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Home Front
Home again, Hillary bashes Bush
2003-12-03
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, fresh from her own trip to Iraq, accused President Bush yesterday of conducting the war by a "political calendar," saying he had dispatched the wrong "mix of troops" to secure the country and that victory "is not certain." In an interview on NBC’s "Today" show early yesterday, the New York Democrat said her war-zone visit last weekend "with not only the military, but the civilian American representatives" revealed that "clearly what we’re doing now is not an effective strategy."
Ah declare, I am so suh-prised, ah feel faint!
Success in rebuilding Iraq, she said, can only come with the involvement of the United Nations, which has hosed most everything it's ever done but might not hose this been reluctant to aid U.S. efforts in the country and has reduced personnel in response to a string of terrorist attacks.
Hillary’s plan depends upon the cowardly lion finding his courage. Brilliant.
"We need to get the U.N. back in as quickly as possible to internationalize this," Mrs. Clinton told "Today." "We need the legitimacy of the United Nations in order to get Dubya out of office in 2008 but not before move forward." Mrs. Clinton also told the Associated Press while touring Iraq on Friday that the United States could not be certain of victory in Iraq. "We have to exert all of our efforts militarily, but the outcome is not assured," Mrs. Clinton said.
And remember, death is not an option: who is more defeatist, Hillary or Hans Blix? Discuss.
The senator’s message was a striking contrast to that of Mr. Bush, who told cheering troops during a surprise trip to Baghdad a day before Mrs. Clinton arrived that there is no doubt that "we will prevail." 
For one thing, we don't have a choice. It won't be easy because the enemy doesn't have a choice, either.
"We will win because our cause is just," Mr. Bush said on Thanksgiving Day. "We will win because we will stay on the offensive. We will win because you’re part of the finest military ever assembled. And we will prevail because the Iraqis want their freedom."
I’m feeling good again. Must be the pretzels.
Speaking with the handful of reporters who accompanied him to Iraq on Thursday on the secret Air Force One flight, Mr. Bush said walking into the mess hall to greet members of the 82nd Airborne Division was "an emotional moment." "The energy level was beyond belief," he said en route home. "I mean, I’ve been in front of some excited crowds before, but this was — the place truly erupted and I could see the look of amazement and then look of appreciation on the kids’ faces. Working the crowd, a soldier said to me: ’I’m so glad you came. Thanks for coming. It’s important for us to know that the people of America support us.’ The fact that the president would come confirms that in this soldier’s mind. And I think it confirmed it in a lot of soldiers’ minds."
That's a better message than Hillary's statement that "the troops seemed to appreciate seeing myself."
Asked on "Today" whether the president’s Thanksgiving Day trip to Baghdad was a morale booster or merely a politically staged photo op, Mrs. Clinton said, "I think it was both."
And no one knows staged photos ops better than Bill Hillary!
"I applaud the president. It sends a message of support," she said. "But on the other hand it isn’t a substitute for a plan to increase security or to eventually create more independence for Iraqis."
"And everybody knows you can't possibly have both."
Mrs. Clinton also accused the Bush administration of putting politics over sound policy in Iraq. "I think an exit strategy, unfortunately, is being driven by our political calendar, not necessarily what’s in the best interest of a long-term, stable Iraq," she said.
Ibid.
Mrs. Clinton also told AP that military personnel with whom she had spoken wanted to know "how the people at home feel about what we are doing." Mrs. Clinton said she told the troops, "You’re DOOOOOMED!" "Americans are wholeheartedly proud of what you are doing, but there are many questions at home about the administration’s policies."
"Us Dems are the ones who're asking them."
Republican consultant Scott Reed called the comments "un-American." 
French, to be specific...
"Any member of the U.S. Senate should be supporting our troops 100 percent," Mr. Reed said. "It sounds like Senator Clinton has been stung by the fact that President Bush overshadowed her trip to Iraq and left her as an after-story. So to break into the debate, she’s had to take the low road." Leon Panetta, former Clinton administration chief of staff, said he wouldn’t "second-guess" Mrs. Clinton’s trip to Iraq, and was glad that she had prefaced criticism of Mr. Bush’s conduct of the war with pro-forma support for the troops. "Obviously, policy differences will be presented, but I think those battles need to be fought here in this country," Mr. Panetta said. "I think when it comes to visiting our troops, it’s important to let them know that the country is supporting their mission. The Democrats Both parties need to be clearer about that message."
Gee, I thought Dubya was pretty clear.
As to whether troops would get the wrong message by hearing criticism of their commander in chief from a sitting senator, Mr. Panetta said that "our troops are pretty smart, smart enough to know that Sen. Clinton is a two-faced witch."
"Really. They're smarter'n whips. You can say anything to them, tell them they're dirtbags, and they'll know what's really true. In Gulf War I, Sammy told 'em that while they were getting ready to fight in Kuwait, Tom Selleck and Bart Simpson were back home, doinking their wives. They knew it was a lie. Picked right up on it, in fact."
Despite Mrs. Clinton’s criticism of the president’s Iraq policy, Mr. Panetta said she and Mr. Bush are pursuing the same goal. "Both the president as well as Mrs. Clinton are pretty much saying the same thing right now," Mr. Panetta said. "We’ve got to provide a transition of authority to the Iraqis as quickly as possible."
Other than Bush saying we’ll stay as long as it takes, and honoring our people, and Hillary saying we need the UN and to turn tail and run, yep, message’s the same. Leon, Leon, how did you ever get so desparate?
Posted by:Steve White

#12   Good news:Hillary will NOT run in 2004 because she did learn one thing from Bill,"its the economy stupid!".With evidence the economy is improving no way Bush can be defeated.
Really,really bad news:Hillary will run in 2008,so we are going to be constantly hearing from her for next 5 years.Especially since liberal-left holdouts in the press will be looking at Hillary as their saviour.
Posted by: Stephen   2003-12-3 3:44:41 PM  

#11  I wonder who Hillary hired as her military "expert". She should immediately fire him/her - she learned NOTHING from her experience, and still knows squat about the US military and the people that fill it. To have someone who is a Senator on the Armed Services Committee who is so lacking in knowledge is a grave concern for this nation. The people of New York, who elected this walking ego, should be ashamed of themselves.
Posted by: Old Patriot   2003-12-3 3:12:23 PM  

#10  I am just saddened that the Jr. Shrew from NY doesn't jump into the Presidential race. How great would it be for Bush to beat the chief poster gal for the Demoncrats? The day after the election, the DNC Chairman would say something like: "Apparently there has been wide-spread voter fraud because we cannot understand why Senator Clinton failed to secure a single delegate." Yup 2004 is going to be a bumpy ride folks, strap in and get ready.
Posted by: Cyber Sarge (VRWC CA Chapter)   2003-12-3 1:13:41 PM  

#9  Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, fresh from her own trip to Iraq, accused President Bush yesterday of conducting the war by a "political calendar," saying he had dispatched the wrong "mix of troops" to secure the country and that victory "is not certain."

The operative words here are "fresh from her own trip to Iraq", meaning, this criticism came after she left there. Way to go, Senator! No use peddling a worthless little "message" to an unreceptive and possibly hostile crowd. :)
Posted by: Bomb-a-rama   2003-12-3 12:41:06 PM  

#8  Has anyone noticed how many times Hillary's name appears on an equivalent level w. that of the President in that article? We all know her motives, and it seems that the media is being utterly complicit (Ethel, Get My Pills!=EGMP) in her desire to present HERSELF as an equal but alternative choice to Bush...I'm not entirely convinced she won't run in '04...
Posted by: mjh   2003-12-3 10:59:15 AM  

#7  I'm suprised she took so long to bash Bush. I thought she would have started as soon as she left Iraqi air space.
Posted by: Charles   2003-12-3 10:36:29 AM  

#6  Can anyone visualize that ass-wipe HELL-ary as POTUS? I honestly cannot.
Posted by: alaskasoldier   2003-12-3 9:53:12 AM  

#5  Usually a fact finding mission entails keeping one's mouth shut and one's ears open. It figures Billary couldn't even accomplish that simple task right.
Posted by: Jarhead   2003-12-3 8:25:49 AM  

#4  "We need the legitimacy of the United Nations...

That's pretty funny Hillary. Changing your plans from president to standup comic?

saying he had dispatched the wrong "mix of troops" to secure the country and that victory "is not certain."

Well put, Hillary, except you are your hubby did everything they could to punish the military for being the military. The resulting 'force mix', for all of your efforts to deprecate our defense capability was way more than needed.

As for the 'victory is not certain' remark: You are a defeatist socialist traitor. You can start removing this tag by:

1) Apologizing to the troops in Iraq, beginning with the commander in chief for your defeatist comments.

2) State without equivocation that you and your husband will stand by Bush as he prosecutes the war as silent and willing participants.

3) You renounce your socialist tendencies and admit to the world your goal has been destruction of the United States.

Signal your willingness to comply by writing an $8 million check to military.com... Maybe shoot some money over to my website too.
Posted by: badanov   2003-12-3 8:19:50 AM  

#3  Good point Ben, but remember back in May that pig in a pantsuit was bellowing that our quick victory in Iraq was made possible by the "Clinton" military. Its a testament to our guys that their able to do more with less.
Posted by: Mike   2003-12-3 7:44:47 AM  

#2  Over the Clinton years, 8 regular Army divisions, 2 reserve divisions, 20 Air Force and Navy air wings (about 2,000 planes), 13 SSBN, 4 aircraft carriers, and 121 other ships and submarines were cut. Now complains we don't have enough troops and tools to do the job.

Which is why her reception in Iraq and Afghanistan was "polite". Our troops are pretty smart.
Posted by: Ben   2003-12-3 4:17:56 AM  

#1  HILLARY, in a new gray green pants suit from De Spiel, said I'm very concerned! She was also quoted as saying "whats the problem?"
Posted by: Lucky   2003-12-3 1:33:35 AM  

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