Santorum: Obama 'Lost the War in Iraq'
Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum claimed Sunday that by announcing the withdrawal of all U.S. troops from Iraq, President Barack Obama had "lost the war."
The candidate told CBS' Bob Schieffer that the Republican reaction to the president's announcement had been scathing because the Obama administration failed to convince Iraq to give U.S. troops immunity from prosecution.
"We have a president that was not able to set conditions and actually have the kind of influence over the Iraqi government," Santorum complained. "Now, three years the president has had to work with the Iraq government, to try to mold and shape that relationship. And to be in a position where really the Iranians now have more sway over the Iraqi government then the United States just shows the weakness of our diplomatic effort, the weakness of this president."
"I think that's reason people are so upset, that, you know, we've lost -- in many respects, we've lost control, lost the war in Iraq because we have Iran having broadened its sphere of influence."
At a meeting with the Senate Republican Conference in 2005, Santorum told American Digest's George Vanderleun that victory in Iraq was possible even if U.S. troops were not based there.
"[It] would be sufficient [for victory]," the then-Pennsylvania senator said. "It's a democracy. We've got folks in Europe that don't want our bases there. I'm not concerned about that as long as this government that may not want us there is in secure enough hands to make sure that it does not become a terrorist state or otherwise problematic. Whether we are there or not is of secondary importance."
Isn't that really the biggest issue for this freak?
"Parachutes are allowed in checked or carry-on baggage, but may not be worn in flight."
---Southwest Airlines
Yes. The republicans wanted to own Iraq from the start. They lied about that. They think that after all the death, maiming, permanent brain damage to countless thousands Americans, and material cost, they deserve to keep Iraq even more - the minds of true criminals, and Santorum is no different.
"Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob"
-= Franklin Delano Roosevelt =-
Yup. It's clear from Santorum's remarks, in case we hadn't already figured it out, that "victory" is defined as perpetual occupation.
..love the way these right wing nuts are coming together to cover George W. Bush's "Mission Accomplished" ass by passing off the Iraq clusterfuck onto Obama.
These idiots like Santorum will not mention Bush in a debate, but when it comes to helping Bush cover up his Iraq fuck-up, they are all suddenly submissive house servants to George W. Bush.
When Fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in excess body fat & carrying a misspelled sign.
The clusterfuck that was and is Iraq was perpetrated by Bush and Cheney, an oil grab pure and simple. Don't give me that horseshit of "nation building" when the only thing we wasted American blood on was keeping the military/industrial complex in obscene profits.
Santorum was one of the enablers and cheerleaders for Bush's reckless policy. This fuckface has absolutely no credibility to claim Obama lost the war in Iraq. The only reason Iran has more influence in Iraq now is that Bush, by making a devastating war on the people of Iraq drove them into Iran's waiting arms.
Many Americans advised Bush that this would happen, and yet he recklessly turned the American military on a country that had NOTHING to do with 9-11. Bush, in fact pulled troops OUT of Afghanistan where they were pursuing Bin Laden and sent them to Iraq, thereby allowing Al Quida to gain more followers in both Afghanistan and Iraq.
Santorum is either the greatest Bush Policy ass-kisser ever known, or he is the stupidest bastard on God's earth.
In fact, I would say Santorum is another one of those "thousand year reich" types like Hitler. Perpetual War for Perpetual Peace.
Democratic Party progressive, Vietnam veteran and proud Union member for 41 years
C & L, Please stop giving this certifiable lunatic any coverage. This clown does not make news, contribute to the national dialogue, offer meanigful OR RATIONAL solutions to anything, and is an embarassment even to the reactionary party that in their ideological madness conscience him as a candidate for POTUS! As a Pennsylvanian from the part of the state from which this creature spawned, let it be said that he not only lost re-election to the Senate by a large %, but also stands to be tarred&feathered should he ever show his despicable face here again!
... "liberal" blogs frothing over these people. Bachmann, Senator Man-On-Dog, Ron Paul. Wait, even Perry is plummeting into insignificance. No matter how low they poll, it's better to froth over them than it is to pay attention to what current leadership is doing to our standard of living.
Let's see. Just in terms of foreign policy, we just had Qaddafi executed, which will save a lot of prominent Neo-Cons a great deal of embarrassment (looking at you, John McNasty!). Obama is launching new wars in Uganda, Somalia and now Kenya. Syria and Iran are up next... in that order.
But it's all okay, because Santorum and Bachmann have stupid things to say!
Yes folks, your president can kill American citizens without any legal process at all while claiming all the crimes committed by his bankster golf-buddies are totally legal!
But...but...Rick Santorum has to prove he's a moron for the 1,458th time! Let's talk about that instead!
Anyone who has the power to make you believe absurdities has the power to make you commit atrocities.
For losing in Vietnam, and also for the last ice age...
Milli Vanilli was also his fault.
.. maybe you should check out how popular that idea is with US citizens Rick ..
"I Pledge To Keep The Wars Going Longer" .. Rick Santorum
When will government of the people, by the politicians, for the corporations perish from this Earth?
Not soon enough!
America illegally invaded a country, murdered its leader, fought its people and slaughtered them, and because we're leaving (and I don't believe THAT bit) we LOST? What would this closet gay consider a win?
Yeah me too. I wonder how many contractors (tee hee) will be left behind to keep things going. Of course our great librul media will not mention this in any stories either.
The immunity issue is a deal-breaker for DOD and mercenaries alike. If we can't behave badly, then a lot of people aren't going to want to work there. This is why the NYTimes had a story on Saturday claiming budget problems are forcing a drastic reduction in the diplomatic presence in Iraq. That reduction, then, will also reduce the number of mercs Hillary employs in Iraq.
Chances are the mercs will be reduced to protection details for the main embassy and the oil fields.
Anyone who has the power to make you believe absurdities has the power to make you commit atrocities.
I'd say they lost the war, since they used lies as a justification for the war.
The WMDs never existed, there was never a connection between Iraq and 9/11, Saddam (a puppet the US installed) was no threat to us- so how exactly would we win this war? it's been all about lies since day one
As somebody with NBC experience courtesy of the Army, I had to ask the question: Where were the orbital pictures of the construction sites for the suspected WMD factories?
You have to have very specialized equipment to make the damned stuff, and you have to have special buildings to house that equipment in, and those buildings require special safeguards built in, which makes them stick out like a sore thumb from orbit...and no pics were ever supplied. None. Ever. And we had almost total control of airspace.
Lies, lies, lies from the get-go. All for the oil fields that Cheney's super-secret energy group were lusting over a year before the bombs started falling.
what do you mean, "The WMDs never existed..." !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Of course, they did....well, wasn't Bush looking all over the Oval Office for them????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......
It's a sovereign country freak.
Lockheed-Martin, Xe, Burger King, etc. They will NEVER support (IE: give you $$) your presidency. You're just too pussy and weird. Get over it.
"Parachutes are allowed in checked or carry-on baggage, but may not be worn in flight."
---Southwest Airlines
Is Face The Nation the lost cause or is Santorum the lost cause. The lines are blurring.
"Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob"
-= Franklin Delano Roosevelt =-
Who are these people? I suspect only people that are not going money from this invasion and occupation anymore.
I don't know anyone who is upset.
AFRICOM is going gangbusters in Somalia, Uganda and now Kenya. Libya will become the new Neo-Liberal playground for the time being. Then there's Syria and eventually Iran.
There are Trillions in new contracts just waiting to be written.
Anyone who has the power to make you believe absurdities has the power to make you commit atrocities.
Those are the people who are
pretending to beupset...but won't be for long, as you point out.History teaches us that colonialism is deadly, but authoritarians find it incredibly attractive non the less.
Don't think so Rick. A great decision that may bring young voters back to the polls.Republicans are war monger profiteers.. A huge campaign promise fulfilled.
This is not my father's America
More frothy nothings from Rick. Why do they smell so pungent? I bet he doesn't really die to stop abortions. His courage is like a mean face on a balloon.
It might be possible for your polling numbers to actually go NEGATIVE. Even the people in your OWN PARTY think you're a whiny brat.
The United States lost the Iraq War on April 28, 2003 when at the occupied city of Fallujah 82nd Airborne killed 17 Iraqis that broke curfew. When the United States began the indiscriminate killing of the Iraqi civilians they were allegedly protecting then the war, by all intent and purpose was over.
So what exactly does victory look like Mr. Anal Leakage? Iraq as the 51st state or a national denouncement of Islam and conversion to mythic Jesus or just a subservient feltching of Uncle Sam for all eternity?
Frank Zappa - Make A Jazz Noise Here
the US lost the war on Day 1.
me-oww!
and aggression against an innocent nation. This entire thing has been an exercise in evil works.
Thx, good comment.
The GOP and the circus performers who lead it have lost their collective minds. I have not heard one practical and immediately workable plan from Santorum or the collective "heads of knuckle" that are running for president. For that matter, the entire GOP is still proposing all things that have been contributing to our nations decline since the Reagan era. More deregulation, more war, more draconian punishment for even petty crimes. Denial of science and reality. The Democratic party may not be much better, but corporate toadies that they are, they still will not do as much damage as conservative policies will. So, I am for the Democrats until we can replace them with a truly progressive government that cares more about our citizens that corporate donations.
brings another one of Frothy's hallucinations. Santorum says, "Derp, derp, derpity, derp derp." The Swedish Chef makes more sense than this idiot.
Ricky, you have lost your mind.
God damn it, I gotta take the batteries out of my gaydar detector again so it will stop going off. This always happens with a Santorum post.
If I were a psychopath, I would join the republican party, and get in on the gravy train taking the Teabircher morons to the cleaners.
is astonishing in their cowardice. Rational people knew from the outset and even most right wing pundits realized years ago that the Iraq war was a monumental mistake. The Republican attempt to shift blame onto the Obama presidency for this unprecedented disaster is so vile it can't even be put into words. It's truly amazing that there a people out there who still cast their votes for them.
Do they ever admit to wrongdoing, mistakes, miscalculation, bad judgement........anything?
It now seems the modern Republican party is incapable of these admissions and thus represents the single most destructive element of American society.
Well said
They are a concentration of individuals that share all the flaws of human character. They didn't start out that way, but it is exactly what they have become.
"Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob"
-= Franklin Delano Roosevelt =-
are that they are not accountable and incapable of cooperation. This refusal to accommodate or acknowledge Obama on any level is almost impossible to fathom. Today's Republican also exhibits a stark absence of the most important trait of an egalitarian society - empathy. They do not seem to have the slightest ability to feel genuine compassion toward anyone who struggles or even to discern potential in those same people. It's possible Einstein would have never emerged in a society dominated by modern Republicans.
Mr. "No Chance 1%" obviously has a brain tumor. He should seek medical attention as soon as possible.
I suppose like Bachmann this clown needs to say SOMETHING that will jump start his abysmal ratings. This ain't it.
No one wins wars: we all lose.
That aside, Santorum is a FREAK.
far left loon >.<
a threat...and I'd have to see some evidence that Iran is responsible for any American deaths...
The death toll going the other way hovever is uncountable for both Iraqis and Iranians.
Wish this clown would just go get lost on the Appalachian Trail with a backpack buddy...but..as we all know...he hasn't come to terms with his own nature yet.
This smegma licking doucheschnozzle is in need of a serious canoodling with Michelle Bachmann's husband.
It is amazing all of this amnesia, but as I recall, the reason for war was because Iraq was amassing weapons of mass destruction, including mobile biological weapon labs, centrifuges to enrich uranium, and that Iraq was trying to obtain uranium from Niger.
As I recall, we couldn't wait for the final proof, which could come in the form of a mushroom cloud.
We've had the run of Iraq for many years now. Iraq doesn't present a national security threat any more. What I can't understand out of these Republicans is how they are able to simultaneously represent themselves as "fiscal conservatives" while advocating that we continue to throw money away. We currently spend more on defense than the rest of the world combined. And Iraq no longer presents a national security threat (never did to begin with).
But, hey, lets wipe the question mark off our foreheads. When we removed a Sunni government in Iraq and replaced it with a Shiite one, we solved a national security issue for Shiite Iran. At this point, the Iraq war is buffoonery from a strategic point of view.
I think the war was never intended to stop with Iraq. I think the plan was this. After Iraq was won, which was supposed to take 6 days, or 6 weeks, but doubtful it would take 6 months, it was off to Iran, with everything supposed to be wrapped up before the 2004 elections.
And, so they want to keep us in Iraq to counter Iranian influence until some pretext can be devised to attack Iran and get that oil pumping under a friendly government.
As far as Santorum is concerned, isn't he polling about the same as Newt? I don't know why he's still in the race - that candidacy is going nowhere.
Great comment! Good perspective.
hearing that stale tripe makes me sick to my stomach all over again.
---
The "war" was buffoonery indeed, but it fits nicely in the GOP fiscal plan: from taxpayers pocket (99%) to the corporate overlords pockets (via defense spending to contractors). You don't expect that they would want all that tax money to go back to the people, now would you?
US Politics are simple:
1. the poor peons pay taxes
2. its all profit, doesn't matter if its a high tax rate or a low one; or if the Federal Gov is within budget surplus or deficit - just keep the money coming.
3. funnel the money toward anything that uses private entities (i.e. MIC) and AWAY FROM anything that goes back to the people (i.e. schools, roads, SS, etc).
4. party on!
In the above context, nearly everything the US Gov (esp. GOP) does makes sense, no matter how idiotic, incompetent, or blatantly irresponsible it seems at first.
---
War with Iran? Never. Even our politicians are not that stupid. They are one of the remaining "axis of evil" however, so the specter of Iran is still nice to have around to scare people.
---
Santorum. We all know the literal definition (or a short pitstop on google will fill you in). After that, being a douchebag isn't all that bad, I guess. But perhaps a colloquial description that I heard describes him best: he's like an old-time hockey goon. He goes in and pushes people around so the real players don't get hurt. Douchebag is more accurate however, and well, it doesn't get much worse than Santorum.
The people who wanted this war was PNAC "Rebuilding America's Defenses" and Halliburton and Bechtel and The Carlyle Group.
Here's a gem by a PNAC asshat:
John Bolton Admits All These Wars Are For Oil!!
We need to get deeper discussion than just the usual left vs right divide monkey business if we are going to do anything good.
"Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people." ~ Eleanor Roosevelt
.
Bolton talks about nothing but 'keeping the oil safe'....not a thing about bringing 'liberation and democracy' to these countries. Nada, zip....just about keeping the oil safe....
about that 'plan' to go into Iran.....what the PNACers were planning on was a 'Five - Year Plan' mentioned to Gen. Wes Clark ( WINNING MODERN WARS...page 130) in his visit to the Pentagon in November of 2001....
not to mention in one of his visits to the Pentagon right after 9/11 (WINNING MODERN WARS ... page 120) Gen Clark was told a 'rumor' that it would be too bad if Saddam didn't have anything to do with 9/11 as he was going to be taken out anyway...
just saying.
9/11 happening was waaaayyyyyyyyy too convenient as, even though this little adventure into Iraq was already in the planning...the PNACers in the Bush Adm. wouldn't have gotten the support it did and 9/11 NOT happened.
just saying
Iraq was not a war or a mistake it was a plan for contractors, so people got killed, most where poor anyway and rest cant speak english. Corperations made money, its the republican way. Give santorum a gun and let him continue the plan.
Hey DHS, mr frothy here said he would kill himself to achieve his religious goals, how about you start keeping an eye on him?
Wasn't he in "Little Miss Sunshine"??????
Hilarious. YES HE WAS!!
"Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people." ~ Eleanor Roosevelt
Considering that "Ricky Boy" Santorum has likened gay marriage unto "man-on-child" sex, in addition to "man-on-dog" sex, I have to ask -
Was that why she was crying on Election Night 2006? C'mon, Ricky Boy, open up, tell us why she was crying. If you dare.
W misses the mark during tonight's opening pitch of Game 4
"Parachutes are allowed in checked or carry-on baggage, but may not be worn in flight."
---Southwest Airlines
Shut your Frothy Hole Closet Boy.
His usual dicky self.He should be ignored at every opportunity.I think the real deal here is that Malaki is chomping at the bit trying to get his own little oligarchy up and running.It should be real interesting to see if the country's future oil revenues trickle down to the regular folk. Political and ethnic issues would be a whole lot easier to solve if everybody has a little coin in their pocket and constant electron flow to help smooth things out.
Republican assholes have no shame whatsoever. This fucktard should tarred & feathered, and hung from a gibbet.
Do we need to cling to every minor utterance by one of these clowns? I dream of a day when the moronic speech from the wrong wing become irrelevant and we can busy ourselves with our new democracy.
the similarities are frightening...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_White
please rick - just accept who you are and be HAPPY!
Hey Santorium...you dumb ass. The war was lost the moment George Bush with your support set foot in Iraq. 4400 US troops lost their lives and Billions of dollars wasted and for what???
So the military industry , corporations like Halliburton , Black Water , GE , and investors like Cheney and Rumsfeld could make a whole lot of money while piling up a massive debt on this country , a massive debt which they needed in order to excuse their attack on all they don't like , social security , medicare and medicaid for instance . .
"The poor have sometimes objected to being governed badly; the rich have always objected to being governed at all."
.
With lead frosting.
"Parachutes are allowed in checked or carry-on baggage, but may not be worn in flight."
---Southwest Airlines
Imagine that, a presidential candidate who is too stupid to grasp the concept of national sovereignty. And I thought that G.W.Bush was (is) dumber than a dog turg. What an idiot. This fucktard must have been allowed to run so that he so that he could make the rest of the field of GOPer sociopaths, psychopaths and malignantly narcissistic look semi-sane ans semi-moral by comparison.
This spineless twit borders on sedition. They all do...all of these stinking neocon fascists. It time someone calls them on this twisted crap. They actually talk as though this President is "the enemy". I think it's far past time someone spits in their face and confronts them on just what they are doing to the image of the United States when they talk in such a manner. I'm all for free speech..but I think they have crossed the line when they degrade this President and this administration as inept or worse. To hell with them all.
Santorum is a splooge on the face of democracy!
Santorum is a Jackass! We were not supposed to go into Iraq to begin with, and for him to say Obama lost the war is madness! This is how his brain is, that's why he's nowhere in the Presidential race!! We had enough of the Iraqi war!
What a abysmal, nasty human being. Someone needs to smack that smug bastard upside the head. I feel dirty knowing that I'm breathing the same air as that piece of filth.
After his recent comments regarding birth control and his bizarre statement about 'licenses to do things in sexual realms', I have no doubt the guy is totally nuts, or perhaps has no nuts (I've always wondered if those 7 kids were the result of a turkey baster). Plus his obsession with gay men and how he can't seem to get off the subject is an indication he has some serious sexual identity problems. Normal, well adjusted men and women just don't do that kind of thing. I don't obsess over gay men as much as he does, and that's saying something.
Shame on Schieffer and other news people for giving that pea brain air time. There is no way in hell he will ever hold political office again, he is unfit and there is no reason to give him all the attention the media gives him. It serves no purpose whatsoever, except to rile up the mouth breathers and to give Jon Stewart material.
I would suggest that Ricky apply for a job with the Vatican. He'd make a wonderful inquisitor or watchdog of bedrooms activities. Too bad he was born so late. He and Tomás de Torquemada would have gotten on fabulously.
I want Rick Santorum's body. For medical research.
Where did you get that little did bit of made up nonsense? More proof that Republicans just make it up as they go along. Do Americans really think these idiots make sense?
lets hope not
warren mosler for president
No one has mentioned that it was Bush who negotiated the January 1, 2012 deadline for the withdrawal of troops from Iraq, not Obama. Obama, in fact was negotiating to keep troops even longer for training purposes, but balked at the insistence of the Iraqi government that the troops be subject to Iraqi law.
OH, NO!!!!! Don't tell me Repukes/Teabaggers/Conservative CHRISTIANS are lying AGAIN? I have to start off the week knowing Santorum lied, did story spinning, LIED, again. What is this world coming to when people can not believe their politicians, We'll start to think these politicians that came crawling to us for our vote, don't REALLY care about us at all, 'What constituents, they ask? The Koch Brothers, Roger Ailes, the Teabaggers - those are the people I represent.' There's time to change that thinking next year. Vote them out of office so they can devote full-time to their Masters, who won't want them anymore, since they can't do anything for them, being out of office. Big bad lying circle comes full circle.
Withdrawal from Iraq was part of Obama's election platform and represents the will of the people.
Santorum really needs to find some honest work that he's qualified for, like mopping out video porn stalls.
Vote GOP and move forward to the 18th Century.
When the USA military finally leaves Japan, will that be the day that we lose WWII?
Yes, it will.
First the adminstration announces something that is false, like "America is leaving Iraq", then the whole MSM picks up the ball and runs with it by arguing whether or not "leaving Iraq is a good idea", thereby legitimizing the falsehood as a truth. We never had any intention of doing anything except leaving a military presence in Iraq to secure the area's oil deposits. This is what Imperialists do.
Ask that asshole Santorum about any subject and he'll say Obama is failing at it and the Republicans would do a much better job. This is par for the course and not surprising in the least.
When I need the opinion of a sociopath opportunist I'll know right where to go. I guess this is where Santorum and his gay pal Lindsey Graham share a common opinion.. (Clue: they're both opportunistic sociopaths). When I heard the news I was elated, I guess these folks wanted it to go on forever.. Santorum is lower than fecal lube-froth.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/05/24/pol...
Bush: We Will leave when Iraq tells us to leave.
Donaldd
guess the GOP forgot about their do-no-wrong-no-matter-how-wrong former Pres.
Why anyone listens to a person who brings a dead baby home so his children can cuddle it is in my books, completely nuts.
What is the winning strategy in Iraq?
Why did Bush refuse to do it?
So, "support the troops," but send them overseas for seven or eight tours or more, maim them, kill them, steal their pay and retirement, otherwise you might hurt their feelings.
Nothing more to be said.
Remember, this is the same bozo who said McCain "didn't understand" torture the way he does.
“Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.”
- Albert Einstein
...that makes me wonder why this asshat gets any coverage at all. There was a time when responsible journalism would consider covering this man ridiculous and focus on issues that resonated with Americans. Issues with meaning and substance, in the effort to stimulate and contribute to the national dialogue. Today, its all about sensationalism and titillation, unsubstantiated or not. Ignore those with nothing to contribute, like Mr Santorum, and he, like Sarah Palin, will fade into the background.
The invasion of Iraq was just that , an illegal unwarranted soviet style take over , an invasion and subsequent occupation , it was criminal , if there was any war it was on the Iraqi people , not on terrorism or terrorists , hell , we are the terrorists in Iraq ! As for this pathetic fool Santorum , we all know that " Obama lost the war" will be the Republicon / Reich wing mime , no surprise . Obama's not ending a war , he's ending the occupation ... and one mind boggling big money laundering operation .
"The poor have sometimes objected to being governed badly; the rich have always objected to being governed at all."
doesn't make it true...
let's not forget Obama didn't arrange to get the troops out by the end of this year... that was your pal Bush..
has not got a clue about what can be done militarily with out setting offf world war III. Do you think China,Russia and nuke powered North Korea and Pakistan are going to sit on their hands while we run amok in oil rich middle east countries I do not even think that would work On BATTLEFIELD the Game.
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED in 2003 scrotorum
{OAK}TIGER
Braindead Santorum a little jealous of Obama???
...is the best word I can think of to describe the appearance of this imbecile on any national TV program, especially one that was once worth watching.
Ladies and gentlemen, just another example of what is being shoved by the Corporate Controlled Media.
update: Make that "sickeningly pathetic."
Why hasn't the Bush Crime syndicate been tried and hanged for the crimes of the Iraq War and that includes this mother fucker.
Bush agreed to the exit by end of 2011. Little Ricky won't admit to that fact.
I am a resident of Pa. and still waiting for this pussy to show us the WMDs which he claims to know where they are.
Rick is going to find a real shock when he ends up in Hell.
Please google: Santorum.
"Respect for the rights of others is peace." --Benito Juarez
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