The Democrats and the Iraq War

The facts on the ground in Iraq look awful. Voters call the war their number one issue in the midterm elections. Even early, strong supporters call the war's leadership deeply bungled, the current status near-chaos, civil war. Sober critics call it disastrous for the United States.

By a margin of 46 to 34 percent, Americans say that Democrats would now do a better job than Republicans in handling the war. But what would the Democrats do?

President Bush says they'd "cut and run." Democrats say a lot of things, but mainly that they couldn't do worse than the GOP.

With a potential Congressional majority in their sights, the Democrats plans for the war in Iraq.

Quotes from the Show:

"If the Democrats win Congress, I would suggest that Congress push for the resignation of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld." Congressman Jim Cooper

"A soft partition of Iraq might be an option. We have to acknowledge that tribal loyalties are stronger than national loyalties in Iraq right now." Congressman Jim Cooper

"I see more bipartisanship on Iraq after the midterm elections." Les Gelb

America has much less leverage in Iraq than it used to. Peter Beinart

"We need to redeploy American troops in Iraq." Senator Jack Reed.

"Setting a timetable on Iraq is very difficult right now." Senator Jack Reed.

"The Iraqi government needs to take over the country's security." Senator Jack Reed.

"This administration is completely out of touch with reality [in Iraq]." Les Gelb

Guests:

Anne Plummer Flaherty, covers Congress for the Associated Press;
Jim Cooper, 2-term Democrat Congressman for Tennessee 's 5th District and a member of the House Armed Services Committee.;
Peter Beinart, editor-at-large of The New Republic, columnist for The Washington Post, and author of "The Good Fight: Why Liberals--and Only Liberals-- Can Win the War on Terror and Make America Great Again.";
Les Gelb, President Emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations, Pulitzer Prize winner, former correspondent for the New York Times, Assistant Secretary of State for political/military affairs from 1977 to 1979.;
Jack Reed, (D-RI) Democratic Senator from Rhode Island and member of the US Senate Committee on Armed Services.