MTP Transcript for Oct. 29

REP. CARDIN: Well, Iraq’s in the middle of a civil war. We need to combine withdrawing our troops with also a political and diplomatic solution. We need to engage the international community and recognize that there’s a civil war going on in Iraq. It’s not in our interests to continue the current policy. Mr. Steele and I have a fundamental disagreement here; I find it still somewhat surprising after everything we know today, Mr. Steele believes we should have pursued this war. I voted against it four years ago and I’ve been an outspoken critic of this war. Mr. Steele has, has presented no plan, I have a plan to change the direction in Iraq. Mr. Steele has on his Web site, buried somewhere in there, a 168-word statement on Iraq. He’s had no speeches or town hall meetings on Iraq, I’ve had both. I’ve been to Iraq. I have a plan that will at least change the direction in Iraq. We need to have a plan brought forward by this administration that starts bringing our troops home and energizes the international community so that we can have a diplomatic and political solution in Iraq.

LT. GOV. STEELE: (Unintelligible)...

MR. RUSSERT: Let me ask my question again. If, in fact, there was chaos on the ground at the end of 2007, would you still bring all troops home?

REP. CARDIN: I don’t believe in a time schedule. I’ve said that before. And also, I, I...

MR. RUSSERT: No, but you, you called for all troops out by the end of ‘07.

REP. CARDIN: No, what I said was it’s reasonable to expect that if we start redeploying our troops, start bringing our troops home, start engaging the international community, start with a diplomatic and political solution — this is last June — that it’s reasonable to expect that our combat troops could be out by the end of 2007. I stand by that. The tragedy today is we know that the current plans are not working. As long as America gives the impression that we’re going to be an occupation force in Iraq, we’re not going to have a successful program. The Bush administration’s own advisers are telling us the current strategy won’t work.

MR. RUSSERT: But in — you had a chance in ‘05 in July to vote for a resolution offered by the Republicans, and I’ll show it to you. “Iraq commitment: ... [House] members on July 20 [2005] approved a GOP-sponsored amendment declaring that the United States should withdraw its force from Iraq only when it is clear ‘national security and foreign policy goals relating to a free and stable Iraq have been or are about to be achieved.’ Voting yes: ... Rep. Ben Cardin (D-MD).” You now say pull the troops out in ‘07 whether there’s a stable Iraq or not.

REP. CARDIN: No, what I said was we need to start bringing our troops home, yes. I think as long as we continue this same policy, as long as the president doesn’t present a plan that will start to bring our troops home, and as long as we don’t engage the international community, we are going to continue to go down a path that’s going to cause chaos in Iraq. The reports have shown that more terrorists are being encouraged by our policies, that we — the current program shows that we’re not going to be successful. We need a new plan in Iraq. Yes, part of it must be to start bringing our troops home; do we — should we have a time schedule? No. We need to start, but we also at the same time, need to engage the international community for a political solution. This is a civil war, this is not a war on terror in Iraq today, it’s a civil war between the Sunnis and the Shiites. And we need to engage it as a civil war.

LT. GOV. STEELE: But...

MR. RUSSERT: One second, Mr. Steele, then I’m going to — I’ll let you ask a question as well, and we’ll go back and forth here. But I want to follow up one last time with Mr. Cardin.

LT. GOV. STEELE: Mm-hmm.

MR. RUSSERT: From the Baltimore Sun, “‘What I hope would happen is that the leadership of Congress will work on a constructive course in Iraq, recognizing that public opinion is on the side of change,’ said Cardin. ... If that does not work, however, Cardin said he’d be willing to vote to cut off funding for the war. ‘If Democrats could present it in the right way, I would clearly support it.’” You would vote to cut off funding for our troops while the war’s going on?

REP. CARDIN: No. I will never support turning our backs on our troops. And I’ve supported the appropriation bills, in order to make it clear that our troops who are in harm’s way have everything they need to be safe. What, what I think Congress needs to do is consider all options. And Congress needs to use every option they can, so the president presents, presents a plan. My objective is to get a plan from this administration that has its — gives us the best chance to achieve U.S. objectives.

MORE FROM MEET THE PRESS

Meet the Press Section Front

Nov. 8: Casey, Barbour, Rendell, roundtable, Brokaw Nov. 1: Tim Geithner, David Plouffe, roundtable Oct. 25: Cornyn, Schumer, Burnett, Sorkin, roundtable Oct. 18: Jarrett, Dodd, Kyl, Shriver, Podesta Oct. 11: Levin, Graham, McCaffrey, Myers, roundtable Oct. 4: Ambassador Susan Rice, roundtable Sept. 27: Bill Clinton, Paterson, Kyl, Webb Sept. 20: President Obama, Sen. Graham, Rep. Boehner, roundtable Sept. 13: Durbin, Cornyn, Dean, Gingrich, roundtable Sept. 6: Axelrod, roundtable Meet the Press Section Front   Add Meet the Press headlines to your news reader: