Posted on 06/12/2005 5:49:17 PM PDT by Former Military Chick
WASHINGTON -- The military announced the killing of four more U.S. soldiers on Sunday, pushing the American death toll past 1,700.
The news comes as police found the bullet-riddled bodies of 28 people -- many thought to be Sunni Arabs -- buried in shallow graves or dumped streetside in Baghdad.
GOP Congressman Wants Iraq Timetable
A Republican lawmaker who voted for the Iraq war now says he supports a timetable for the United States to withdraw.
Rep. Walter Jones, R-N.C., told ABC's "This Week" that the U.S. has done about as much as it can do in Iraq. He said one of the main reasons for invading -- concern over Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction -- has proven false.
Jones will be among the lawmakers introducing legislation this week calling for a timetable for the withdrawal of American troops in Iraq.
President George W. Bush has said any timetable for withdrawal would encourage insurgents to wait for the foreign troops to leave. But Jones said he believes the Iraqis can defend their own country.
Jones said he began changing his mind about the war after attending the funeral of a U.S. service member killed in Iraq.
Cheney Nixes Idea Of Closing Guantanamo
Vice President Dick Cheney said Sunday there are no plans to close the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, despite calls from members of both political parties to do so.
The prison holds "bad people" captured in the war on terror, Cheney said in an interview to be broadcast Monday on on Fox News Channel's "Hannity and Colmes" show. Most of the prisoners are "hard core" terrorists, Cheney said.
Time magazine is reporting on an 84-page document detailing the Guantanamo interrogation of one detainee, Mohamed al-Qahtani.
Time says al-Qahtani is suspected of being the 20th hijacker involved in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks; he was captured during the war in Afghanistan.
Time says interrogators at Guantanamo used such techniques as dripping water on al-Qahtani's head; strip-searching him and making him stand nude; and depriving him of sleep.
The account also says that after receiving fluid intravenously because he was dehydrated, al-Qahtani was told to urinate in his pants by interrogators who refused his request to use the bathroom.
The Defense Department said in response to the story that the interrogation "was guided by a very detailed plan and conducted by trained professionals motivated by a desire to gain actionable intelligence."
The Pentagon says al-Qahtani provided valuable information on the logistics of the attacks.
Human rights activists and some lawmakers are pressing for the prison to be closed because of allegations of torture and abuse of detainees.
The prison in Cuba holds about 540 detainees. Some have been there more than three years without being charged with any crime.
Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., told CNN's "Late Edition" that Guantanamo is one reason the U.S. is "losing the image war around the world."
Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., scoffed at the notion detainees at the U.S. prison are being abused.
On "Fox News Sunday," he read from the detainees' food menu, which included orange glazed chicken, fresh fruit and rice pilaf. He said sarcastically that he sent for the menu "so that average Americans could understand how we're brutalizing people in Guantanamo."
On Friday, Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Fla., added his voice to to those seeking to close the prison.
"It's become an icon for bad stories," he said.
Also speaking on Fox Friday morning, Washington's director for Human Rights Watch called the prison "a legal black hole" that needs to be overhauled or closed down.
Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., agreed, telling NBC's "Meet The Press" that the "status quo is dangerous." He's called for a commission to look into the prison and determine its fate.
Also on Friday, an Amnesty International official reaffirmed the human rights group's call for the closure of the camp.
Board chairman Chip Pitts repeated the characterization that the facility is a "gulag" during an appearance before the House Judiciary Committee.
Earlier in the week, former President Jimmy Carter also clalled for the closure of the prison.
French Journalists Describe Captivity
A French journalist is back home in France, looking thinner but radiant after five months as a hostage in Iraq.
Speaking to reporters at an airport outside Paris, she told of being held in an Iraq cellar in "difficult conditions," tied up, blindfolded and given little water.
She says she was recently unbound and allowed to watch French television. She was moved to see a news ticker counting off her 140th day of captivity.
When she stepped off the plane, she was greeted by French President Jacques Chirac, who kissed her on the cheek. She spent the first minutes of her homecoming embracing her family.
A party is planned for her tonight at a square in Paris.
dupe
Perle and his buddy Iranian Agent Chalabi leads us to Iraq so we would lose credibility and now wont act against Iran's REAL nuclear threat. And we took care of Iran's competition for hegemony in the Middle East. The idea we will create democracy in the Middle East while appeasing Islamists is ridiculous. Islam and Democracy are to contradicting things. The people in Iraq want security first until then they dont give a damn about DEMOCRACY. All the money we are investing in Iraq will all be used against us, as Iran gains more influence their.
"A Republican lawmaker who voted for the Iraq war now says he supports a timetable for the United States to withdraw. "
Sure, lets just announce the date that we will bail out... that'll sure defeat those terrorists !
I think it is important to stand up for what you believe in. But, I did not call anyone any names only that this is perhaps the sign of things to come.
If someone feels certain that this is wrong than state their position and what they offer as a resolution, if you do not provide that it is difficult to follow your end of the debate.
Thanks for the comment.
The resolution to this conflict with Islam will only end when we become energy independent and cut off all foreign aid, while destroying all Muslim nuclear facilities.
Currently we are addicted to Muslim oil and that is what can cause us to lose the War.
This is just exposing how many politicians are mental midgets. How many are so plain stupid as to be out manuvered by reporters?
How many are just being patsies for their cocktail, inside the beltway friends on the other side of the isle?
Seriously if you ever meet politicians in real life you realize how intellectually challenge some of them really are.
and withdrawing from Iraq gives us more leverage over Iran how?
If anything Iran will be embolden
Within one year we would lose Afghanistan as well. The tatics used to drive America out of Iraq would be used in Afghanistan
Bin Laden said he was inspired to commit 9-11 by america's cowardice in Somalia, what do you think would happen if we turned tail and ran from Iraq?
Do you think we would retaliate for a nuclear attack on NYC, or would we just weep and cowar? It doesnt matter what we'd do, if Bin Laden thinks we would weep and cowar, then we're dead
If we quit Iraq, the USA will be the weak horse, Al Qaeda, the strong horse
But given that, Bush is a very poor communicator on the WOT
I have extraordinary faith in our military institution. Conversely, I have great contempt for most political animals.
No. It will only end when Islam is vanquished.
Well part of getting Islam to vanish is becoming energy independent and cutting of aid to them.
Remember last spring 2004 US troops raided property of Chalabi and they said he was leaking information to Iran.
Chalabi fled the country and went back to Tehran, furthermore he is a Shia Muslim.
Of course I could ignore all that and just live in bliss like you by drinking the Kool Aid.
Did I say withdraw from Iraq?
The fact is their were mistakes and it was Iran that wanted us to invade Iraq.
We were suckered into it, the only solution will be to blast away Iraninan nuclear facilities, become energy independent and cut off all aid to Muslim Countries.
Without the wealth and support of the West the Muslim world will collapse, any attempt by them to threaten us must be met with brute force.
The current Bush plan of trying to enlighten them with democracy will not work. Security is the most important and first thing a governmnet must provide, and the current Iraqi government is not providing that.
If the Iraqi government does not like our methods then let them use their own troops, and if Iraqis do not want to defend their country then ignore them because they are useless.
Did I say our military is doing a bad job?
It is our politicians doing a bad job.
Our bureaucrats who are tying the hands our troops who are doing a bad job.
The sensitive PC War we war fighting in Iraq is a war we will lose.
Not because of our troops but because of our politicians and bureaucrats.
I also wonder when the War in Iraq is going to start winding down . . .
Walter Jones is no liberal, either.
True, but the whole of vanquish means to defeat Islam and cause it to fall into utter ruin.
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