Defense Secretary: Horray for Democrats!

[NickCole]

AMMAN, Jordan, April 17 -- The decision by anti-American Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr to withdraw ministers loyal to him from the Iraqi cabinet could advance political reconciliation if the vacancies are used to broaden the government's representation, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said Tuesday.

Gates, on a Middle East tour, called for a range of efforts from inside and outside Iraq to speed up the formation of a broad-based government of Iraq's majority Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish factions.

Toward that end, Gates said demands in the U.S. Congress for a timeline to withdraw American troops from Iraq are constructive because they exert pressure on Iraq's leaders to forge compromises.

"The debate in Congress . . . has been helpful in demonstrating to the Iraqis that American patience is limited," Gates told Pentagon reporters traveling with him in Jordan. "The strong feelings expressed in the Congress about the timetable probably has had a positive impact . . . in terms of communicating to the Iraqis that this is not an open-ended commitment."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/17/AR2007041700441.html?hpid=topnews

Kudos to the Democratic majority.

 

[Sausy]

Finally someone in the Bush administration who gets it,and understands the need for bipartisan cooperation on the policy in Iraq...not the my way or the highway Bush approach,which has been a lamentable complete failure that has resulted in a situation where the risk of a collapse of any semblance of security and unity is perilously real.Too bad it took this long for common sense to prevail.

 

[NickCole]

Finally someone in the Bush administration who gets it,and understands the need for bipartisan cooperation on the policy in Iraq...not the my way or the highway Bush approach,which has been a lamentable complete failure that has resulted in a situation where the risk of a collapse of any semblance of security and unity is perilously real.Too bad it took this long for common sense to prevail.

Oh stop being reasonable and smart.

No fun goading anybody today!

 

[White Eagle]

thank God that someone is smarter than bush.
Y'all know that Gates is an Aggie don't y'all?
Gig 'em Gates!!!!

 

[CGHJ]

If only he'd been the SecDef from the start

Honestly I don't know enuf about him to totally back him or anything...maybe he's an ass and I just don;t know it, but he's sure better than Rumsfeld who was out there proving he was an ass every damned day.

 

[Sausy]

Oh stop being reasonable and smart.

No fun goading anybody today!

Oh,I'll probably raise your blood pressure at some point...too liberal for the conservatives and too conservative for the liberals! But when I see something truly wrong or truly right,it doesn't matter what party was responsible and why,they'll hear me praise them or rip them to shreds.You can say I'm truly bi.......partisan!

 

[Centexfarmer]

thank God that someone is smarter than bush.
Y'all know that Gates is an Aggie don't y'all?
Gig 'em Gates!!!!

I'm just thankful that he's not a "neocon" like Rumsfeld.

 

[jackoroe]

I don't care much who gets it done, I'd like the Iraqis to take responsibility for their own destiny as soon as possible. I'd like for our boys and girls to get home as soon as they complete the job.

 

[NickCole]

^^^ Well thank goodness Democrats won control of Congress because Republicans sure weren't getting it done, and further they've tried to obstruct Democratic efforts.

 

[fun_guy24]

Yeah Gates! I posted a while ago when he was first appointed and thought we'd see an improvement or at least moves in the right direction. It's about time.

 

[jackoroe]

^^^ Well thank goodness Democrats won control of Congress because Republicans sure weren't getting it done, and further they've tried to obstruct Democratic efforts.

Don't get so full of yourself just yet. It ain't over.

 

[slobone]

Oh yeah, this guy's really in touch with reality. Having one of the most powerful factions in Iraq withdraw from the government is really a step in the right direction. What does he think they're going to do, go home and spend more time with their families?

And a deadline for withdrawal will indeed concentrate the minds of those who are participating in the government, but what good will that do? The day we leave (which is probably not going to be in my lifetime), the existing government will collapse and the civil war will begin for real.

There is no way, between now and then, that any group of Iraqis, no matter how well-intentioned, can set up a government that will be viable enough to survive a US departure. It just ain't gonna happen.

Which means that there will never be a moment when a US president (Republican or Democratic) will be able to say, OK, that's it, that's good enough for us, we're outta there.

All of which makes me hate Bush even more, for putting both the US and Iraq in a truly no-win situation. What a jerk he is.

EDIT: In other words, wishful thinking doesn't cut it, regardless of whether it's the Democrats or the Republicans doing the wishing.

 

[Ramindra]

It ain't over.

It certainly ain't! How many died today? 130 and counting?

 

[Sausy]

It certainly ain't! How many died today? 130 and counting?

Just too much senseless death ,senseless barbarism.We traded in a ruthless dictator for for escalating factional anarchy...if this is where we will end up,not worth the dead and maimed,American or Iraqi.