Clinton says No timetables

[Limelight]

Former President Clinton has rebuffed calls for setting a definite timetable from withdrawl from Iraq in order not to lose leverage with the country's neighbors in negotiating for them to step in and help stop the pervasive violence.

"I think that we probably shouldn't set a definite timetable right now, because we don't want to lose all the leverage we have to get others in the surrounding countries to work with us, and to get the Iraqi political forces to try to get more and more people to choose politics over violence," Clinton said Thursday.

I know that goes against what many here have asserted, but frankly, the way that the country is falling to peices I agree with Bill. We leave the country in this state and this power vacuum, half set up by our dumbass president recently going out of their way to leak things that weaken Malaki, could pull Iran, Syria and other surrounding countries into what's not just a civil war but an ethnic cleansing war... Shia vs. Sunni vs. Kurds vs. God knows what else.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20061130/wl_mideast_afp/usiraqmilitaryclinton_061130144704

[Missy M]

1. What leverage do we have with Iraqs neighbors?

I think we have lost the ME in this mess.

[Eurobabe]

4. what leverage, you took the words right outta my mouth

we are so screwn over there. eom

[blm]

9. Leaving would GIVE US more leverage than staying does.

Clinton's wrong.

[Tellurian]

2. Yep, Bush sabotaged Malaki for one simple reason..

The Bush Administration doesn't WANT the War to End.
It's been too profitable..

[blm]

3. No timetable and regional leaders continue to feel no pressure to do THEIR part

which is to resolve their POLITICAL differences and bring their factions around to the decisions made.

Give them a date certain with reasonable room for leeway, but nothing OPEN-ENDED as Bush is doing.

[Selatius]

5. We ought to leave, or we will simply prolong the bloodshed.

This is not a war the US should be fighting. This is a full-blown civil war as much as it was a civil war between North Viêtnam and South Viêtnam. To stay will only prevent the inevitable conclusion of the war. The longer the fighting is prolonged, the more people will die. Millions died that didn't need to die because the US was too stubborn to admit it was wrong 40 years ago. Sure, you may not consider living under a communist dictatorship a very happy life, but having a life sure beats the hell out of dying under a B-52 dropping bombs.

We are witnessing something that was going to happen sooner or later. Iraq, by all means, is an artificial creation of the British Empire. It is a legacy of colonialism. Iraq only held together under the iron rule of dictators, and now that that glue has been removed, we are witnessing ethnic cleansing. This is not that different than when Yugoslavia shattered in ethnic cleansing after its dictator finally died.

Get the UN to run the show and pull out US troops. There is no goodwill left for US soldiers in Iraq. The UN will be the one to negotiate ceasefires the same way they were negotiated in Yugoslavia. Once the fighting stops, they can insert peacekeepers on the ground to separate potential combatants.

[madfloridian]

6. Rhetoric.

It is all words now, empty words. There is nothing we can do except an unconscionable killing.

It is empty rhetoric by politicians while our soldiers die and innocent Iraqis are slaughtered.

Bill Clinton of all people knew Iraq was no threat. Bottom line. No one ever responds when I say that, but he knew.

[blm]

11. Clinton knew plenty that he didn't share with other Democrats.

He has no problem sharing with Poppy Bush, though.

http://consortiumnews.com/2006/111106.html

[sandnsea]

7. Can't be a cut and runner

:eyes: We have chickenhawks and chicken littles. That country will never have peace as long as they can use our occupation as a recruitment tool, and the government will never compromise as long as they don't have to take responsibility for ending the violence. The Clintonistas have finally caught up to where Kerry was 2 years ago, I guess it'll take another 2 years for them to recognize we're making it worse, not better.

[IsItJustMe]

8. The same damn argument could be made 5, 10, 15 years from now. This type of argument is maddening

and circular. If that's your thinking, we will never leave.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

10. Clinton, like the neocons, is playing politics with people's lives.

The United States has become irrelevant in the ME. The participants are taking matters into their own hands and the "leverage" we have is nil. We are now reduced to the common enemy of all concerned.