Kerry Adviser Sandy Berger Sees Potential 3 Year Force Presence in Iraq (CHIEF ADVISER berger)

PRNewswire ^ | 7/9/04 | various

[GailA]

Kerry Adviser Sandy Berger Sees Potential 3 Year Force Presence in Iraq

WASHINGTON, Jul. 09, 04 /PRNewswire/ --

WASHINGTON, July 9 /PRNewswire/ -- In a wide-ranging and exclusive interview with Bisnow on Business released today, former National Security Adviser Sandy Berger, now a chief foreign policy adviser to Senator John Kerry, says, in answer to a question about how long a "substantial U.S. force presence" might remain in Iraq: "I can certainly imagine us having a force there in three years. I hope it will be a smaller force."

In answer to a question about whether the U.S. is better off for having invaded Iraq, Berger says: "I don't think we're safer for having invaded Iraq ... I think over the long term Saddam constituted a threat. I think we would have had to deal with him at some point, but Iraq was not a terrorist problem before we invaded. Because of the nature of our invasion, the unilateral invasion and essentially unilateral occupation, Iraq has become a magnet for terrorists from around the world, so I don't think we're safer."

On whether Iraq is winnable or whether the U.S. should just "cut its losses": "I think it would be a huge mistake for us to cut and run, for us to withdraw prematurely even though the situation is messy. If we do that we will say essentially to adversaries around the world that if they can create enough American casualties, we leave ... That would be very bad for us. So we have to see this through, and if that requires more troops, we're going to have to do that."

Berger also discusses what Kerry would do differently from Bush in Iraq; whether the premises for invading were valid; who is to blame for wrong information about the presence of WMD; whether Saddam was really a threat to the U.S.; whether the U.S. is currently making progress; how many additional troops are needed; whether we need a draft; whether he would use the term "incompetence" in describing post-war planning; and whether he thinks John Edwards has adequate national security experience.

The full audio interview, as well as a transcript of excerpts, can be found at http://www.bisnow.com/. Bisnow on Business is one of the Internet's leading providers of exclusive audio interviews with political and business newsmakers. Bisnow's interviews are sent out by The Hill newspaper to Capital Hill readers each Monday morning.

Bisnow on Business CONTACT: Mark Bisnow of Bisnow on Business, +1-202-966-1200, or mark@bisnow.com

Web site: http://www.bisnow.com/

[combat_boots]

Maybe Hill wants his job........ /sarc.

[Teplukin]

Enough out of you, young man! Let's just wait until all the facts are in before drawing any conclusions. People who draw conclusions absent all the facts are called "Devotees of Michael Moore's"

Remember so, we are Freepers. Proud, courageous, defiant, indomitable, devoted to law, order and the rule of reason.

[doug from upland]

I'd rather have Berger do three years and the troops get to come back earlier.

[A Citizen Reporter]

"former National Security Adviser Sandy Berger, now a chief foreign policy adviser to Senator John Kerry,"

And just yesterday, prior to his resignation, the MSM was calling him an "informal" and "unpaid" foreign policy adviser to the Kerry campaign. The press demoted him in just 17 days, right before he resigned. Amazing.