Texas 2006 Senate Debate: on War & Peace

Barbara Radnofsky: US presence destabilizes Iraq; leaving causes stability

RADNOFSKY: We are destabilizing Iraq by our presence. The NIE indicates as such, and British generals indicate as such. By withdrawing, we will allow international building, by the US taking its role as leader among nations. My opponent has said we must increase troops, and also that we cannot leave until we’ve stabilized the country. Our presence is destabilizing there. Therefore when we leave, we will be able to mount, if we take our lead among the nations, a better international effort. We must realize that we can’t go it alone. It is reprehensible to suggest that we ought to stay in Iraq so that our soldiers become targets--cannon fodder--so we don’t take the war on terror to all the trouble spot in the world. We must set a timetable and we must withdraw.

HUTCHISON: I can’t think of anything worse than America cutting-and-running because times are tough. I think it would hurt our troops.

Barbara Radnofsky: Partition of Iraq will increase terrorism

HUTCHISON: It is clear it is not going well in Iraq, and we should come up with ideas. One of the things we should put on the table as an option is semi-autonomous regions. This is provided for in the constitution of Iraq, and the parliament of Iraq has set out a process. The Sunnis reject that idea, because they’re worried about not having the oil revenue, but that can be handled as well.

JAMESON: I am upset for the way the Iraq war is funded. It is inappropriate to fund a war on a constant emergency basis, because Congressmen can add in extra appropriations and pork barrel spending that they know will get passed.

Barbara Radnofsky: Secret CIA papers at time of war vote skeptical of WMD info

HUTCHISON: If I had known then what I know now about the WMDs--which was a key reason that I voted to go in there-- I would not vote to go into Iraq the way we did. But the President would not have asked for that vote, either. We had intelligence that we relied on. So did the British. Everyone thought they had WMDs.

RADNOFSKY: At the time of the Iraqi War Resolution, Sen. Graham of Florida begged his colleagues to read the secret papers that we weren’t privy to. We now know that those secret papers revealed that the WMD documentation from the CIA was quite skeptical. I don’t believe that our senators read the secret documents. Our senators made a mistake when they voted. They should have read the secret papers. Any senator who did not do as their colleagues begged was derelict in their abilities to lead. We need new leaders.

Kay Bailey Hutchison: Need ideas like option for semi-autonomous regions

HUTCHISON: It is clear it is not going well in Iraq, and we should come up with ideas. One of the things we should put on the table as an option is semi-autonomous regions. This is provided for in the constitution of Iraq, and the parliament of Iraq has set out a process. The Sunnis reject that idea, because they’re worried about not having the oil revenue, but that can be handled as well.

JAMESON: I am upset for the way the Iraq war is funded. It is inappropriate to fund a war on a constant emergency basis, because Congressmen can add in extra appropriations and pork barrel spending that they know will get passed.

Kay Bailey Hutchison: I can’t think of anything worse than cut-and-run

RADNOFSKY: We are destabilizing Iraq by our presence. The NIE indicates as such, and British generals indicate as such. By withdrawing, we will allow international building, by the US taking its role as leader among nations. My opponent has said we must increase troops, and also that we cannot leave until we’ve stabilized the country.

JAMESON: We need to take a measured approach to Iraq. I do not support an immediate withdrawal from Iraq. As far as I can tell, we still do have a role there.

HUTCHISON: I can’t think of anything worse than America cutting-and-running because times are tough. I think it would hurt our troops. We need to support them, and make sure they have the cover they need. We must never cut-and-run. That would shred the credibility of America. The NIE says we are destabilizing the al-Qaeda leadership. The worst thing we could do is appear to leave and give terrorists a victory.

Kay Bailey Hutchison: Would have voted against war if current WMD info were known

HUTCHISON: If I had known then what I know now about the WMDs--which was a key reason that I voted to go in there--I would not vote to go into Iraq the way we did. But the President would not have asked for that vote, either. We had intelligence that we relied on. So did the British. Everyone thought they had WMDs. The President was trying to make sure that America was not hit with another 9/11 with a Weapon of Mass Destruction. He believed that Iraq had the weapons and had the capacity to deliver them. I certainly would not have voted that way had we known there were no such weapons.

RADNOFSKY: At the time of the Iraqi War Resolution, Sen. Graham begged his colleagues to read secret papers. We now know that those secret papers revealed that the WMD documentation from the CIA was quite skeptical. I don’t believe that our senators read the secret documents.

Scott Jameson: No immediate withdrawal from Iraq

RADNOFSKY: We are destabilizing Iraq by our presence. The NIE indicates as such, and British generals indicate as such. By withdrawing, we will allow international immediate withdrawal from Iraq. As far as I can tell, we still do have a role there.

HUTCHISON: I can’t think of anything worse than America cutting-and-running because times are tough. I think it would hurt our troops. We need to support them, and make sure they have the cover they need. We must never cut-and-run. That would shred the credibility of America. The NIE says we are destabilizing the al-Qaeda leadership. The worst thing we could do is appear to leave and give terrorists a victory.

Scott Jameson: Iraq war should not be funded as an emergency

HUTCHISON: It is clear it is not going well in Iraq, and we should come up with ideas. One of the things we should put on the table as an option is semi-autonomous regions. This is provided for in the constitution of Iraq, and the parliament of Iraq has set out a process. The Sunnis reject that idea, because they’re worried about not having the oil revenue, but that can be handled as well.

JAMESON: I am upset for the way the Iraq war is funded. It is inappropriate to fund a war on a constant emergency basis, because Congressmen can add in extra appropriations and pork barrel spending that they know will get passed.