Iraq President Says Democrats Reassuring

[sabra]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/09/AR2006110901298.html

Iraq President Says Democrats Reassuring
The Associated Press

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- President Jalal Talabani said Thursday that he had been assured by Democrat congressional leaders during a recent visit to Washington that they had no plans for a quick withdrawal of U.S. forces.

Talabani, a Kurd whose post is ceremonial, said Democrats also backed the idea of placing U.S. troops in bases while putting Iraqis in charge of security in and around cities.

"They all told me that they want the success of Iraq's democratically elected government and continued support for the Iraqi people to defeat terrorism," Talabani said about his trip to the United States in late September as many were predicting the Democratic congressional triumph in Tuesday's midterm elections.

"One of them (a Democrat leader) told me that any early withdrawal will be a catastrophe for the United States and the world," Talabani, speaking from his northern hometown of Sulaimaniyah, told the Dubai-based Al-Jazeera satellite broadcaster.

[ECH1969]

1. Iraq president says Democrats reassuring

President Jalal Talabani said Thursday that he had been assured by Democrat congressional leaders during a recent visit to Washington that they had no plans for a quick withdrawal of U.S. forces.

"They all told me that they want the success of Iraq ‘s democratically elected government and continued support for the Iraqi people to defeat terrorism"

Speaking about foreign fighters who are known to play a major role in the insurgency that killed thousands of Iraqis as well as U.S. troops, Talabani said the country was subject to a "foreign invasion."

He added that "200 fighters used to enter the country every day and now it is about 30 a day."

http://www.localnewswatch.com/benton/stories/index.php?action=fullnews&id=24834

[ECH1969]

2. Talabani is a Kurd I believe

[peacetalksforall]

3. Do you often feel like you are a ball in a passionate game where

the 'players' hit you with force, back and forth and every which way, and do it with determination to cause a result that you can't quite anticipate because it's all between 'players' and you, as the ball, have no say in it?

[ECH1969]

4. Interesting metaphor

[gratuitous]

5. Good news, Mr. Talabani

See, in our country, the Democrats actually like to govern. We're familiar with and comfortable with the rhythms and procedures of government. We don't always do it right, but we know that the government is, in many cases, the best apparatus for dealing with an issue and we are determined to make it work in this case.

The people who held the reins of government power did not believe in the power of the government, except insofar as it served their immediate ends. As such, they screwed up a lot of things -- sometimes on purpose, sometimes because it enriched them or their friends, sometimes because they just flat didn't know any better.

Look forward to a better day, Mr. Talabani; we in America certainly are.

[Joe Chi Minh]

6. Great post.