Monday,
August 25, 2014
Lieberman
on Obama’s Iraq Announcement: ‘A Statement of Failure, Not Success’
Former Democratic vice presidential nominee
Joe Lieberman blasted President Obama’s Iraq drawdown over the weekend, saying
that the president’s “statement [was] of failure, not success.”
“This failure puts at greater risk all that
so many Americans and Iraqis fought, sacrificed, and, in thousands of cases,
gave their lives to achieve: an Iraq that is self-governing, self-defending,
and aligned with the responsible nations of the world in the fight against
Islamist extremism and terrorism.
“It is profoundly disappointing and
unsettling that after all America and Iraq have been through together, our two
leaders could not find the will or the way to reach agreement on the terms under
which a small follow-on U.S. force could remain in Iraq after this year,
despite the many reasons it was critically important, and instead gave up
trying. This decision stands in striking contrast with the spirit of the
remarkable men and women in uniform who pulled Iraq back from the brink of
chaos just a few years ago, and who refused to give up or accept failure even
after all hope was seemingly lost.
“I was not in the negotiations or privy to
what was happening inside both governments so I cannot apportion blame for this
failure, but I know that every American military leader I have spoken to in
recent years with any responsibility for Iraq has told me that we would need to
keep no less than 10,000 troops there after this year to complete our mission
in Iraq, since the Iraqi Security Forces still lack key capabilities and the
country's stability remains fragile. Leaders of Iraq's military have made
similar statements as recently as yesterday.
I am proud and grateful for all that the
American military has achieved in Iraq, and delighted that most of these heroes
have already returned home, but I am convinced that a small number of them are
needed to stay a while longer to safeguard our hard-won gains. The fact that
they will not is deeply worrisome for America's national security, and will be
deeply thrilling and encouraging to the fanatical regime that controls Iran,
seeks to control Iraq, and threatens us all.
“I hope that, despite yesterday's
announcement, the Obama Administration will seek to reach agreement with the
Iraqis on an arrangement that advances U.S. national security and allows a
small American military force to operate in Iraq, until the Iraqis are ready to
safeguard their country against Iran and other threats.”
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