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By Mark Kilmer Posted in Elections — Comments (32) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »

Sunday, March 19, 2005

Some noteworthy stuff this week. We had Chuck Hagel on TW paraphrasing President Reagan to attack the effort in Iraq, while Jack Reed insisted that BushLied™.

General George Casey on FNS that 75% of all Iraqi brigades will be "in the lead" on the ground by the end of summer, with eight in ten divisions by December.

Vice President Cheney, on FTN, showed no signs of pressure, and he iterated why: he's not running for anything. His job is to advise the President. (The elections, etc. would take care of themselves.)

Joe Biden on LE took credit for everything he thinks the Bush Administration is doing right, having proposed the ideas several years ago.

Jack Murtha on MTP reminded me of Cindy Sheehan in evolution and demeanor. Famed Nazi hunter Dick Durbin seemed confused and agitated, uncertain of whether to hold out hope for impeachment, and insisting that the President obey some sort off undefined law.

Iyad Allawi has been all over the MSM of late for having declared that there is a civil war currently raging in Iraq. From Iraq, General Casey on MTP said he has not yet talked to Allawi about it yet, as the former prime minister has not been in the country for some time. On LE, host Wolf Blitzer quoted Allawi as defining a civil war as 50 deaths per day.

Read on for the show-by-show review:

GENERAL CASEY ON MTP. NBC's Tim Russert began Meet the Press with a conversation with General George Casey, commander of coalition forces in Iraq.

Operation Swarmer. Casey said that it is "one of a series of ongoing operations we have" to pressure al Qaeda and stop them from setting up safe havens in backwoods Iraq. They've found weapons caches and detained people.

Russert quoted a TIME magazine story claiming that the operation "fizzled" and that no one was captured. General Casey repeated that they had caught several people and the process would continue. Russert asked if there would be any major combat operations, and Casey said that there really hasn't been what he'd classify as "major" since Fallujah.

Russert said that Americans were ticked because the President had assured us that "major combat operations" had ended. He played the clip, and he asked Casey if BushLied™. Casey said that Operation Swarmer was not "major" and it received more hype perhaps because of the helicopters. Russert wanted General Casey to call the President a liar. (It's news!) He asked if General would rule out future "major combat operations." Casey said that this was up to the enemy, if it masses in an area and such an operation was required, that is what we'd have.

General Casey said that people should consider what has happened in Iraq over the last three years, not simply on "what they've seen on the news over the past three weeks." He listed what has happened: constitution, elections, referenda, etc,

"We continue to make great progress with the Iraqi security forces."

The Iraqi performance since the Samarra bombing has been "generally very good"; he admitted a few problems relating to the Iraqi forces and the militias.

Russert displayed a Casey quote, a year ago on CNN's Late Edition, predicting that if the elections, etc., went well, we could withdraw troops. Russert demanded to know, then, why we hadn't withdrawn troops. General Casey corrected him that we had. Last year, we decided to "off ramp" two brigades that were slated to come to Iraq but weren't needed. "We have started that process."

Russert cited former Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi as having declared that there was a civil war in Iraq. Did General Casey agree? The general said that since Allawi has "been out of the country for a while," they haven't had a chance to speak, but he doesn't think Allawi is correct. He doesn't think we are in a civil war, and he doesn't think one is imminent or inevitable. He's not sugarcoating it, he said, and things are fragile.

"We're at war, Tim, and in war, anything can happen."

Russert quoted the LA Times citing Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad stating that we could go into a civil war if we withdrew now. Russert said that Khalilzad was "blunt," implying that he was honest and reporting what Russert wanted to hear. (Similar to the John McCain "straight talk" line in 2000.) General Casey agreed with Khalilzad. "There is a sectarian violence and tension in Iraq," and "anything is possible."

MURTHA ON MTP. Jack Murtha declared that this was purely President Bush's war. He went into the war, Murtha said, against the advice of his dad and his entire Administration, against the advice of his generals, and without adequate troops. With no exit strategy. Murtha said that the Administration is trying to "paint it as progress so they can get out." Murtha sees not enough electricity, dirty water, inadequate oil production.

Murtha claimed that the Administration has promised that the Iraqis would take control of 75% of the country. Murtha's flown over the open desert, he said, and that must be what they are talking about. In the Sunni Triangle, which Murtha said comprised 40% of the country, unemployment is 60%.

The American people understand this. (I'm not sure I do.)

Russert quoted Donald Rumsfeld in today's WashPost:

Turning our backs on postwar Iraq today would be the modern equivalent of handing postwar Germany back to the Nazis.

Murtha called Rumsfeld a liar and insisted that we were in a civil war.

He believes that the Iraqis will get rid of al Qaeda once we leave.

Russert asked Murtha if he believed the President had made "some fundamental misjudgments about Iraq." Murtha said that the "intelligence that he mischaracterized" did not show that Iraq was a threat. Not enough troops, disbanding the army. He accused the Defense Department now of politically supporting Ahmed Chalabi.

You know, Jack Murtha reminds me of Cindy Sheehan. Think of it. Cindy began as a lady with a gripe about the war. She suddenly became part of the media cult, gained and adulation and notoriety, and she lost her marbles, her proclamations becoming increasingly outrageous. She began to rave, spewing lunatic exaggerations and non-sequitur until the Left and the media were done with her.

Murtha began as a Congressman with a gripe about the war. He suddenly became part of the media cult, gained adulation and notoriety, and lost his marbles, his proclamations becoming increasingly outrageous. He began to rave, spewing lunatic exaggerations and non-sequitur until... well, to the Left, Jack Murtha is a United States Congressman, not a disposable "military mom," His shelf life is thus significantly greater than was Cindy's, and he needs to become more incoherent than has Cindy in order for the organized Left to jettison him. Anything's possible, but I don't see that happening. Murtha will probably remain a useful tool until things in Iraq are going well in the U.S. media.

HAGEL AND REED ON TW. Host George Stephanopoulos has assembled his share of bias in the past, and here were Senator Chuck Hagel and Jack Reed to discuss Iraq. Steph had opened the segment by pointing out the death toll, the cost, and the assertion that there were "no WMD." Hagel and Reed were asked to react.

Hagel said that "history will determine" whether or not the cause was just, but we now have to find a "political settlement."

For his part, Reed said that we had to "redeploy" our troops ASAP; he insisted that this was not a call for immediate withdrawal, but rather moving our troops out of Iraq and "around the region." We have to force the Iraqis to take care of their own problems, Reed insisted, and he agreed with Joe Biden that they have six months to do it before we have to reassess what we're doing.

Hagel thinks we should threaten withdrawal, though he acknowledged that we cannot actually do it. He also insisted that the Bush Administration's warning that we cannot just leave Iraq is "mindless banter." The cost of war, he said, "is bankrupting us."

Hagel, embarrassingly sardonic, metaphorically abandoned his party by paraphrasing President Reagan: "Are we better off than we were three years ago?" His answer: "Absolutely not."

Reed insisted that "Iran has benefited" from President Bush's mistakes.

Steph played a clip of Iyad Allawi dryly suggesting that Iraq was in a state of civil war. Hagel agreed with both Allawi and Reed, disagreeing with our ambassador to Iraq and our generals in Iraq, stating that Iraq has been in a state of civil war for six months. "That's a fact!" the Senator trumpeted.

Reed said that if there is a civil war, we have to protect our forces, and he called the administration incompetent. (It's their new word, having scored high in a Pew poll.) He said that the Administration decided to invade Iraq with too few troops and too few experts.

GENERAL CASEY ON FNS. General Casey was host Chris Wallace's first guest on FOX News Sunday. The general said that by the end of summer, 75-percent of Iraq brigades will be "in the lead" on operations. By December or early 2007, he estimated, this will be true of eight of ten Iraqi divisions. Plus there is a new emphasis on training Iraqi police forces to assume control of that aspect of governance. Wallace played a clip of the general from last July suggesting that there could be a "substantial reduction" in U.S. troop levels following the election. The general insisted that this was happening, including forces intended to be redeployed in Iraq which he did not need.

Wallace showed the general some numbers from FOX News/Opinion Dynamics saying that Americans think we're going to lose everything and Iraq will never be stable.

"General, can you lose this war on the home front?"

General Casey suggested that his was a "political question" and expressed confence in the mission's ultimate success.

DICK DURBIN ON FNS. Famed Nazi hunter Dick Durbin was Wallace's next guest on FNS, and the host asked him: "How is the war going?" Durbin thanked the troops then declared that they were losers. BushLied™, he insisted: about WMD and about a connection between Saddam and 9-11. (I don't need to go off on that tripe again, do I?). We've reached the third anniversary of the invasion, Durbin declared, with "NO END IN SIGHT!"

Wallace repeated General Casey's assertions about the Iraqis taking the lead in their fight, and Durbin rhetorically rolled his eyes: "We've heard it all before." He insisted that General Casey was lying: "It's all rhetoric! We've heard it for years!" (He is accusing General Casey of shilling for the Bush Administration in the same way that Jack Murtha charged General Pace with the same a few weeks ago on Bob Schieffer's show. This is audacious stuff from the Dems, and they should have to answer for it.)

"We've been painted in a corner," Durbin sneered. He has three demands.

1. 2006 has to be a "year of transition."

2. Iran has to set up a government that represents everyone Durbin selects as worthy of representation.

3. Bush must be held accountable.

Wallace pointed out that "year of transition" is "just a phrase." Durbin said that if Bush does not do those three things he specified, he does not have a plan.

Wallace asked Durbin about Russ Feingold's censure motion. Durbin complained that no one was briefed about the wiretaps and the "Republican Senate" has not held the Bush Administration to account. Wallace pointed out that Diane Feinstein was briefed and she called the NSA surveillance an "impressive program." Durbin replied that the Administration has to "obey the law." He said that the President had put the Democrat leadership "in a box" by revealing secret programs which they could not then leak. (Tell that to Jimmy Risen, although his leak evidently did not know much about the program itself.)

Durbin called the Senate Intelligence Committee a "Republican coverup operation." (Of which Jay Rockefeller, Carl Levin, and Russ Feingold -- to name three -- are a part?)

Wallace asked Durbin about impeachment, if the Dems grab both houses this November. Durbin said: "I'm not ruling this in or out." Wallace asked him, then, if he were considering impeachment. Durbin stammered and demanded not to be pinned down by the Sunday Morning games they like to play. Durbin demanded an investigation and "more information." (Durbin admits to tilting at windmills though he's not near Madrid.)

THE VEEP ON FTN. Bob Schieffer had Vice President Dick Cheney in studio for a live interview this morning. And he started with Iraq and columnist George Will writing that conditions in Iraq were worse now than they were after the last elections. Cheney disagreed and said the statements of General Casey and others say that we're not. But he conceded that Zarqawi was trying but was not operating from desperation.

"You don't think they're there yet," said Schieffer, indicating that they would be one day in a state of civil war.

Cheney pointed out that the Iraqis have met every goal which ahd been set for them, elections, constitutions, security, etc. He said "roughly half" of all missions in Iraq were conducted with Iraqi troops in the lead.

Schieffer agued that the violence continues and that the Iraqis were unable to put a government together. Cheney pointed out that it took longer in the U.S. 200 years ago – an uncomfortable argument – and that it was amazing that the Iraqis were able to come out from under their burden so quickly. He acknowledged the violence but pointed out that it was the enemies of peace and democracy perpetrating it.

It's not about Iraq only, Cheney said; it's about what the Middle East will be ten years from now.

Schieffer read from Ted Kennedy, whom he identified as a "liberal Democrat," claiming that Iraq was not worth fighting and we have lost in Iraq because Bush is "dangerously incompetent." Cheney said he would not listen to Ted Kennedy on matters of national security.

Cheney invoked 9-11 and going after terrorists and their helpers. This "aggressive, forward-looking strategy" is why we've not been struck by terrorist again, Cheney said. Kennedy's withdraw behind your borders and assume safety strategy would not work, and 9-11 should have taught us that. Cheney said that Ted Kennedy would be the last person he'd go to for advice on matters concerning our national security.

Schieffer listed various things which he said proved that the Administration was incompetent: Katrina, Iraq, DP World. Cheney invoked when he worked for President For and Schieffer was CBS WH correspondent: Administrations have ups-and-downs, he said, and you cannot give much credence to rumors of a shakeup. Schieffer asked if the WH staff weren't just tired and needed to be replaced, and Cheney pointed out that there has been transition.

Schieffer, back from a break, said "with candor" that the Vice President had become a "lightning rod"/"hate magnet." and some Republican pundits have called him a "liability." Schieffer asked if Cheney had ever considered resigning. Cheney said that he was drafted to the position. Schieffer asked the veep if the Administration were intentionally running a "good cop/bad cop" operation. Cheney put that perception to the fact that he's doing a job, speaking out, not concerned about his political viability. He's not running for anything.

Cheney said he's working with the Congress to increase their oversight in regards to the NSA wiretapping.

Schieffer accused Republican pundits of deciding that Cheney would step aside with a year left in the Administration so that President Bush's chosen successor could serve as the new Veep and have a running start. Cheney rhetorically shrugged.

Schieffer said that he has known Cheney since Ford, and has he changed? Cheney said that the circumstances have changed. He doesn't run any departments or operations now, and he isn't a Congressman. His role is to advise the President. Cheney said that the advisors do not control the President. What we're seeing is George Bush, and he hasn't changed.

Schieffer asked Cheney about shooting his friend Harry Whittington. "Could that have been better handled?" Cheney said that they didn't know Whittington's condition until the next morning, and they told people then. He reminded that he didn't tell the White House Press Corps, pointing out that the WH Press Corps was not with him. No press was covering him that day.

BLITZER AND GENERAL CASEY. On CNN's Late Edition, host Wolf Blitzer first interviewed General George Casey. Blitzer started with Operation Swarmer, and the general acknowledged that "it might have gotten a little more hype than it should have," but it was one of a series of joint-operations the coalition would have with the Iraqis. They've found caches and "high value individuals."

Blitzer played CNN correspondent Nic Robertson talking about what he saw: no raids, everyone relaxed. General Casey pointed out that Robertson must not have been where the action was, as the operation took place over a ten mile radius.

Blitzer pointed out that this might have been overly hyped for political reasons. Casey said that "nothing could be further from the truth," as it had been planned with the Iraqis and was an "intelligence-based operation."

Blitzer quoted Iyad Allawi declaring that 50 deaths day equals a civil war. General Casey said that he does not believe that a civil war has started, is "imminent or inevitable." He stressed: "We're a long way from civil war." In most promises, there are less than 6 attacks each day, he said, adding that in two provinces, there are 2 or fewer atacks. He recounted his own travel around Baghadad, seeing the city alive. He was certain not to "sugarcoat it," averring that the foreign fighters were still trying to stir something, but it wasn't working.

Blitzer asked General Casey if the Sunnis "were ready to cooperate" with the Shi'a and the Kurds to form a government. The general said that from everything he sees, they are. They're all now "sitting around a table" and working out a government. The Sunni leaders, he said, "are committed" to making this government work.

"Iraq is awash with ammunition." There is ammunition which has been buried throughout Iraq for the insurgents to use. General Casey said that the Iraqi insurgency is not receiving a lot of help from outside the country. He knows that there is tech coming from Iran, but though he suspects, he cannot say with certainty that this is the doing of the Iranian government.

Wolf asked if we could get a lot of troops out of Iraq over the next year. Casey explained that our strategy was to withdraw as the Iraqis were able to take over. It will happen in a "gradual, not a precipitous way," so as to be certain that the Iraqis are not left without the support they might need.

LUGAR AND BIDEN ON LE. Blitzer next chatted with Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Dick Lugar and ranking minority member Joe Biden. Wolf quoted Donald Rumsfeld in today's WashPost [linked above] about withdrawing from Iraq:

Consider that if we retreat now, there is every reason to believe Saddamists and terrorists will fill the vacuum -- and the free world might not have the will to face them again. Turning our backs on postwar Iraq today would be the modern equivalent of handing postwar Germany back to the Nazis. It would be as great a disgrace as if we had asked the liberated nations of Eastern Europe to return to Soviet domination because it was too hard or too tough or we didn't have the patience to work with them as they built free countries.

Lugar agreed. Joe Biden agreed and said that the Administration and we were worse off than we were a year ago. Blitzer asked him to explain. Joe Biden complained about the sewage and the killing, and he demanded that Bush go over there, "put his prestige on the line," and make them get a government. He said that everyone "on the ground" thinks Iraq is worse off than it was.

Lugar agreed with Rumsfeld that withdrawal would be disastrous and with "my colleague Joe Biden" that conditions have deteriorated in Iraq.

Blitzer criticized the Administration for speaking with Iran, equating it with negotiations with "Hamas or al Qaeda." Lugar explained that "those are the folks who are in the world," those with whom we had to deal.

Joe Biden agreed and said that we cannot have a full-out civil war in Iraq. He explained that the Iranians hate their government and they don't need a Shi'ite government in Iraq taking the orders of Tehran. Biden said that talking to Iran was his idea, dating from 2002.

Blitzer argued that we went into Iraq with too few troops. Lugar agreed and added that we screwed up the analysis of what happened afterwards. Lugar added, though, that we cannott rehash our mistakes; we have to go from here and turn things around.

Blitzer asserted that he brought this up because some people think they need more troops on the ground in Iraq now. Joe Biden said that sending more troops now won't do any good, and he had asserted years ago that we should go in with more troops. He rambled about "king's horses" and "king's men."

Blitzer quoted Major General Paul Eaton calling Don Rumsfeld "incompetent" and declaring that he should "step down." Lugar said that if the President seeks his council, he will offer it, but he won't talk about it in public. Joe Biden claimed that news that Rumsfeld was fired would energize our allies, would energize our forces, and would make the problems ago away.

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That's it.

Have at it.

Update [2006-3-19 15:0:58 by Mark Kilmer]: See FireFireFire's diary for more on Durbin's FNS appearance.