On Monday, Congressman Harold Ford Jr. appeared on MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews to talk about the situation in Iraq.When asked what he thought of Vice President Dick Cheney's comments on Tuesday, Ford said he is now more confused.
Ford recalled the Vice President coming before the country and even small groups of Congress, re-enforcing the fact that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction and that Iraq and Osama Bin Laden would marry and that it was important for the United States to go to war.
Ford said that he and the country would respect the administration's position more if they would just come out and say a mistake was made in regards to the pre-war intelligence.
We are where we are now, Ford said. He added that, what we need right now are new ideas and strategies to crush the insurgency so we can plant seeds of democracy and bring our troops home.
The Congressman said he questions the logic behind the current approach in Iraq. The question now is, "Where do we go?"
Cutting off the insurgency should be the policy, Ford added.
He went on to say that staying the course is not working and that it is Congress's duty to hold the administration accountable and to find new ideas and new strategies and a winning approach on the ground in Iraq.
When asked if the American people would support staying in Iraq nine years as General George Casey suggested, Ford said the American people do not have that kind of patience. He noted that is especially true if we stay on the current course.
Although not sure if he agrees with Congressman John Murtha's entire resolution, Ford said he thought Congressman Murtha was right on several fronts.
He said he agrees with Murtha when he says that by election day next year, the United States will have withdrawn troops substantially or completly in Iraq.
The appetite for what we are doing right now will change, it will have to change, Ford points out. He added that if it does not, the people will demand the troops to be brought home from Iraq.
Ford said that if the United States changes the strategy and offers a new approach in regards to Iraq, one that involves the world community, partnering with Arab nations, and involves reducing our dependence on oil, the appetite to stay longer in Iraq may surface.
The Congressman asserted that the current appetite for what is going on right now in Iraq will not last much longer.
Iraqis want freedom and a different way of life, Ford declared. He added, the question is how do we stop the insurgency and stop or limit the causalities on our side.
Ford pointed out that Congress needs to have a serious discussion about Iraq. He noted that the withdrawal resolution that was put forth last Friday was the first time Congress has hand an open, honest, and intentional debate on Iraq in three years.
The Congressman concluded by saying that a debate on Iraq should happen right after the (Iraqi) election.
Comments: Once again, while his opponents sit back and bicker, attack, and mislead, Congressman Ford is working to find real solutions to tough problems such as Iraq.
Whereas Ford has worked tirelessly putting forth new ideas, strategies, etc. in regards to Iraq, his opponents have not said one word about the issue.
Their silence speak volumes. And their lack of concern is disturbing.
This country needs to have a serious discussion about the war in Iraq.
New ideas, new strategies, and new tactics need to be discussed along with the direction of the war.
The situation in Iraq is not helped one bit when Republicans attack Democrats who offer an alternative vision for the war or raise questions about the intelligence that was used in the lead up to the war.
It is time to get serious. Real questions require real answers. And this dire situation calls for a real discussion.
The American people deserve it.
I am proud that Harold Ford Jr. is fighting the good fight.
Related Topics
- Read Congressman Ford's letter to President Bush which details a plan for success in Iraq here!
- Read Congressman Ford's letter to the President regarding body armor here!
- Read Congressman Ford's op-ed on the war in Iraq here!
- Read Congressman Ford's letter to President Bush upon his return from Iraq here!
- Read Congressman Ford's comments about Iraq on MSNBC here!
- Read Congressman Ford's strong record of supporting our veterans here!
