Sen. Clinton to spend Thanksgiving with troops in Afghanistan, visit Iraq

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/ny-bc-ny--clintonabroad1125nov25,0,1959426.story?coll=ny-ap-regional-wire

November 25, 2003, 5:45 PM EST


WASHINGTON -- Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton will spend Thanksgiving in Afghanistan before traveling to Iraq with a former Army paratrooper turned senator to meet with soldiers and ask questions about the United States' ongoing nation-building efforts.

The former first lady and Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., have both been critical of the administration's handling of post-combat problems in the war on terrorism, particularly after major military operations ended in Iraq.

Clinton and Reed said Tuesday they were concerned about the current efforts to win the "hearts and minds" of Iraqis.

"This administration is run by people who have been obsessed with Saddam Hussein for more than a decade," Clinton said. "And the fact that they could have been so poorly informed and prepared raises a lot of serious questions about the decisions they are making now."

Reed said he is worried "the administration seems to be rushing toward an exit strategy" in Iraq by transferring power as quickly as possible to civilian police authority.

The trip marks Clinton's first fact-finding mission abroad as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

<snip>

[MasonJar]

1. Good job, Hilary

I wish you were my senator.

[RobertSeattle]

2. I like the "obsessed with Saddam Hussein" line

She shoots, she scores!

[54anickel]

3. HA! Let's see Shrub and Frumpy take this trip.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

5. That was exactly my thought when I first read this piece.

He wouldn't dare, and we probably couldn't afford it anyway.

[PaDUer]

10. uh oh...watch out

Hillary...Don't trust them..too many "accidents" have been happening...

[Voltaire99]

41. Exactly. She probably has more to fear from the troops than Iraqis.

That's Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly's army over there, Hillary. And they don't like you.

[demdave]

58. BUSH DID!!!!

breaking news

[Cloud]

4. I wonder what the freeps are saying?

You know how they always say "Hitlery" is unpatriotic and all liberals hate America?

She is doing a hell of a lot more than Bush will ever do for our troops. Visiting them on thanksgiving is support and patriotism all the way.

[soothsayer]

28. they're upset (hee hee)

here's my favorite part of a post (so far):

She has absolutely NO experience at internation affairs and that is her mission.

Can you already see the networks lead-ins. Sickening.
Senator Clinton Greets the Troops".
"Senator Clinton Gives Support from the troops But Wants them Home.", etc.

###

Not like their beloved boob in the WH and HIS vast internation affairs experience. lol! what a bunch of hypocrites

[TEXASYANKEE]

45. WTF?

"No experience in international affairs"???? Did that Freeping Bozo sleep through the 8 years she was First Lady? When she travelled all over the globe and met every foreign dignitary?? These people absolutely NEVER fail to astound me ... no experience in international affairs. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA ....

[Richardo]

6. Wow! I'm very proud of her...

...more class, courage and patriotism than Boy George could ever imagine.

[prolesunited]

7. I certainly hope

they don't have any "accidents." :scared:

It will be interesting to see the RW whip themselves into rabid frenzy over this one. So, what are some of the ways they are going to try to spin this into a negative for her?

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

8. I think I can already smell the stink from freeperland once they

get hold of this story. The venom and bile they spew is astounding in its purile juvenilia.

[leesa]

52. "Hanoi Jane" comes to mind. The RWingers are insane. Good for Hillary

Every time she's on a committee she is dubbed unqualified. She is an intelligent lawyer with many years of international experience. Had her health care plan been passed by the idiot Republicans, we would not be in the mess we are in today in the health care industry. But she's a woman, therefore incapable of anything except cooking and cleaning.

[ClintonTyree]

9. Meanwhile, back at the "ranch"..............

The Chimp will be gathering with a few friends planning next October's "surprise". The Chimp sure has a lot to be thankful for this year, he's stolen skillions of dollars from the Treasury this year, and gotten away with it!

[theHandpuppet]

42. I suspect...

...Bush will be entirely too busy giving a drooling Tweety Matthews a private fashion show to visit the troops. The only thing that interests Bush about the troops is what they're wearing that might make him look "manly". Shall it be the flight suit or Ike jacket for the Thanksgiving meal? Ah well, in any case Tweety will want the drumstick!

[Malva Zebrina]

11. Good for her

and where will the frump and George the terrible be on Thanksgiving? Crawford~! and will we see photo ops of a quiet liitle a family get together complete with stuffing?--will their children be photographed celebrating Thanksgiving, that most special of all American Holidays, with their beloved parents--a la Rockwell? --my intuition tells me that Georgie and his fat assed frump will be celebrating with one too many drinks as they hide out in sparsly beautiful, arid, dry gulch, Crawford, 1600 acre "ranch", plotting their next trip abroad for the photp ops. It is ANOTHER VACATION lol, let them eat cake.

Laura would, probably, like to go back to old Europe-Poland, and the like-where she was adored as a princess in spite of the fact that she could not say a comprehensive, intelligent word because of the smile that was permanently glued onto her face.:shrug: She did, however, get to shop and eat out as she stated she was wont to do, though. That was her main accomplishment,if I remember. I do also remember seeing pictures of her in a pastry shop.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

12. I hope they use their own planes and security forces.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

13. I hope they use their own security forces, pilots and planes.

[MoonAndSun]

15. HRC still has her Secret Service protection, and they will

make sure nothing happens to her.

[goforit]

14. This is a guttsy move on both their parts.

Hmmmm........May they have a safe and productive journey.

I salute you both!

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

43. In addition to having plenty of security, I imagine that public opinion

makes it safer for Senator Clinton than GW Bush to travel anywhere.

[otohara]

16. But Hillary, You Voted Knowing

they were obsessed w/ Saddam and would do or say anything to get thier war on. While in Iraq, please take a long hard look at what you helped happen.

[Myra]

20. Thank you otohara; Hillary *did* vote to send them there.

The least she can do to go pay 'em a visit.
What's left of 'em anyway.

I think everyone who voted to trade blood for oil
should be forced to stay over there with the dying
soldiers and murdered Iraqis until the occupation
is ended.

[shamanstar]

32. no vote for her from me

the day she voted to send those troops over was the day i promised i would never vote for her if she were ever to run for president

[freethought23]

48. Me neither.

I decided that a long time ago. She is the Platonic Form of every fish-cold corporate lawyer who ever scammed a client.

[Skittles]

50. I have tried

but I am having a very hard time forgiving Dems who voted the IWR. It's mind-boggling, the absolute stupidity. Maybe it is unforgivable.

[Myra]

59. I'm pretty sure I'll never be able to forgive them

The betrayal is just too big and too bloody.
It's a bummer, 'cause I would have backed Hillary
for any office including President. But she blew it.

Now she goes over there on a PR blitz...just like Bush.
I wonder how many soldiers over there would have prefered
a "no" vote on the IWR to a photo-op visit.

[karlschneider]

34. Shrub and his gang deceived a LOT of people back then (as if now is not

different).

Plenty of congresspeople have admitted they were wrong when they voted for the IWR. The same cannot be said for Chimpy.

[otohara]

37. Not Good Enough

Hillary knows so much more than Bush. Her now complaints are falling on my deaf ears.

[Skittles]

51. I agree

WE knew it was wrong - I expect my reps to be smarter than me.

[mlawson]

17. Is Big Dog going, as well?

Would that be a good idea, or would the State Dept flatly nix it??

How about Hillary, Reed, and Al Gore making the visits??

[LastTime2BeFree]

22. Do the two still spend time together?

Is their marriage still a happy one and do they sleep together?

[Bandit]

23. Why should you care? That seems mighty personal to me

But of course to the GOP things like that really matter as long as those questions aren't asked about them. How about you. Do you still sleep with the farm animals? :shrug: just kidding of course.

[mlawson]

24. I have no idea, but at least a real President would be visiting

the soldiers. And not the one who sent them there...

[leetrisck]

29. Yes

they do

[TEXASYANKEE]

46. Don't know, don't care.

Their personal life is none of our business.

[caledesi]

54. Bill and Hill are still on their lst marriage, unlike most Repug

pols who are on their 2nd or 3rd "trophy wife." And if they aren't doing that, they are busy fathering children by their mistresses (Hello Dan Burton? Does your "love child" have your surname? I doubt it.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

18. aww jays'us....bushco will plan an attack on where she will be staying

and blame "insurgents".......i don't like this

[mlawson]

21. I hadn't thought of that!!

You are absolutely correct. It could happen.

[kskiska]

19. Junior only travels where he can stay in a palace…

and even there, he has to bring his own pillow and his own cooks.

[0007]

25. May Hillary come back safe and sound to us.

[Fridays Child]

36. Amen.

[soothsayer]

26. She rocks!

What a great move, in stark contrast to whistleass.

Hope she stays safe...!

[Malva Zebrina]

27. I would love to see some photos of Hillary

being praised by the Iraqi people. Hugged and adored. I would love to see that, in lieu of the attacks on our soldiers because of Bush's policies and his stupdidity. I would just love to see it--Hillary being praised by the Iraqi people.

[ldf]

30. i would love to see hillary

being praised and hugged by our american troops. i think they may have a different outlook, now that they have had three years of the anti-clinton.

[BayCityProgressive]

31. Well she is smart..

She is not only not disclosing her time of travel but has her own secret service. I appreciate her efforts in behalf of women's rights aroound the world. You know, Hillary has been bashed a lot for voting for the resolution and even my myself support some wars. I supported the first gulf war. I think if the iraq confrontation would have been about humanitarian aid estyablishing a real democracy, unions, healthcare, free speech and a better life for Iraqis i wouldnt have been so opposed but this was nothing but a war for resources.

[leesa]

53. The US does not care about humanitarian reasons and even if we

HAD a right to impose "democracy" on another nation, which we certainly don't, we are a POOR model of democracy.

[aquart]

33. Good. She should see what she voted for.

The shock of that is still bitter gall.

[Fleshdancer]

35. Well it's about time someone stands up and acts like the President

of this country! Someone tell bush to take notes...or make someone else take notes and then re-create the story using brightly colored illustrations, whatever works.

on edit: I hope she takes her husband with her just to piss off the neocons.

[Politicub]

38. Hillary makes Bush look like the mental midget he really is

BWAHAHAHA - this is brillant. Georgie Porgie and Loony Laura will be lounging at the ranch in Crawford, while Hillary will be all over the news virtue of her visit to the troops.

Good for her. This must be driving the freepfreaks bonkers. Put some ice on it freepers... lol

[newyawker99]

44. Hi Politicub!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

47. Welcome to DU, Politicub!

:toast:

[Ferretherder]

49. I agree about Hillary making * look like a mental midget, but,...

...don't hold your breath, Politicub, waiting for the 'liberal' media to have her 'all over the news' on this....unless they can spin this trip as some personal political attack against our beloved resident.

[number6]

39. very brave

she won't have 900 man gestopo force like Emperror Smirk.

[Catherine Vincent]

40. Good luck to you Senator Clinton and be safe!

In the meantime, may I keep the big dog warm for you until you get back? :evilgrin: :7

[Blitz]

56. Well, at least YOU ask permission

;)

[aquart]

55. How long is she scheduled to be there?

[tedzbear]

57. Too bad her visit has been overshadowed by Bush.

His surprise visit to the Baghdad airport has definitely rained on her parade. I hope she makes a point to compare her multiple days visit with Bush's two hour stop over.