US, that the new strategy is working.

Please look at recent statistics here: http://www3.brookings.edu/fp/saban/iraq/index.pdf

The Brookings Institute is a non-partisian site that has independent information about all sorts of environments affecting politics.

I guess I deserve the comment about the CIC''s brain, given my statment about Hillary. But check out the site. I hope you''ll find the independent source of information (both pro and con) interesting.

I don''t expect it to change your mind, but it''s always good to be well informed.

[socrates392]

Hillary indeed has a brain. I only wish she had a heart to go with it. Everything she does is so contrived. Whatever it takes to win votes. I guess she and her advisors did teh calculus and realized the American people want action to stop this war.

Better late than never Hillary . . . better late than never.

[coffee_guy1]

You just don''t like her cuz she''s blond, socrates.

[condumism]

I find it really amusing that this person is more than willing to accept credit in voting for going into Iraq when Saddam is captured, but then decides to change horses mid-stream when the casualities start to come in.

65% of Americans see it the way Hillary does. Saddam was overthrown! The USAs continued involvement in Iraq is only make up for all the failed decisions that Neocon Fascists made in 2003 - 2006. Neocons are all liars, and now they are only trying to keep their hate fileed Southern Base appeased with more Fascist rheotoric. If you Southern Neocons want to secede from America, no one will try to stop you. But be forewarned, the South on its own will immediately be branded as the number one terrorist state in the world, and economic sanctions will soon follow.

[socrates392]

The current commander in Chief listens to his generals. General Petraeus has proved to him, and the rest of the US, that the new strategy is working.

Posted by speakinup at 02:11 PM : Sep 23, 2007

Tooo bad he didn''t "prove it" to the pentagon before they released their report!

[socrates392]

You just don''''t like her cuz she''''s blond, socrates.

Posted by coffee_guy1 at 02:13 PM : Sep 23, 2007

Yeah, but does the carpet match the curtains? That''s the real question . . .

[coffee_guy1]

"carpet match de curtains".. what de ***** ya talk''n about?

[coffee_guy1]

Guess she don''t have no voodoo marble to look thru like you guys do. DON''T MAKE NO MISTAKES HILLARY! K?

[coffee_guy1]

Ya know yer right? Cuz you don''t trust no one.

[coffee_guy1]

Trust and.. socrate''s crew.. out de window. Caput. Anything anybody wit a blue suit says. Could be 10,000 of''em. Uh-uh. "Its a lie."

"De kid is not my son."

[socrates392]

Guess she don''''t have no voodoo marble to look thru like you guys do. DON''''T MAKE NO MISTAKES HILLARY! K?

Posted by coffee_guy1 at 02:18 PM : Sep 23, 2007

It''s fine to mistakes, but then you should admit them and move on . . . Is this her way of admitting her Iraq war vote was a mistake?

[condumism]

Doesn''t matter what Hillary thinks. Barack Obama and Bill Richardson will get the nod by the DNC to be the next President/VP of the USA. And although the Corporate media will do everything it can to preserve the GOP Fascist Agenda, nothing will be able to stop the Obama/Richardson ticket.

[coffee_guy1]

Fer something to be a mistake, it has to be yer decision.

[coffee_guy1]

Or do ya just like calling everything a mistake.

[sftodd]

The trouble is that Republicans are so sleazey and dishonest that they take anything a non-republican says completely out of context, they twist it beyond recognition, and then spit it out over and over again to the american people. A very dishonest but proven to be a very effective strategy. As a result, honest politicians practically need to stand mute if they want to avoid the Republican sleaze machine. In short, yes, this is her way of admitting she was wrong.

[coffee_guy1]

"Lets have breakfast!" "AHHH! Mistake." "I think I''m gonna take a shower." "AHHH! Mistake." "I think I''m gonna take a dump." "AHHH! Mistake.."

[coffee_guy1]

I guess ya have to be right some time.

[condumism]

Besides Southern White Trash and Chinese Americans, name one other minority group that will be voting for the GOP Fascist Agenda in 2008?

Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha! I really can not stop laughing!

[sgtrds]

Cut our forces to just enough to protect our embassy and if that''s not enough then shut the embassy down and pull out completely. To those who ask how it can be done it''s simple, load up the ships and planes with our troops and bring them home now. This is not rocket science people! Just leave!

[coffee_guy1]

You guys just think that just cuz yaz gotta big peckkker you know everything.

[socrates392]

Fer something to be a mistake, it has to be yer decision.


Posted by coffee_guy1 at 02:26 PM : Sep 23, 2007

So are you saying it wasn''t her decision to vote for the Iraq war? What is she a meat puppet or something? Has she no will of her own?

[coffee_guy1]

Ya only need 3 inches pal.

[coffee_guy1]

You must be a pollster.. "To vote for the Iraq war"? Or to vote for funding?

[coffee_guy1]

C''mon.. hurry up and answer my question. I''m losing my wig..

[socrates392]

You must be a pollster.. "To vote for the Iraq war"? Or to vote for funding?

Posted by coffee_guy1 at 02:41 PM : Sep 23, 2007

Is there a difference? Without funding there would be no war . . .

[coffee_guy1]

There might be.

[one_american]

Anyone who puts any stock in what Hillary Clinton, the pathological liar says - is a fool.

If she says she wants to cut funding for the troops, go ahead and let her slit her own throat.

It should be quite entertaining to watch he flailing wildly about, trying to "uncut" the wound.

[sgtrds]

You guys just think that just cuz yaz gotta big peckkker you know everything.

Posted by coffee_guy1 at 02:39 PM : Sep 23, 2007

I do donnie....on both counts.....

[coffee_guy1]

Ya, well thats where yer brain is too.

[socrates392]

Oh.. excuse me. Did I hurt yer ******* feelings? Sorry.

Posted by coffee_guy1 at 02:51 PM : Sep 23, 2007

Donnie, what''s up with your new rasta man persona? Is it some sort of statement? I don''t get it.

[coffee_guy1]

Oh... just think''n.

[coffee_guy1]

That a mistake too?

[seven-pesos]

not one southern state will vote for hillary.

the south prefers upstanding, christian , faith professing republicans

and top notch leadership like george bush, jr.

the south would like to find another prez like george bush. jr.

the southern states are considering drafting rush limbaugh to be the republican candidate.

he has all the qualifications...

fat, bigoted, republican, christian, drug user, demogogue.

oh well, that''s the south for you, folks!

[socrates392]

That a mistake too?

Posted by coffee_guy1 at 02:59 PM : Sep 23, 2007

Maybe. Depends wha'' ya think''''n about . . .

[coffee_guy1]

"Depends.. depends.." I''m think''n about Walmart.

[sgtrds]

Oh.. excuse me. Did I hurt yer ******* feelings? Sorry.

Posted by coffee_guy1 at 02:51 PM : Sep 23, 2007

Of course not donnie. It''s not possible for you to hurt my feelings.....

I didn''t answer because I''m cooking along with being online......

[coffee_guy1]

The Whitehouse is Walmart. Big ******* shop''n spree..

[coffee_guy1]

Whacha cook''n?

[socrates392]

The Whitehouse is Walmart. Big ******* shop''''n spree..

Posted by coffee_guy1 at 03:11 PM : Sep 23, 2007

Nope. That''s no mistake. You speak the truth. Making China rich too, just like Walmart.

[sgtrds]

Brisket of beef....with mashed potatoes and biscuits.....

[walt1944-2009]

Senator Clinton wants Congress to stop funding the Iraq war to force a change of course in the Iraq War and in the Great Emperor Bush II''s thinking. Unfortunately, Democrats in Congress do not have the backbone to stand up to the Great Emperor and Republicans are to concerned with making the most money they can and following the lead of the Great Emperor to listen to what the people want. Republican congressmen know they are looking at a "Little Big Horn" in November 2008, and thus, do not care what the people want. As for the Emperor, he has shown time and again that no one tells him what to do, not the Congress nor the people who voted for him twice! The Emperor Bush II does what he wants and knows he will get his way, no matter who doesn''t like it. After all, he is "THE GREAT DECIDER"!

LONG LIVE THE PRIDE AND STUBBORNNESS (And Stupidity) OF THE GREAT EMPEROR BUSH II!!!

SIG HEIL, BUSH!!!

[coffee_guy1]

"Brisket of beef....with mashed potatoes and biscuits....."

Where''d ya get the beef? Hansel?

[sgtrds]

Where''''d ya get the beef? Hansel?

Posted by coffee_guy1 at 03:17 PM : Sep 23, 2007

Ralph''s

[coffee_guy1]

Can''t be worse than what Bush is cook''n.

[sgtrds]

"No matter how heroically and dedicated the performance of our young men and women and their officers are in Iraq - which it has been - they cannot referee successfully a sectarian civil war," Clinton told Bob Schieffer. "So I voted against funding last spring. I will vote against funding again in the absence of any change in policy."

Bravo and right down the middle. Now if we can just get a few republican senators to open their eyes to the stupidity of blindly following Bush further into the quicksand. Then maybe we can get this debacle of a war stopped before anymore American soldier''s lives are wasted for nothing then Bush''s ego and his pathetic attempt at a legacy.

[crater7]

MADAM PRESIDENT;

HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM, HAS NICE RING TO IT.

MADAM PRESIDENT, YEP, SURE DOES.

STAY THE COURSE..............

[coffee_guy1]

"legacy".. why do you guys like that word? Huh? "legacy".. Sounds like a monster movie.

[coffee_guy1]

"Dis is my gun .. Dis is my legacy".