Biden from Iraq

Posted: Friday, September 07, 2007 4:04 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: Joe Biden

From NBC's Samantha Mehrotra
Instead of the campaign trail, Biden was in Iraq yesterday to assess the progress made on political and military benchmarks. Speaking to reporters in Ramadi, the senator discussed his ongoing concerns about the possibility of achieving stability in the country. “Unless the central government is able to actually begin to work with the promises, there is not a whole lot of prospect... I doubt that the unity at a federal level is likely to occur in the near term.”

“I’m hoping to … make it clear that the patience of the American people is running very thin," he added. "Although terrorism is an international problem, Iraqi unity is an Iraqi problem.” Despite these problems however, Biden said progress is being made locally and that the United States military and tribal leaders are making strides against Al Qaeda.

Regarding the presidential campaign, Biden made it clear during his visit today that he is the most informed candidate when it comes to Iraq. When asked why he decided to come to Ramadi, the senator said: “This is my ninth trip. I’ve been here more than the president and more than most of my colleagues. I come about every six months.”

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Comments

With progress like this, Joe, we will be able to have another 50,000 names etched on another monument to futility, stupidity and working harder instead of smarter.
END IT - DON'T MEND IT

06-Sep-2007 | US: 7 | UK: 0 | Other: 0
NAME NOT RELEASED YET Ninawa Province IED attack
NAME NOT RELEASED YET Ninawa Province IED attack
NAME NOT RELEASED YET Ninawa Province IED attack
NAME NOT RELEASED YET Al Anbar Province hostile fire
NAME NOT RELEASED YET Al Anbar Province hostile fire
NAME NOT RELEASED YET Al Anbar Province hostile fire
NAME NOT RELEASED YET Al Anbar Province hostile fire

05-Sep-2007 | US: 6 | UK: 1 | Other: 0
UK NAME NOT RELEASED YET Hostile - hostile fire
Sergeant 1st Class David A. Cooper Jr. Baghdad injury
NAME NOT RELEASED YET Salah Ad Din Province IED
NAME NOT RELEASED YET Salah Ad Din Province IED
NAME NOT RELEASED YET Baghdad hostile fire
NAME NOT RELEASED YET Baghdad hostile fire

04-Sep-2007 | US: 4 | UK: 0 | Other: 0
Specialist Rodney J. Johnson Baghdad IED attack
NAME NOT RELEASED YET Baghdad IED attack
NAME NOT RELEASED YET Baghdad IED attack
NAME NOT RELEASED YET Baghdad IED attack
NAME NOT RELEASED YET Baghdad IED attack

02-Sep-2007 1 | US: 1 | UK: 0 | Other: 0
Staff Sergeant Delmar White Baghdad IED attack

01-Sep-2007 1 | US: 1 | UK: 0 | Other: 0
Specialist Christopher G. Patton Baghdad Non-hostile

Gary Schear, Bozeman Montana (Sent Friday, September 07, 2007 4:16 PM)

Senator Biden should be assessing the dire situation in downtown Wilmington, DE instead. What a gas bag!

Delaware Republican (Sent Friday, September 07, 2007 4:22 PM)

Dear Delaware,

You critisize democrats just like Osama. You must be proud.

American Citizen. (Sent Friday, September 07, 2007 4:27 PM)

END IT, BY MENDING IT. Go Joe, go. The only candidate to have an actual plan for stablizing Iraq so we can bring our troops home and avoid mass genocide of the Iraqi people.

RAF (Sent Friday, September 07, 2007 4:36 PM)

Finally, an honest assessment from someone. Bush still thinks it's going GREAT!

CL in TN (Sent Friday, September 07, 2007 4:39 PM)

The soldier listed for 1-Sep-2007 was listed in our local paper this week. He was a 2005 high school graduate. So young.

Flat-earther, Georgia (Sent Friday, September 07, 2007 4:46 PM)

Biden. What in the name of god does he think his presence in Iraq is going to add or subtract from the obviously stupid situation in Iraq. I mean "if it looks like a duck and quacks, it's a duck." No amount of spin or nazi logic is going to put lipstick on this pig.

Pacheck (Sent Friday, September 07, 2007 4:47 PM)

Finally, a point of view on Iraq that makes sense. I prefer Biden's measured words to Bush's "We're kicking ass!"

'08 can't come soon enough

Amy B Portland, ME (Sent Friday, September 07, 2007 5:01 PM)

RAF-Avoid genocide? Whats happening now? 1800 for August is a pretty good months work.
Are you just in favor of a slower long drawn out genocide? You really think you can make a mistake work? Our idiot adventure in Iraq will never look good to the world or history. It is clear to everyone that we dropped the ball at the ballot box and gave a hand grenade to a drunken chimpanzee with A.D.D.
There will be a crescendo of violence when we leave followed by a repressive local regime that will make the trains run on time. Or if we stay there will be a protracted insurgency (1000 dead Iraqis a month) for the entire length of our stay. When we do finally come home there will crescendo of violence followed by a repressive local regime that will make the trains run on time. Same result. Just a matter of how much time and blood we want to spend as referee of a civil war that we precipitated.
This is our fault. As the worlds only super power we have to be a little smarter than this. We have to know when to call a f**k up a f**k up and realize that you just can't take some things back.
If Joe Biden wants to pretend he can make this better than someone get him some Thorazine and give me a hit of what he took. If Joe Biden wants piss away 10,000 more lives to play light at the end of the tunnel, peace with honor, Richard Nixon, then he won't have my vote. I've seen this goddamned movie before and I know how it ends.

Gary Schear, Bozeman Montana (Sent Friday, September 07, 2007 5:08 PM)

Gary, you're misinformed about Biden's position. He's not advocating a military solution, nor he is an advocate for Bush's troop surge. He's been insisiting on troop withdrawals. He wants a political solution and as the article suggests, he's there to put pressure on the Iraqi government. He has always been an arguing for less boots on the ground and for diplomacy to craft a political solution between the Shias, Sunnis and Kurds. I think you can be advocate for both bringing troops home responsibly while at the same time trying to stablize Iraq and avoid a bloodbath. And yes I don't take lightly the 3600 troops who have died; but I also don't take lightly the hundreds of thousands of Iraqis who will certainly die when we implement your selfish, inhumane plan of cut-and-run regardless of the consequenses.

RAF (Sent Friday, September 07, 2007 5:59 PM)

Joe Biden has the only reasonable plan for getting us out. I don't understand how a "get them all out now" plan could work. We would leave chaos behind and that chaos would spread throughout the region. I urge you to take a look a Joe Biden's plan for Iraq and make an informed choice about this issue and this election.

Stacy S., Medford OR (Sent Friday, September 07, 2007 6:03 PM)

Gary,

Grow up and get your head straight. This country can acheive nothing until we get out of Iraq with some measure of dignity. When you were a kid and you "f**ked up" did your mom and dad tell you the best thing to do was to abandon the problem and pay no mind to the consequences of your actions, intended or unintended. Sorry, I can't rail and bail like you. Leaves me feeling dirty and cheap.

How about we strive to "make this better?" Are you so jaded that you cannot imagine the possibility of making anything better. Don't we owe that to the men and women, Iraqi and US, that have died?

You seem good at screaming about the problem and telling everyone that nothing will work. How's that working out for you.

p.s. Why don't you google Kosovo and see what Biden's presence was able to do in that situation.

Elizabeth Sullivan, San Diego, CA (Sent Friday, September 07, 2007 6:04 PM)

Amen RAF.

Stacy S., Medford OR (Sent Friday, September 07, 2007 6:04 PM)

It sounds as if their aren't U.S. troops on every corner, in every province the fighting will just continue. The fighting won't stop until their's no one left to kill. We gave them the oppotunity to form their own government by getting rid of saddam. If they refuse to act on it we can't help them if they won't help themselves. Mike

Mike Melley (Sent Friday, September 07, 2007 10:02 PM)

The reality is, we absolutely have to finish what we've started. The can of worms we opened was always there festering it was just contained by Saddam and used by him to foment clear trouble against us at various times(remember the first world trade center bombing? It was iraqi sponsored and paid for and Clinton did NOTHING). Ask yourself where Aiman Al-Zahwari(2nd in command of Al-quaida) went after he was wounded in Afghanistan? Duh, Iraq- at Saddams invitation. Hello! State sponsored terrorism was the only legally defined problem child we could deal with in an approved fashion by the world at that time.
And for all you who are constantly droning on about the dire failures in Iraq-get a clue-it is a lot of work and it sucks because the arab mindset is so tribal. The good news is (if you read lots of real news)that we ARE beginning to take advantage of some of the real changes going on in Iraq. Bluntly, the people there are tired of fighting and dying-they are exhausted and finally sick of losing all their young men as we were killing so many Iraqis who had aligned themsoves with Al-Quaiada. Rught now, Al-quaiada is losing badly over there. They lost the biggest battle of all and that is for the loyalties of the persians. Just watch in the next few months how the tribal people will work harder at doing the things they need to in order to preserve their families.
We really are the grown-ups here in democracy land. And we will help these monstrous toddler minded people to grow up, learn self-control, and make their country a better place. they may never have the calibre of freedoms that we enjoy since Islam is by it's own definition incompatible with the concept of free-will (which is a Western thought and judeo-christian concept). It can however come as close as the tenuous democratic style government of Turkey, which with all it's challenges is continuing to grow and mature. If what we have is a good thing in light of about three-fourths of the rest of the world's clear dysfunction then we need to hang in there and be strong, focused and disciplined.

Carolyn Schuster (Sent Friday, September 07, 2007 11:58 PM)

The Iraqi government is sure that if nothing gets accomplished the US will stay and hold their hand for as long as it takes. They have gone out of their way to see that nothing gets accomplished. They are still fighting over who has the nicest office furniture and who has the most old friends and relatives on the payroll.
Time to cut and run.

WDRussell, East Liverpool, Ohio (Sent Saturday, September 08, 2007 9:25 AM)

If I was going to vote Democrat, Joe Biden would get my vote. He has been around long enough to know how things work in Washington. He Would not play political games like the unpatriotic decision that many in Congress made that decided they would not fund the troops. For a political statement they would not be sending them food, ammo, armor for their trucks and bodies. And would jeopordize their lives. Joe Biden, Carl Levin and anyone who supports the troops would be a safe vote for Democrats. Hillary would remind us all of the Clinton Gun ban where Clinton waged war on the American people and wanted to turn them all into criminals. I'm too nervous to vote democrat ever again just at the thought of Hillary. Where are those campaign funds coming from anyway The Red Chinese. And as someone who worked on the board at Walmart that outsourced jobs to China. NAFTA. The worst thing about Hillary is After Bill Clinton bringing her shame many times over. She stayed with him. Any of us would have divorced. She is a pushover for not leaving and would not be a good president. I'd probably have to find a free country to move to if I wanted to keep my guns.

Eric Timco, Warren, Michigan (Sent Saturday, September 08, 2007 12:24 PM)

***** al-Maliki goverment is "totally corrupt". al Maliki goverment is "totally corrupt".need I say it again ! *****

Bobby V., Newark, N.J. (Sent Saturday, September 08, 2007 12:40 PM)

Biden come home and fight the repuke shrub and all the powers that are blocking our exit from Iraq.

Come home save your son from deployment to that hell hole. There is no glory in war only death.

The BS is flowing, the admin has hauled out yet another "tape" of Bin Laden, you remember him, he is paraded to us every time shrub wants some election or funding. He wrote for Fear Factor.
Come home and vote to end this debacle, do not vote for funding again!

IMPEACH BUSH AND CHENEY (Sent Saturday, September 08, 2007 3:15 PM)

Just more HOT air from a congessman, ie senator...term limits is what we really need. Bid deal he's been there more than the president...on tax payors money I might add.

Alan Baxter, Jackson,TN (Sent Saturday, September 08, 2007 5:46 PM)

It is very sad when we see our President on the World stage say OPEC instead of APEC. It is very sad to hear him call Prime Minister Brown the leader of Austria instead of Australia. It is verysad to see our President confused about how to walk off the stage.
It is very sad to see that we have been led up a creek.

Desmond (Sent Saturday, September 08, 2007 6:00 PM)

raf your "cut and run" crap says one thing...your brainwashed also

Dale, st cloud mn (Sent Saturday, September 08, 2007 6:01 PM)

Senator Biden is the only Presidential canidate reflect the truth on our involvement in Iraq. He is candid and meets question "head on," popular or not.
I respect his honest candor.

reinardo salgado, portorange,florida (Sent Saturday, September 08, 2007 6:40 PM)

Let's keep it simple for the liberals. Consequences of our pull-out:

(1) creates a regional vacuum - Iran, Syria, etc will move in;
(2) Creates a terror stronghold - once the genocide is complete, the terror cells can concentrate on the Western world- oh, I guess the libs would rather have their neighborhoods ravaged with terror and war than that of the terrorists;
(3) the troops of the most effective military in the world will have been undermined and discredited in the eyes of the world by their own countrymen;
(4) A time table tells the enemy how long to hold out;
(5) we move the forces and the equipment out so we can return in a few years to finish the job.

These are just a few.

I am a combat veteran. I have seen the terrors of war and fought for the right of free speech, even if liberal idiots get to use it. Of the many people I have talked with about the war, a vast minority have actually seen it and experienced it, yet they are full of opinions on it. I think you should talk about something you know a little about, but there is the darn right to free speech, that I and my brothers and sisters in arms have ensured.

Storm 37 (Sent Saturday, September 08, 2007 7:25 PM)

Ben Laden's newly released video and remarks just fuels my suspicion that Bush not only knows where Ben Laden is but is also feeding him words to say that will help the Republicans. In 2004 when Ben Laden released a message, the Republicans used it by insinuating that Ben Laden preferred Kerry to be President. Ben Laden's new tape gives ammunition to the Republicans once again. I suspect the next time the Democrats try to force Bushs hand concerning Iraq, the Republicans will claim that the Democrats prefer to listen to Ben Laden rather than the Commander in Chief. I say this because of the way Ben laden criticized the Democrats for not being able to bring our soldiers home.

Rebecca Thompson, Burlington, NC (Sent Saturday, September 08, 2007 10:57 PM)

Excellent analogy Gary ... LOL ... On a more serious note, Joe Biden is the ONLY presidential candidate that introduces a potential SOLUTION to the present problem of "training crocodiles to police herds of antelope." This is my analogy to training Iraqi police and military. THE TRIBES DON'T MIX, THEY WILL NOT MIX ... they will ALWAYS KILL KILL KILL those unlike themselves. Only solution outside of a dictatorship is to separate the sunni, shia, and kurds into their OWN parts of the country to police themselves ... PERIOD !!! Then, and ONLY THEN can we even consider calming the chaos the Americans for Bush caused.

Steve, Grand Rapids, MI (Sent Saturday, September 08, 2007 11:45 PM)

Too many of us Americans are too stupid or too self-absorbed to pay attention to anything more than "what's the candidate's party!" I point to Delaware Republican as proof.

Joe Biden's assessment of how to leave Iraq is the only one that I've read that is correct. It is the only one that will avoid massive genocide even though it might cause massive migration again ans Sunnis and Shiites run for cover once the new states are formed. That's better than them being killed, however. I wish people would pay more attention to this guy, he has it right.

ParisMike, Paris, France (Sent Sunday, September 09, 2007 6:11 AM)

Biden keeps rolling like a bagel collecting as many taxpayer paid perks for his rachet-mouthed posturing. His 6.023 x 10>23 trips to Iraq alone with stage crews and paid hacks in tow speak volumes to the king of really bad hair transplants.

Avogadro, Anbar Province (Sent Sunday, September 09, 2007 8:30 AM)

I have just spent two (2) years in Iraq (civilian). I am now in Afghanistan. The solution in Iraq is going to take a long time, and cost more lives. The cost to just pull out, and stand by while Iraq goes into a genocidal civil war, with thousands, and maybe millions of Iraqis, dying, is unacceptable.

It will take patience, hard work, and sacrifice to bring a just and lasting peace to Iraq, and to this region.

Charles E. Martin, Sharana Afghanistan (Sent Sunday, September 09, 2007 10:49 AM)

Out of curiosity--has Biden checked out New Orleans? I don't recall anything in the news about whether or not he has.

Louisiana 1976 (Sent Sunday, September 09, 2007 1:57 PM)

The only benchmarks to be assessed are those created by the collective rear-ends of those sitting on the bench while friends and fellow soldiers such as SSGT Delmar White continue to offer the greatest sacrifice. I'll miss you, Delmar! I will think of the good times when we served together, friend.

Daniel Farnstrom, Winchester, Kentucky (Sent Sunday, September 09, 2007 2:34 PM)

According to the Bush Administration and THE GENERALS ON THE GROUND:
2003 Mission Accomplished
2004 We are making PROGRESS
2005 We are in the LAST THROES
2006 We should be able to draw down troops starting in Sept 2006
2007 January: A Surge of 22,500 will show significant results by July 2007
2007 July: We are making progress, wait until September
2007 September: We are making progress, wait until September 2008. We have only had the "SURGE" for 3 months.
If we STAY THE COURSE for one more year only 1000 more American Troops will die, 6000 more American Troops will be Wounded, 2500 Iraqi Security Forces will be killed, 10,000 Iraqi Security Forces will be Wounded, 15,000 more Iraqi Civilians will be KILLED, 40,000 more Iraqi Civilians will be wounded, 750,000 more Iraqis will be displaced from their homes, the Iraqi Parliament will meet 3 more of the 2007 benchmarks, still less than 50% of the 18 benchmarks and The GENERALS on the GROUND will report they are making progress and ask for 1 more year. The Bush Administration will ask for anther $200 Billion for 2009.
WAKE UP AMERICA! We should not have our Military trying to referee a CIVIL WAR in a country where democracy is a FOREIGN WORD and may NEVER be achieved.

Jim Frego, Grants Pass, OR Capt. US Army (ret.) (Sent Sunday, September 09, 2007 5:25 PM)

God bless Joe Biden.

He has always stood up for the American people and our interests. I am proud the be a resident of Delaware represented by such a fine Senator!

Robert Pritchard, Middletown, DE (Sent Sunday, September 09, 2007 5:28 PM)

there's a new interesting article about Iraq being the new somalia....

might be of interest ...
this is the link: http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/FA0F918E-6D70-41D3-807A-00375A0E9648.htm

Tobby (Sent Sunday, September 09, 2007 6:09 PM)

notice all the IED deaths up top... Biden was the only Dem to vote for extra funding to provide more Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles to the troops we have there, an action far more likely to save American lives than using the funding bill as a political football (shame on you Hillary and Obama for going that route). A total withdrawal of just the troops alone would take more than a year, and that's not counting the contractors there. People need to learn the facts before running their mouths on talkback forums.

Howard Hsu, Emeryville, CA (Sent Sunday, September 09, 2007 6:29 PM)

Iraq was not a huge blunder. It was a well planned part of the overall dismantling of U.S. supremacy. The weakening of the military and the economic destruction of the U. S. ability to maintain super power status is nearly complete.

JD Texas (Sent Sunday, September 09, 2007 7:45 PM)

Pacheck -what was Biden doing in Iraq? He is a leader of the Foreign Relations Committee. Tommorrow is the day- Sept 10th that they will have the General give a statement about the progress in Iraq. It will be on CSpan tommorrow. I believe he is evening missing a debate because of this.He is probably doing some of the questioning-as far as I know. So it's probably important he knows what is going on their. I think he is the most informed candidate we have about this. I believe it is important to learn more about a person before you decide to be for or against him or judge him so harshly-just my opinion though.

JF, Orlando, FL (Sent Sunday, September 09, 2007 8:35 PM)

Jim Frego, Grants Pass, OR Capt. US Army (ret.) (Sent Sunday, September 09, 2007 8:59 PM)

How much more of our national treasure (read that as our American men, women and gold) must we spend to make Iraq safe for the "Iraqi Way of Life?". And while we are asking, just what is the "Iraqi Way of Life?"

Robert Chamberlin, Rochester, MN (Sent Sunday, September 09, 2007 11:35 PM)

Joe, you are the only one with "cogones",you ask the questions that I would ask, Thanks.

louie (Sent Monday, September 10, 2007 1:24 AM)

So Joe, I was waiting for your report from Iraq, I think you for your your thoughts on this issue.
I see you are still supporting GWB and the status quo in Iraq, it's a sad day in America when people who are running for president in the democratic party are going to do the yes lets pull the troops out if the policy is not changed.
Sir, the only change in policy needed is to pull the troops out of Iraq and let the Iraqi's do what has to be done. If that is killing each other so be it. We have given enough lives and blood in that desert.
Best wishes to you and your run for president.

Will Estes, Woodstock, Ct. (Sent Monday, September 10, 2007 1:30 AM)

With his 'texas two steppers' one step ahead of W; who is left to whisper in his ear? 9/11 conspiracy theorists have a great point,last century, Dr.Rice, Rotton Rumsfeld, shotgun dick and 4th party-headed up a think tank, in DC. Their goal to take over the Iraqi oil fields, stablize world oil production and set prices. Sound familiar?

Richard,Seattle,wa (Sent Monday, September 10, 2007 2:03 AM)

Ah, yes, the esteemed, Right Reverend, Most-Holy, H.R.H., Sir Righteous, Ubiquitous, Omnipotent, All Knowing and All Seeing Biden-my-time (at taxpayers' profound expense) making his umpteenth trip to Iraq for nothing but photo-ops. This s.o.b. should have a burqa wrapped around his obscenely hair-transplanted head with the tail of said burqa shoved down his trachea. Gag me.

Burt Burqa, Burqaville, MD (Sent Monday, September 10, 2007 8:24 AM)

Dear Delaware Republican:I am from Delaware also, and I wouldn't expect any better from you,you republicans hate The Senator because you haven't been able to come up with anyone to defeat him for 30+years. What is the assement of your state level representatives?

Viorginia, Laurel, De. (Sent Monday, September 10, 2007 9:08 AM)

Off topic (sort of)

Since I can't attend the DC protest on 9/15, I certainly would like some reports from those of you who plan to attend.

I doubt that First Read (or any other media organization) will spend much time on it.

If any of you would agree to daily reports starting with getting on the bus (for those of you taking advantage of that offering) to "day after" summaries, I will be willing to set up a temporary email id and dlist to recieve and distribute such reports.

Let me know,
Thanks

Independent, Texas (Sent Monday, September 10, 2007 9:31 AM)

Dear Delaware Republican:
FYI: It seems the Senator already assesed the situation in Wilmington. He recently secured 3 grants to help law enforcement and Wilmington received one of them.

Virginia Laurel,De.. (Sent Monday, September 10, 2007 10:00 AM)

I responded in a civil tone but it's a moderated blog and they allow what they allow.

Gary Schear, Bozeman Montana (Sent Monday, September 10, 2007 10:50 AM)

Impeach Bush and Cheney & Bert Burqa
Sen. Biden was right to support the war funding in May. He was able to require that the funding include massive spending on vehicles that greatly decrease the risk of death and injury from IED, the leading cause of death and head injury of US soldiers. Most Democrats supported the funding, even many who had voted against the war authorization in October of 02. Sen.'s Akaka & Inouye [HI], Durbin [Il], Mikulski [MD], Sen.'s Stabenow & Levin [MI]Conrad [ND],Bingaman [NM], Reed [RI], Murray {WA], Byrd {WV] all voted against the war resolution on October 11, 2002, but they all voted for the Iraq supplemental spending bill. Why did they do this when they opposed authorization in the first place? Because as Sen. Biden said yesterday on Meet the Press that it is unconscionable not to provide protection for any American troops that are in harms way. The reality is that unless you have 67 votes in the Senate to override a veto we can't get out of Iraq until there is a new President. 3 of the 4 Senate Democrats running for office voted for the first time against a spending bill, but of course there votes weren't political. At least Sen. Dodd had the guts to not only cast his vote before outcome was known, and he spoke passionately on the Senate floor on his position. Both Clinton and Obama, who voted in favor of every prior war spending bill, not only failed to speak on the senate floor during the bills debate (almost unheard of for Clinton) or publicly state, in any manner, how they were going to vote prior to casting their vote, but neither of them cast their vote until the outcome was known. Neither of them would make a second edition of "Profiles in Courage".

I don't know Burqa's definition of umpteenth, but I don't think 8 qualifies as indefinitely numerous. Sen. Biden made his 8th trip to Iraq since March of 03, given he is head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee I think it was wise to make the trip. It is difficult to dispute how things are going if you haven't been, or haven't been since the surge.

Sara, Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Sent Monday, September 10, 2007 10:50 AM)

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