Byrd blasts Bush over Iraq

Post by **LadyTevar** » 2004-04-30 09:50am

from Charleston Gazette, 4/30/04

Iraq war a failure, U.S. not safer, Byrd says

By Paul J. Nyden
Staff Writer

One year after President Bush announced “Mission Accomplished” on the deck of aircraft carrier U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln, Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va, warned that the war in Iraq is turning increasingly deadly and disastrous to national security and world peace.

“Eager to experience the thrill of a carrier landing, the president donned a flight suit, strapped into a jet, and rocketed off into the wild blue yonder for a 30-mile journey,” Byrd said in a speech to the Senate Thursday.

“This flight of fancy concluded with the dramatic landing of that speeding plane onto the deck of an aircraft carrier.

“The president announced unequivocally that ‘major combat operations in Iraq have ended,’ and that ‘in the battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed.’”

Bush made his speech last May 1, after U.S. forces marched into Baghdad, toppling the regime of Saddam Hussein.

Today, one year later, more than five times as many U.S. soldiers have died. April was the bloodiest month, seeing more than 120 Americans lose their lives.

Byrd called the Iraq invasion “a war that should not have been fought, a war in the wrong place, at the wrong time, for the wrong reasons.”

Byrd also disagrees with Bush, believing ongoing operations in Iraq are making it easier for Islamist terrorist groups to recruit new members.

“The invasion of Iraq has stoked the fires of terrorism against the United States and our allies,” Byrd said. “Najaf is smoldering. Fallujah is burning. ... Are we starting to fully comprehend and regret the fury which has been unleashed by the unprovoked attack on Iraq?

“Our brave soldiers are pinned down in Iraq while our enemies see the invincible American armor as penetrable by the sword of urban guerrilla warfare. No, America is not safer.”

Noting that thousands of Iraqi civilians have already been killed and wounded, Byrd said, “Surely one can understand the hatred brewing in Iraq when we see the agony of an Iraqi family that has lost a loved one due to an errant bomb or bullet.”

Byrd also warned about Bush’s strong support for Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. “A one-sided policy on the Arab-Israeli conflict drives both sides away from the peace table, and hundreds of millions more to hatred of our country.”

Byrd said the war in Iraq, as defined by Bush and Cheney, has already failed.

“The disdain for international law, and the military bombast of this cocky, reckless administration have tarnished the beacon of hope and freedom which the United States of America once offered to the world. ...

“How long will America continue to pay the price in blood and treasure of this president’s war?

“How long must the fathers and mothers see their sons and daughters die in a far-away land because of President Bush’s doctrine of pre-emptive attack? How long must little children across our land go to sleep at night crying for a daddy or mother far away who may never come home?” Byrd asked, “How long?”

Sir Sirius · Post by **Sir Sirius** » 2004-04-30 10:09am

Wait's for Shep come in start calling Byrd a Klansman.

Post by **LadyTevar** » 2004-04-30 10:30am

Sir Sirius wrote:Wait's for Shep come in start calling Byrd a Klansman.

Everyone makes mistakes.

SirNitram · Post by **SirNitram** » 2004-04-30 10:35am

LadyTevar wrote:
Sir Sirius wrote:Wait's for Shep come in start calling Byrd a Klansman.
Everyone makes mistakes.

But Shep makes it repeatedly!

Oh, you mean Byrd. Okay.

Tsyroc · Post by **Tsyroc** » 2004-04-30 10:52am

LadyTevar wrote: Everyone makes mistakes.

But didn't Byrd get your state a fancy highway (named after Byrd) that really goes nowherebuilt with federal money?

I mean, he's an entertaining guy to watch in the Senate but talk about packing the pork into legislation.

Does he still have that dog Billy?

Mayabird · Post by **Mayabird** » 2004-04-30 11:01am

Tsyroc wrote:
LadyTevar wrote: Everyone makes mistakes.
But didn't Byrd get your state a fancy highway (named after Byrd) that really goes nowherebuilt with federal money?

I mean, he's an entertaining guy to watch in the Senate but talk about packing the pork into legislation.

He's really into pork and has been at it for years, but I have a scholarship in his name so it'd be kinda hypocritical of my to say anything bad about it, right?

SirNitram · Post by **SirNitram** » 2004-04-30 11:05am

Tsyroc wrote:
LadyTevar wrote: Everyone makes mistakes.
But didn't Byrd get your state a fancy highway (named after Byrd) that really goes nowherebuilt with federal money?

It goes places. I know this because I've ridden on it. Of course, I will admit some of these places may exist because the highway is there, but they're there now.

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2004-04-30 11:14am

A partial and by no means exhaustive of Byrd's projects:

Robert C. Byrd Drive, from Beckley to Sophia (Byrd's hometown)
Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center of West Virginia
Robert C. Byrd Cancer Research Center
Robert C. Byrd Technology Center at Alderson-Broaddus College
Robert C. Byrd Hardwood Technologies Center, near Princeton
Robert C. Byrd Bridge between Huntington and Chesapeake, Ohio
Robert C. Byrd addition to the lodge at Oglebay Park, Wheeling
Robert C. Byrd Community Center, Pine Grove
Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarships
Robert C. Byrd Expressway, U.S. 52 near Weirton
Robert C. Byrd Institute in Charleston
Robert C. Byrd Institute for Advanced Flexible Manufacturing
Robert C. Byrd Visitor Center at Harpers Ferry National Historic Park
Robert C. Byrd Federal Courthouse
Robert C. Byrd Academic and Technology Center
Robert C. Byrd United Technical Center
Robert C. Byrd Federal Building
Robert C. Byrd Hilltop Office Complex
Robert C. Byrd Library and Robert C. Byrd Learning Resource Center
Robert C. Byrd Rural Health Center
Robert C. Byrd Clinical Addition to the veteran's hospital in Huntington
Robert C. Byrd Industrial Park, Hardy County
Robert C. Byrd Scholastic Recognition Award
Robert C. Byrd Community Center in the naval station, Sugar Grove

Not to mention trying to blackmail senators into voting against legislation he didn't like with pork.

SirNitram · Post by **SirNitram** » 2004-04-30 11:30am

Joe wrote:A partial and by no means exhaustive of Byrd's projects:
<Snip list>

Not to mention trying to blackmail senators into voting against legislation he didn't like with pork.

Okay, and? Relevence to Byrd's criticisms?

Post by **Vympel** » 2004-04-30 11:45am

Well, someone brought up pork, so Joe thought he'd illuminate us. Nothing to do with the topic, so anyone seeking to mention the KKK or pork or the colour of his underwear or whether his momma's so fat should just drop it, k?

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2004-04-30 12:07pm

Robert Byrd: master of incindiary, exagerated, fellacious and self-rightous oratory!

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2004-04-30 12:14pm

Col. Crackpot wrote:Robert Byrd: master of incindiary, exagerated, fellacious and self-rightous oratory!

Pretty much.

Post by **LadyTevar** » 2004-04-30 12:39pm

Joe wrote:
Col. Crackpot wrote:Robert Byrd: master of incindiary, exagerated, fellacious and self-rightous oratory!
Pretty much.

And also a Master of the Fillibuster when needed... but I degress.

Is there anything in this "incindiary, exaggerated" oratory Byrd presented that can be proven wrong? Exaggerated, yes, but incorrect in his views?

Knife · Post by **Knife** » 2004-04-30 01:51pm

LadyTevar wrote:
And also a Master of the Fillibuster when needed... but I degress.

Is there anything in this "incindiary, exaggerated" oratory Byrd presented that can be proven wrong? Exaggerated, yes, but incorrect in his views?

Isn't that the point of 'incindiary, exaggerated oratory'? To take truth and stretch it and slant it to your agenda?

While 'in a certain point of view' he is right he can also be wrong, 'in a certain point of view.'

The president announced unequivocally that ‘major combat operations in Iraq have ended,’ and that ‘in the battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed.’”

Bush made his speech last May 1, after U.S. forces marched into Baghdad, toppling the regime of Saddam Hussein.

Today, one year later, more than five times as many U.S. soldiers have died. April was the bloodiest month, seeing more than 120 Americans lose their lives.

While technically correct, Bush's 'major combat operations have ended' was refering to the invasion, not necessarily the occupation. Granted, those dunces didn't think there would be a large insurgency, but the comment wasn't meaning that we were done in Iraq and everyone could go home.

“a war that should not have been fought, a war in the wrong place, at the wrong time, for the wrong reasons.”

Again, technically correct. Some people, myself included, think that this war should have been faught a decade ago when Senator Byrd was President pro tempore of the Senate (89-94) and in other leadership positions. Byrd voted against the first gulf war, arguable that was in 'the right place, the right time, and for the right reasons.'

How long will America continue to pay the price in blood and treasure of this president’s war?

“How long must the fathers and mothers see their sons and daughters die in a far-away land because of President Bush’s doctrine of pre-emptive attack? How long must little children across our land go to sleep at night crying for a daddy or mother far away who may never come home?” Byrd asked, “How long?”

I don't remember these speaches when he voted YES on Hati, Somalia, and Bosnia. Curious, when a democratic president goes on military operations, he votes yes. When a republican goes on military operations, he votes NO.

Vote record from here. Granted, he voted no on some bills that detailed money or authorization but for the major 'you can go and do it' bill, he voted yes for Clinton and no for Bush I and II.

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2004-04-30 01:58pm

Knife wrote: <snip>

so long story short, he is a party line guy who votes what he's told.... an elequent lemming.

KrauserKrauser · Post by **KrauserKrauser** » 2004-04-30 02:43pm

I love how Byrd and Teddy Kennedy have become the impromptu voice for the Democrats. I'm sure I'm not the only one that thinks that they might not want a former Klansmen(sp?) and Teddy to become their figureheads. Hell they put up more of a fight than Kerry and they aren't trying for the White House.

The more they yell and take the spotlight away from Kerry and onto themselves, the better chance that my guy gets to stay in the White House. So I say, "Go you ignorant Klansman, Go!"

HemlockGrey · Post by **HemlockGrey** » 2004-04-30 03:13pm

Well, Robert C. Byrd will certainly live on forever.

Worlds Spanner · Post by **Worlds Spanner** » 2004-04-30 07:06pm

He's a porker all right, but I LOVE his anti-Bush speeches.