Was Rove right about the Dem's cut-and-Run Iraq Strategy?
917947
Where was Rove anyway?
924188
I think Nancy Pelosi has some great leadership skills and will help set  a direction for the Democrats. I am and Independent who dislikes both parties but voted for Democrats this time as it is a time for a change. Whether it will be positive remains to be seen. I have not heard of a specific direction and program agenda that they have. I do hope for the sake of the nation both parties can get us headed in the right direction. Enough of the scare tactics by Bush regarding national security. Lets actually see what can be done here not abroad to make use safer. I don't care whether Iraq stands up as a democracy or goes down the toilet. They will tear each other up based upon 2000 years of violent history and sectarian violence. Typical third world mentality. We should not abandon them but we do need to start withdrawing.
897104
The timing was terrible looking, even if this was worked out before the election results was known! \n\n I like to think of it as "cut and run" because that is EXACTLY the same BS the far right Bush machine has pushed down our collective throat for far too long, and Rummy and Co gave very little or no indication that he was to resign beforehand, which makes calling him a "cut and run" type all the more satisfying as he richly deserves the mocking based solely on the timing and the incessant jeering they gave everyone else who didn't agree with the machine.
696572
Yes. I'm surprised to hear that he made such a common sense suggestion, but yes, I totally agree. We've been told repeatedly by this administration that the Iraqis want and need us there and are thankful for what we're doing, so why not find out straight from the horse's mouth, so to speak?
1159679
The Dems only talk. They will not back up what they say. Why?\nThey know if we pull out to soon we will let the good people of Iraq down and they will be murdered in mass numbers. This is what Bush has known and has stated. The Dems only want to play a verbal game with you.
1155020
I agree with you.  It also bothers me that the Republicans keep saying that the Dems always complain about the war but they don't have a plan.  Then when they do come up with a plan, the Reps tear it apart and then turn it around and make it their own.  Case in point: Gen. Casey's plan for troop withdrawl.  Dems had the same idea and the Reps shot it down.  Now they aren't saying anything since Casey is presenting it.  They won't call him a "cut and runner."  \nThat's another thing that bugs me.  "Cut and run."  That's bull!  It's not cutting and running, it's changing strategies and rethinking our plans.  You can't find many Democrats that are calling to bring all troops home from the middle east.  They want redeployment to Afghanastan where the REAL terrorist always was.  If we would have stayed there first, we wouldn't have the terrorist cells in such great numbers in Iraq.\nJohn Murtha may not know everything that is going on in Iraq...not many do...but he has more experience than anyone in the White House right now.  I'd take his word over any of theirs.  Dick Cheney is a weasel and a jerk for the way he has treated Mr. Murtha.
11223
at this point in time i would say he is definitely the right person for the job! let me state for the record that i am a democrat and frankly i am appalled at the tatics of my party. bush said from the beginning of our war on terror that this different type of war would be long, costly and ugly. i fail to see where he was not correct. \n  yeah lets listen to my party that wants to cut and run, that will send a real message to the terrorists... america has no stomach for the job and can simply be waited out.\n   come on ...bin laden thought he could attack us with impunity due to our reactions to the bombings of our marines in lebanon, the uss cole, the embassy bombings etc. he further believed that we could easily be defeated because in his own words, they had defeated the world's strongest military when they drove the soviets out of afghanistan. well he was wrong then and he and his kind are wrong now.it would be a shame for our military to win all the battles and have our politics cost them the war because we don't like body counts. all i can say is that if this same point of view ruled the day in world war 2  we would all be speaking german or japanese.  how quickly we forget that on 9-11 we were attacked without provocation and had over 3,000 fellow american citizens killed.  more than in the attack at pearl harbor!!!!\n did saddam attack us on 9-11? of course not, but once the war on terror started  iraq was a likely choice to be the next area of conflict.  look at the facts...iraq continually fired on us and coalition planes enforcing the no fly zones agreed upon as a condition of saddam's surrender after us and coalition forces drove him from kuwaite under un security council mandates. he used chemical weapons on the kurds,he kicked out the un weapons inspectors and impede them from competing their u n mandated mission of locating and destroying weapons of mass destruction. he further tried to manipulate the oil for food program so that he could continue the ressurection of his military.in spite of all those clear violations and over a decade of more resolutions and extended timetables and deadlines saddam would not comply with u n mandates. so it is obvious to me that more mandates and deadlines were useless and if he was not producing wmds why did he not cooperate with weapons inspectors?\n  when bush went to the u n to outline a plan, the u n would not even enforce its own mandates... big surprise there huh? our so called allies ..particularly those in europe had no backbone or taste for this dirty war, yet even today are demanding their right to participate in the rebuilding of iraq so they can make profits at the expense of american blood! they were quite willing to leave the dictator in power on the backs of his people so they could make a buck.  really, i must ask... am i the only democrat that sees this?\n oh and as an interesting side bar   saddam plotted to assasinate the first pres. bush..that in it self was justification to remove saddam from power...i dont care what your political party is, he wanted to assasinate the president of the u s a !\n regarding legal rights of terrorists and enemy combatants..it really is simple according to geneva convention rules, if you want the protection of geneva rules you must abide by them..if you do not,you forfeit your right to claim protection under them. for example you must be a uniformed combat soldier representing a country or government, you may not hide among or attack civillians.etc.  i say the terrorists fail on those counts alone. further more in the early stages og gulf war 2, they executed american pows another clear violation of geneva rules.\n  so to think that bush is somehow wrong for spying on good americans here at home who are e mailing or making phone calls to suspected terrorists abroad is so rediculous that it defies common sense. add to that the so called mistreatment of terrorist detainees, where were all the activists screaming about
964698
Normally when turmoil and disruption within an administration grows to a point, then every tactic is questioned, every move is revised and political bickering and infighting causes many plans to be changed and canceled, for want of something better to do.\n\nI think what Mr Karl Rove had in mind was discrediting and smear campaigns against the Democrats and it was attempted and failed. Mr. Rove is becoming a detriment to the already shell shocked and falling apart administration that I think you will have to admit, their days are numbered. \n\nCan anyone say Tuesday, November 7th, 2006? Can't say I feel sorry for George Bush, he has made his bed, and now the entire Republican party is going to have to sleep in it. \n\nDarryl S.
951837
There will be changes in the US policy.  Many Republicans will join with a majority of the Democrats to see that the policy is changed.  The Republicans do not want to go into the 2008 elections with the same mess that they went into this election.  Further, Gates will be able to solicit fair and honest assessments which Rumsfeld didn't want to hear and the military leaders were afraid to give him.  Bush will also be able to jump on ideas from the Baker Commission which I think will have proposals that Democrats can also live with.  The million dollar question is how Bush will define "victory in Iraq".  Certainly he will not just walk out without being able to declare "victory" in some fashion.  The definition will not bear any relation to the grandiose claims of the victory the Administration was proposing when Bush took us into this mess.
837510
Amen frydaddy.\n\nIt's the Karl Rove approach to god!  And it worked for the repubs for a long time.\n\n"Taking the high road is so boring!"  - Gandhi\n\n(ok, he didn't say it, but I'll bet he thought it sometimes)
960701
the war was lost long ago.  when the photos from our torture sessions at abu graihb came out.  (released by good military men who were anguished and disgusted by these war crimes.)\n\nanyway, james baker, of bush 41 and of the florida recount, ran a commission for bush 43 with proposals on iraq.  they finished up their report before the election and recommended withdrawal.\n\nthey want you to think 'dems' did this.\n\ndon't you get tired of being played like a fiddle by these right wing gangsters?
767869
I have a tendency to think right now that the democrats are just flexing their new found muscles.The New York Times this morning was all talk about how the democrats were only in a hurry about getting the Iraqi war situation in hand and establishing a withdrawal date.\nPolitics are all about compromise,both party's do it all the time.Neither will get all of what they want,its a trade off.There were a lot of moderate Democrats that were elected,not all are of the "lets give away the farm"attitude.\nI keep saying that each side of this issue are getting in too big a hurry to claim victory.After all what have the pro illegals won,yet? Nothing,the anti war /anti Bush faction won.I personally will take a wait and see stance on this.\nTime will tell the whole story.In the mean time,I'm contacting my states government,and this nations government officials and letting them know my views on immigration.The fights not over,its only just started.\nNo to blanket amnesty,\nsecure our borders
934853
Most people agree that the Bush administration was unwilling to seem as though they were changing their minds about the war in Iraq so close to the election, but that the decision was probably made a long time ago for Rumsfeld to leave. If you'll remember, there was talk several weeks ago that Bush was looking into the idea that perhaps the path that we were taking in Iraq wasn't the right one, but almost as quickly, Bush went right back to "stay the course". It appears they did not want to seem weak or appear to be "flip-flopping", to use their phrasing. But in reality, they've finally figured out that the war isn't working and the majority of the people in the US know it.
493606
god damn it! did he really? i thought for sure rove was going to get it again
869135
I think it partially a coincidence.  There has been talk of strategy for several months now.  Support for the war is dwindling.  Its a constant attack, its not getting much better.   And, anticipating a dem win, they probably figured, they need one really soon.\n\nI think its a combination of things forcing the issue.
653141
George Bush is a known liar, don't believe anything he says anymore. Great Idea, by the way. Bush declared victory in Iraq 3 years ago today. I say yes, send him, Cheney, Rummy, Conde and Rove if he doesn't get indited this week. They could all come together for the Bushes annual month of August vacation. They should all take their families along. With all the progress there and the newly elected democratic government, sounds like a great way to really prove to the American people what a great job he has done in the interest of our security. What a great peace mission this would be; gee, Americans might be impressed enough, to decide not to impeach GWB an his VP if they all made it back alive and with their limbs still attached.
849615
When I heard his criticism about how the democrats don't have a plan for getting out of Iraq, I wondered -- do the republicans?\n\nAfter all, they should've had a plan from the beginning. And, obviously they still don't have a plan.\n\nWhat a weak criticism - but it is one that appeals to the myopic cognitive dissonant right-wing ditto-heads.\n\nTuesday will tell.