Rumsfeld Says Iraqis Would Stop Civil War

[sabra]

http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/28-03092006-623895.html

Rumsfeld Says Iraqis Would Stop Civil War

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON - If Iraq were to plunge into all-out civil war the U.S. military would depend on Iraq's own security forces to deal with it "to the extent they are able to," Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said Thursday.

Testifying with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in support of the administration's request for $91 billion in funds mainly to pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Rumsfeld was pressed to explain the U.S. military's plan to respond in the event that Iraq's sectarian violence grows into a full-fledged civil war.

"The plan is to prevent a civil war, and to the extent one were to occur, to have the - from a security standpoint - have the Iraqi security forces deal with it, to the extent they are able to," Rumsfeld said.

He said the key to avoiding civil war is for Iraq's political leaders to form a government of national unity.

[MadMaddie]

1. No one's listening dummy......er um Rummmy

[underpants]

2. DAMN! I had "Moroccan landmine Monkeys" in the office pool

Going with the Iraqis sink or swim huh?
OoooKAY there is $5 gone.

[Rex]

3. Prevent a civil war? His boss said we won't get involved!

Bush & Rummy - two of the biggest idiots in politics today.

[central scrutinizer]

4. yeah, they would "deal " with it

by giving their weapons to whatever side they supported

[Roon]

5. Rummy is the new Baghdad Bob n/t

[plcdude]

6. I guess we were all born yesterday.

Civil War = Iraqis fighting and killing fellow Iraqis. Rummy is attempting to frame this as fighting going on between various factions of Iraqis independent of those Iraqis we approve of or have collaborated with us. I think it needs to be correctly framed as what it is Iraqi seeking through conflict to obtain the power to control their lives as they want to the exclusion of other Iraqis.

[Roland99]

7. "to the extent they are able to,"...there are ZERO battle-ready battalions

[sabra]

8. and one of their top general's was assassinated earlier this week...

[catmandu57]

10. That's what I was going to comment on

I don't think that extends very damn far, and when they take their weapons to join sides it will be even less.

[liberal N proud]

9. The axis of evil

[Just Me]

11. Whatever Rummy says, the opposite is true. You can count on it!!!

"The plan is to prevent a civil war,..."

Iraqi women just relayed that Rumsfeld & Co are FUELING divisions and civil war.

"Iraq's own security forces deal with ,..."

Iraq's security forces have been involved in creating MORE violence and provoking sectarian divisions because those forces include nationalists who want the US the hell out of the country.

He is so full of caa caa!!! :grr:

[warrens]

12. Senile dementia is such an ugly disease. NT

[Synnical]

13. It's on C-Span3 Now. nt/

[LeftHander]

14. 91 BILLION Effing dollars!!!

WTF!!

:wtf:

[TexasLawyer]

15. If my house caught fire

I would rely on my house's faucet and garden hose to put it out-- to the extent that they are able to.

[gratuitous]

16. "Form a government of national unity"

You know, just like we have in the U.S., where the corrupt Bush administration is very careful to listen to all sides and craft a policy that takes into account--:rofl:

I knew I couldn’t post that with a straight face!

[Yavin4]

17. Is He Answering His Own Questions Again?

It's surreal when he does that.

[DoYouEverWonder]

18. Rummie is truly off his rocker

Isn't insanity a good enough reason to force someone's removal from power?

[3waygeek]

19. These would presumably be the same

Iraqis that welcomed us with flowers :eyes:

[truthisfreedom]

20. nutjob.

[VegasWolf]

21. Senile OLD fart! nt

[Flabbergasted]

22. U.S. will let Iraqi forces deal with any civil war, Rumsfeld says

If the plan is to prevent civil war and it escalates, is Rummy declaring defeat?

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/politics/14059811.htm

WASHINGTON - U.S. military commanders don't intend to allow a civil war in Iraq to occur, but if it happens, they'll let Iraqi security forces handle it, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said Thursday.

"The plan is to prevent a civil war," Rumsfeld told the Senate Appropriations Committee. "And to the extent that one were to occur, to have the - from a security standpoint - have the Iraqi security forces deal with it, to the extent that they're able to."

Rumsfeld testified before the committee along with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and top generals during hearings on President Bush's roughly $70 billion supplemental spending request to cover the costs of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

[IndianaGreen]

23. Rumsfeld is insane, and so is his lapdog Gordon England!

I pray for the day the Pentagon is rid of all the neocons!

[FloridaPat]

24. Then why are our troops still there? If they can handle a civil war,

what do they need our troops for?

[Flabbergasted]

25. "We can not comment on an ongoing investigation, but I would like to

say that Donald is doing one hell of a job."

[rodeodance]

26. time for him to retire to the Maryland hills with his neighbor Cheney.

[Flabbergasted]

27. Amen brother and the rest with him!

[wordpix2]

36. no, you're too kind. Time for them to be indicted for lying to Congr

ess about "imminent danger to US from WMDs in Iraq."

[Webster Green]

28. Our troops will be lucky to get out alive when the shit hits the fan...

Rummy is fucking delusional.

We'll see a replay of the fall of Saigon.

[Flabbergasted]

29. You might say the same thing about us?

[northofdenali]

30. Hey Rummy - FUCK YOU

n/t

[Art_from_Ark]

31. So does this mean that "Iraqi forces"

are going to start firing on each other?

[HuffleClaw]

32. a cute excuse to CUT AND RUN from iraq just in time for the election?

well, except of course for their SUPERBASES that conveniently guard the oil fields.

[Teaser]

33. We Broke It, YOU bought it

If it wasn't such a crime against humanity this would be really funny.

[tabasco]

34. The plan was never to prevent civil war.

The invasion had nothing to do with the interests of the Iraqi people. They are irrelevant. What is important is what is below the ground - the oil. US forces will do nothing to provide law and order in Iraq. US forces will secure oil facilities.

I predicted this long ago. We will let the Iraqi cities burn but the neocons will control the oil. Bet your ass.

[wordpix2]

37. you've got it right, the "plan" was regime change & grab the oil & war

would be "easy."

* doesn't know a thing about history. He got Cs all the way thru school and I'm betting most should have been Fs but the teachers and profs were kind to * b/c of his family's money made in deals with the likes of the Nazis.

[Fire Walk With Me]

35. Fighting in Iraq- the only exit strategy they'll consider.

I love it.

[Javaman]

38. Yeah, right. The Iraqi's and what army???

what makes that sad is, it's not a joke.

[AzDar]

39. He talks SO MUCH and yet says absolutely NOTHING. n/t

[onager]

40. Pres. Buchanan Says Southerners Would Stop Civil War

n/t

[baby_mouse]

41. Rumsfeld talks out of his arse.

He knows nothing.

[primavera]

42. Kind of remarkable they're now using the term "civil war"

Whatever happened to the joyously free peoples of democratic Iraq showing us liberators with flowers? Hmmm, guess the honeymoon's over.

[The_Casual_Observer]

43. But it's still an unknowable unknown, right shithead?