Huckabee Suggests Escalating The Escalation: ‘It’s Possible’ We Need To Send More Troops

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/07/09/huckabee-escalation/

Huckabee Suggests Escalating The Escalation: ‘It’s Possible’ We Need To Send More Troops

In recent days, a host of Republican Senators have announced their intention to call for a drawdown of U.S. troops in Iraq. With only 23 percent of Americans approving of Bush’s handling of Iraq, there are hopeful signs that political pressures are forming conservatives to break ranks with Bush’s Iraq policy. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, however, is catering to the 23-percenters.

This morning on NBC’s Today Show, host Matt Lauer asked Huckabee, if Bush delivers a more pessimistic assessment of the surge this week, “would you feel we owe it to the 150,000 or so Americans serving in Iraq to start pulling them out sooner than later?”

“We have to make a decision — do we either pull them out or do we put whatever is necessary to make sure we don’t leave it in a bigger mess than we started with,” Huckabee answered. “More troops?” Lauer asked. “It’s possible,” said Huckabee. Watch it at link~

Huckabee dodged the issue completely when Lauer noted that the armed forces are stretched very thin and may not have more troops to provide.

Huckabee fails to grasp that the U.S. occupation is driving the violence on the ground. As war czar Gen. Doug Lute previously noted, in order to reach a political solution, “You have to undercut the perception of occupation in Iraq. It’s very difficult to do that when you have 150,000-plus, largely western, foreign troops occupying the country.” A recent poll found 82 percent of Iraqis said they “lack confidence” in coalition forces, and 69 percent of Iraqis said coalition forces make “the security situation worse.”

In recent days, a host of Republican Senators have announced their intention to call for a drawdown of U.S. troops in Iraq. With only 23 percent of Americans approving of Bush’s handling of Iraq, there are hopeful signs that political pressures are forming conservatives to break ranks with Bush’s Iraq policy. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, however, is catering to the 23-percenters.

This morning on NBC’s Today Show, host Matt Lauer asked Huckabee, if Bush delivers a more pessimistic assessment of the surge this week, “would you feel we owe it to the 150,000 or so Americans serving in Iraq to start pulling them out sooner than later?”

“We have to make a decision — do we either pull them out or do we put whatever is necessary to make sure we don’t leave it in a bigger mess than we started with,” Huckabee answered. “More troops?” Lauer asked. “It’s possible,” said Huckabee. Watch it:

Huckabee dodged the issue completely when Lauer noted that the armed forces are stretched very thin and may not have more troops to provide.

Huckabee fails to grasp that the U.S. occupation is driving the violence on the ground. As war czar Gen. Doug Lute previously noted, in order to reach a political solution, “You have to undercut the perception of occupation in Iraq. It’s very difficult to do that when you have 150,000-plus, largely western, foreign troops occupying the country.” A recent poll found 82 percent of Iraqis said they “lack confidence” in coalition forces, and 69 percent of Iraqis said coalition forces make “the security situation worse.”

If every Republican sent their children to Iraq, would you become a Republican or support the war?

I understand your point, but worn to the point of being tarnished.

These Republicans are freaks of nature.

Don

"we could have won if we just sent in more troops"

More troops -- American or otherwise -- will do nothing.

Why is it that these empty suits find it impossible to discuss the root of the problem?

Huckabee, is another gutless worm that can't figure out that it's way too late to send more troops. His buddies in power pretty much decided that when they invaded and then disbanded Iraq's army.

I think we can safely blame that war criminal Rumsfeld and his little cabal of neo-con assholes, including shrub and crashcart for every death that has and will occur in that sad country for at least the next decade.

he must feel that he is not low enough in the polls.

Since he likes to try to take guns on planes, I'm sure they'll let him carry one on the army transport to Baghdad.

But Rethugs won't send their kids, because we all know that they like to force their dirty work on someone else. They never take responsibility or blame for their actions. Rethugs are the types who would have participated in the black market during WW2. They're just that slimy.