Iraqis Visit U.S. Congress Members To Push GOP Talking Points

        The fine government of Iraq sent some of their senior people to Washington to lobby the Congress against pulling U.S. troops out of their country, saying the usual Bush chant that pulling out would have disastrous consequences.        Source

On Thursday, hours before the House voted to limit funds for the war, Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Barham Saleh met with more than 30 House Republicans and more than a half-dozen senators, including Sens. Harry Reid, D-Nev., John Warner, R-Va., and Hillary Clinton.

With the clock ticking, Saleh — a Kurdish politician highly regarded by U.S. officials and who speaks impeccable English — said he came to Capitol Hill to convey the "imperative of success" in Iraq.

"Iraq is a central battleground in this historic conflict" against terrorism, he said in a brief interview after meeting with Reid, the Senate majority leader.

   I guess that it would be safe to say that Cheney didn't do to much arm twisting in regards to getting the Iraqi government to get with the program or else lose support. More like he went to make sure that Saleh had his rehearsed script and was ready to deliver the White House line of bullshit.

"Our armed forces are up to 150,000 troops; we're over $600 billion appropriated for this, lost 3,300 lives, 25,000 wounded fellow citizens. ... And the Iraqi answer? We're taking a summer off. Goin' fishing," said Rep. Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill.

Saleh said he expects the vacation to be shortened by at least a month, although nothing had been decided. He added that Iraqis value being independent and do "not take kindly of (U.S. officials) telling us when to recess."

    A statement such as that one would have me pulling the plug on Iraq no matter how much oil the country has.

   If Bush were a real man and President, he would have told this Iraqi Republican wannabe to shut the fuck up and get ready for the policing of your country by your own military because ours are leaving.

    On the other hand, if Bush were a real man we would never have gone into Iraq in the first place.

Tags: Barham Saleh Rahm Emanuel Iraq Congress George Bush