tv Key Capitol Hill Hearings CSPAN June 19, 2014 6:00pm-8:01pm EDT
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mr. reid: madam president? the presiding officer: mr. leader. mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent the call of the quorum be terminated. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: i move to proceed to executive session to consider calendar number 779. the presiding officer: the question is on the motion. all in favor say aye. opposed no. the ayes appear to have it. the motion is agreed to. the clerk will report the nomination. the clerk: nomination, the
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judiciary, paul g. byron of florida to be united states district judge for the middle district of florida. mr. reid: i send a cloture motion to the desk. the presiding officer: the clerk will report the cloture motion. the clerk: cloture motion, we, the undersigned senators, in accordance with the provisions of rule 22 of the standing rules of the senate move to bring to a close debate on the nomination of paul g. byron of florida to be united states district judge for the middle district of florida, signed by 17 senators. mr. reid: i ask consent the mandatory quorum be waived. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: i move to proceed to legislative session. the presiding officer: the question is on the motion. all those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. the ayes appear to have it. the motion is agreed to. mr. reid: you move to proceed to executive session to consider calendar number 780. the presiding officer: the question is on the motion. all in favor say aye. opposed no.
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the ayes appear to have it. the motion is agreed to. the clerk will report the nomination. the clerk: carlos eduardo mendoza of florida to be united states district judge for the middle district of florida. mr. reid: there is a cloture motion and i ask it be reported. the presiding officer: the clerk will report the cloture motion. the clerk: cloture motion, we, the undersigned senators in accordance with the provisions of rule 22 of the standing rules of the senate hereby move to bring to a close the debate on the nomination of carlos eduardo mendoza of florida to be united states district judge for the middle district of florida signed by 17 senators. the presiding officer: i ask consent the mandatory quorum under rule 22 be waived and the reading of the names be waived. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: i move to proceed to legislative session. the presiding officer: the question is on the motion. all those in favor say aye. all opposed no. the kwrao*eus appear to have it -- the ayes appear to have it. the motion is agreed to. mr. reid: i move to proceed to calendar number 781 in executive
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session. the presiding officer: the question is on the motion. the ayes appear to have it. the motion is agreed to. the clerk will report the nomination. the clerk: beth bloom of florida to be united states district judge for the southern district of florida. mr. reid: there's a cloture motion at the desk, madam president. the clerk: the clerk will the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: cloture motion wet. , the undersigned senators in accordance with the standing rules of the senate, hereby move to bring to a close the debate on the nomination of beth bloom of florida to be united states district judge for the southern district of florida. signed by 17 senators. mr. reid: i ask consent the reading of the names be waived. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: i ask consent the mandatory quorum under rule 22 be waived. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: i now move to proceed to legislative session. the presiding officer: the question is on the motion. all in favor say aye. all opposed, nay. the ayes appear to have it. the motion is agreed to. mr. reid: i now move to proceed to executive session to consider calendar number 836. the presiding officer: the
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question is on the motion. all in favor say aye. all opposed, no. the ayes appear t to have it. the motion is agreed to. the clerk will report the nomination. the clerk: geoffrey w. crawford of vermont to be united states district judge for the district of vermont. mr. reid: there's a cloture motion at the desk, madam president. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: cloture motion. we, the undersigned senators in accordance with the provisions of rule 22 of the standing rules of the senate, hereby move to bring to a close the debate on the nomination of geoffrey w. crawford of vermont to be united states district judge for the district of vermont. signed by 17 senators. mr. reid: i ask consent the reading of the names be waived. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: i ask consent the mandatory quorum under rule 22 be waived. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: i now move to proceed to legislative session. the presiding officer: the question is on the motion. all in favor say aye. all opposed, no. the ayes appear to have it. the motion is agreed to. mr. reid: i now move to proceed to imec active session to car calendar 742 -- to consider
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calendar number 472. the presiding officer: the question is on the motion. all in favor say aye. the motion is agreed to. the clerk will report the nomination. the clerk: department of homeland security, leon rodriguez of maryland to be director of the united states citizenship and immigration services. mr. reid: there's a cloture motion i ask be reported. the presiding officer: the clerk will report the cloture motion. the clerk: cloture motion. we, the undersigned senators, in accordance with the provisions of rule 22 of the standing rules of the senate, hereby move to bring to a close the debate on the nomination of leon rodriguez to the director of the united states citizenship and immigration services department of homeland security. signed by 17 senators. mr. reid: i ask consent the reading of the names not be necessary. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: i ask consent the mandatory quorum under rule 22 be waived. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: i now move to legislative session. the presiding officer: the question so the motion.
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all in favor say aye. all opposed, no. the ayes appear to have it. the motion is agreed to. mr. reid: i now ask unanimous consent the senate proceed to a period of morning business, senators be allowed to speak for up to 10 minutes each. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent that on monday, june 23, at 5:30, the senate proceed to executive session and vote on cloture on executive calendars number 779, 780, 781, 836. further, that if cloture is invoked on any of these nominations, that on the next day, tuesday, june 24, at 11:00 a.m., all post low pur postclote expired and the senate proceed to vote on the nominations in the order upon which cloture was invoked. further, that following senate action on these nominations, on tuesday, the senate proceed to vote on cloture of calendar number 742. further, there be two minutes for debate prior to each vote and all roll call votes after the first be 10 minutes in length. further, with respect to nominations in this agreement, if any nomination is confirmed, the motion to reconsider be
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considered made and laid on the table and the president be notified of the senate's action. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent that at a time to be determined by me, after consultation with senator mcconnell, the help committee be discharged from further consideration of h.r. 803 and the senate proceed to its consideration, that a murray-isakson-harkin-alexander substitute amendment which is at the desk be considered, that the only other amendments in order be the following amendments to the substitute -- flake, which is making appointment and a certification of a new board permissible instead of required. lee, evaluation and report requirement. and managers' technical amendment. that's three amendments. that there be 10 minutes of debate equally divided between the two leaders or their designees on each amendment, that upon the use or yielding back of that time, the senate proceed to vote in relation to the amendments in the order listed, that no second-degree amendments be in order prior to the votes, that upon disposition of the managers' technical amendment, the substitute amendment as amended, if
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amended, be agreed to, the bill as amended be read a third time, there be 10 minutes of debate equally divided between the two leaders or designees, that upon the use or yielding back of that time, the senate proceed to vote on passage of that bill. that if the bill, the murray-isakson-harkin-alexander amendment to the title which is at the desk be agreed to and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid on the table and there be no intervening action or debate. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: i ask consent the senate proceed to calendar number 432. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: calendar number 432, s. 1603, a bill to reaffirm that certain land has been taken into trust for the benefit of the matche wish band of potowana indians and for other purposes. the presiding officer: i ask that the bill be read a third time -- mr. reid: i ask the bill be read a third time -- the presiding officer: without objection, the senate will proceed to the measure.
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mr. reid: thank you, madam president. what i'd ask and i would hope that this is what occurred, th that -- ask the bill be read a third time and the motion to reconsider be laid on the table with no intervening action or debate. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: and the bill was passed, is that right? the presiding officer: that is correct. mr. reid: s. 2491 is due for its second reading. the presiding officer: the clerk will read the title of the bill for the second time. the clerk: s. 2491, a bill to protect the medicare program under title 18 of the social security act with respect to reconciliation involving changes to the medicare program. mr. reid: i would object to any further proceedings with regard to this bill. the presiding officer: the objection having been heard, the bill will be placed on the calendar. mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent the committee of commerce be discharged from further consideration of h.r. 4412 and the senate agree to the request of the house for a
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return of the papers with respect to h.r. 4412. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: i ask consent that during the adjournment or recess of the senate from thursday, june 19 through monday, june 23, the majority leader and senators rockefeller and feinstein be authorized to sign duly enrolled bills or joint resolutions. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: i ask unanimous consent that when the senate completes its business today, it adjourn until monday, june 23, at 2:00 p.m. that's 2014, of course. following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day. that following any leader remarks, the senate be in a period of morning business until 5:30 p.m. with senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each. that following morning business, the senate proceed to executive session under the previous order. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: so there will be four roll call votes on monday at 5:30 p.m. if there's no further business to come before this body, i ask that it adjourn under the previous order. the presiding officer: the senate stands in adjournment senate stands in adjournment
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argue the republican party and i call it blue-collar conservatives, the folks out there that are working people most of them don't have college degrees, folks that really still understand the value of work and the importance of work and responsibility and people that understand the importance of family and faith, belief in freedom and limited government. you say oh wow those are conservative republican voters and in many cases they are not. in fact a lot of them aren't voting at all because they don't really see either party talking to them about the concerns they have and trying to create an opportunity for them to live the american dream.
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a white house ceremony. after the ceremony corporal carpenter talked to reporters in the white house briefing room. this is 25 minutes. ♪ ♪ see ladies and gentlemen the president of the united states and mrs. michelle obama accompanied by medal of honor recipient corporal william kyle carpenter. ♪ ♪ ♪ see if you would please pray with me.
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almighty god we posit the beginning of this historic event to ask for your presence in this place. i love your spirit to move among all of us gathered here that as we give honor to one who demonstrated the virtues upon which this nation was founded, we would be reminded again of your grace that has allowed this country's freedoms that so many like corporal kyle carpenter have sacrificed to defend. god we would ask that you hear our gratitude for molding corporal carpenter's character to the love of his gracious family and the support of his countless friends and mentors. no of our deep appreciation for this marine space-bar must that when faced that day was the crucible of self preservation or self-sacrifice, he responded with valor and intrepidity to safeguard the life of his frie friend. and now is the nation's highest award for such an amenable
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selflessness and courage corporal carpenter encircled him with the depth of your steadfast love. sanctify his innermost and unspoken thoughts so that his heat carries the unfathomable weight of this honor he will be enabled and emboldened to speak on behalf of and encourage those whose untold sacrifices and humble service made his firm and compassionate voice. we looked up in prayer all but those remain in harm or of the globe and their families and friends of the marines, sailors, soldiers, airmen and coast guardsmen who have given their lives in service to this country. be still your wisdom on those who lead this nation and to shape its endeavors. may all of us as americans yield ourselves to your divine guidance and follow the example of these are heroes who loves
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country more than self and mercy more than life. god bless america. amen. >> thank you everybody. please be seated. on behalf of michelle and myself welcomed to the white house. the man you see before you today, corporal william kyle carpenter, should not be alive today. hand grenades are one of the most awful weapons of war. they only weigh about a pound but they are packed with tnt. if one lands nearby you have mere seconds to seek cover. planet when it detonates its fragments shootout in every direction and even at a distance
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the spray of shrapnel can inflict devastating injuries on the human body. up close it's almost certain death. but we are here because this m man, this united states marine, face down that terrible explosive power, that unforgiving force with his own body willingly and deliberately. to protect a fellow marine. when that grenade exploded kyle carpenter's body took the brunt of the blast. his injuries were called catastrophic. it seemed as if he was going to die. while being treated he went into cardiac arrest and three times he flatlined. three times doctors brought him back.
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along with his parents who called kyle's survival are a miracle we thank god they did. because with that singular act of courage korail you not only save your brother in arms you displayed the heroism in a blink of the night that would inspire for generations they'll are valor worthy of our nation's highest military decoration, the medal of honor. and kyle and i have actually met before during his long recovery at walter reed. he and some of our other wounded warriors came to the white house to celebrate the world series champion st. louis cardinals. some of you may be aware i'm a white sox fan. kyle likes the braves so it was a tough day for both of us. [laughter] that after the ceremony michelle and i had the chance to meet
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with kyle and at the time he was still undergoing surgeries. he was up and he was walking and he was working his way toward being independent again towards the man you see here today. kyle the main message we want to send his welcome that. we are so proud to have you here. we just spent some time not just with kyle but also his wonderful family and anybody who has had a chance to talk to this young man knows you are not going to get a better example of what you want in an american or a marine. despite all the attention he is still the same humble guy from gilbert south carolina population of about 600. i guess today it's only population 590 something. these days he is also at the
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university of south carolina just a normal college student he says cheering for the gamecocks. you will notice that kyle doesn't hide his scars. he is proud of them and the service that they represent. and he tells me this so i'm just quoting that he says the girls really like them. [laughter] so he is working an angle on this thing. i wasn't sure whether i was supposed to say that in front of mom that but there is a quote there. in addition to our many distinguished guests i want to welcome those who made this man that marine that he is kyle's father jim, kyle's lovely mom robin and his brothers bryce and payton one of whom is going to be joining kyle at south
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carolina another game and then we have one who is going to be a citadel. we also have kyle's marine brothers who served with him in afghanistan into his recovery and i also want to welcome the members of the medal of honor society whose ranks kyle joins today. kyle and his fellow marines searched during the surge of forces that i ordered to afghanistan early in my presidency. their mission was to drive the taliban out of their strongholds, protect the afghan people and give them a chance to reclaim their communities. kyle and his platoon were in helmand province and marcia pushing their way across open fields and muddy canals bearing their heavy packs even as it could heat up to 115 degrees. in one small village they turned the dusty compound into a base. the insurgents nearby gave their answer with sniper fire and
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automatic weapon fire and rocket-propelled grenades. that morning call said hour-long clock was ak-47 fire. some of the men provide their bunks gearing up for another day and some were heating up their mres. somewhere in makeshift op centers a simple mud building planning the days patrols. up on the roof behind a circle of sandbags to marines manned their posts. kyle and lance corporal nicholas eufrazio. the compound started to take fire. seeking cover kyle and nick laid down low on their backs behind the sandbags. and then the grenade landed with a flood its pan already pulled. it was about to explode and kyle has no memory of what happened next. what we do know is that they are on the rooftop he wasn't just with a fellow marine, he was
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already with his best friend. kyle and neck had met at training. in afghanistan they patrol together day and night friendship forged. kyle says about nick he was my point man. i loved him like a brother. when the grenade landed other marines in the compound looked up and saw it happen. kyle try to stand lunged forward towards the grenade and then he disappeared into the blast. keep in mind at the time qaeda was just 21 years old. but in that instant he fulfilled those words of scripture greater love hath no man than this than a man who lay down his life for his friends. they found kyle lying facedown directly over the blast area. his homak was riddled with holes and his gear was melted. part of his kevlar vest was blown away.
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one of the doctors who treated him later said kyle was literally wounded from the top of his head to his feet. and for a moment car was still conscience -- conscious. his eyes were open but he couldn't see. kyle remembers everything went blank and yet even then his thoughts were not of himself. one of the marines who was their remembers how kyle kept asking him one question about was whether nick was okay. as kyle strength during the way he sensed the end was coming so according to kyle's memories my last thought was to make peace with god. i asked her his forgiveness and trying to make the best and most of my last few seconds here on earth. the medal of honor is presented for gallantry on the battlefield but today we also recognize kyle carpenter for his valor and the
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hard fight for recovery. eventually kyle woke up. after five weeks in a coma. i want you to consider what kyle has ensured just to stand here today. more than two and a half years in the hospital, grueling rehabilitation, brain surgery to remove shrapnel from his head, nearly 40 surgeries to repair a collapsed lung, fractured fingers a shattered right arm broken in more than 30 places multiple skin grafts great he is a new prosthetic eye, a new job, new teeth and one hell of a smile. and kyle is was the first to get credit elsewhere. his doctors at bethesda he says put him back together well. today is also a reminder that somebody with injuries as seriously as kyle's probably
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would not survive. so many of our wounded warriors from today's wars are alive not just because of their marble advances in technology but primarily because the extraordinary dedication and skill of our military and our va medical professionals. so we need to keep doing everything we can in our power to give our wounded warriors and those who treat them the support that they need and i think this is a wonderful opportunity to ask doctors deborah malone and the rest of kyle's medical team who are here to please stand. i see their amazing work every time i visit bethesda, every time i visit walter reed. it's pretty rare where you have a job where you just know you are doing gods work every single day. they do an incredible job. [applause]
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thank you for the miracles you work for our wounded troops and veterans. kyle says he will wear this medal for all who serve and for those who didn't make it back in for those who struggle still so today we also honor to members of his team who made the ultimate sacrifice in that deployment kyle's friend lance corporal timothy jackson of corman kentucky and lance corporal dakota argues of greenwood louisiana. our thoughts are also with the marines that kyle saved that day his brother nick. i had the opportunity to meet nick as well two years after the blasts on one of my visits to walter reed. nick also is suffered grievous wounds. as a result of traumatic brain injury he couldn't speak for more than a year.
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he also endured multiple surgeries. today his recovery continues. he lives at home with his family in plymouth massachusetts where he is watching the ceremony so nick on behalf of all of us i wanted to know we honor your sacrifice as well. your perseverance is an inspiration. just as kyle was there for you our nation will be there for you and your family as you go stronger in the years ahead. if any of our wounded warriors seek an example. let me amend that. if any american seeks a model of the strength and resilience that define us as a people including this newest 9/11 generation, i want you to consider kyle. after everything he has been through, he skis, he snowboards, he has jumped from a plane with a parachute thankfully. [laughter] he trudged through a six-mile mud run completed the marine
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corps marathon and he says he wants to do a triathlon. he is a motivational speaker, an advocate for his fellow wounded warriors. he is thinking about majoring in psychology so he can use his own experience to help others. he got stellar grades and by the way he's only 24 years old and says i'm just getting started. in other words kyle is a shining example of what our nation needs to encourage, veteran to come home and use their incredible skills and talents to keep our country strong. we can all learn from kyle's example. as we prepare for the reading of the citation i would like to close with his own words, a message at thing for every american. it took a life-changing event to get me to generally appreciate the precious and amazing life i have been blessed with.
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please take it from me, enjoy every day to the fullest. don't take life too seriously. always try to make it count. appreciate the small and simple things. be kind and help others. let the ones you love always know that you love them and when things get hard trust there is a bigger plan and that you will be stronger for it. pretty good message. corporal william kyle carpenter should not be alive today but the fact that he is gives us reason to trust that there is indeed a bigger plan. so god bless you kyle and god bless all who serve and protect the precious and amazing life that we are blessed with. may god continue to bless and keep strong the united states of america. sempre fi. [applause]
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see the president of the united states and the name of the congress takes pleasure in presenting the medal of honor to lance corporal william kyle carpenter united states marine corps for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as an automatic rifleman with company f second battalion ninth marines regimental combat team one verse burying division forward first marine expeditionary force forward in helmand province afghanistan in support of operation enduring freedom on 21 november, 2010. lance corporal carpenter was a member of the platoon sized coalition force force comprised of two reinforced marine rifle squad partnered with an afghan national army squad. the platoon had established patrol base to go to today's earlier in the a small village in the marcia district in order
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to disrupt enemy activity and provide security for the local afghan population. lance corporal carpenter and a fellow marine were manning a rooftop security position on the perimeter of the patrol base dakota when the enemy initiated a daylight attack with hand grenades one of which landed inside their sandbags position. without hesitation and with complete disregard for his own safety lance corporal carpenter moves towards the grenade and an attempt to shield his fellow marine from the deadly blast. when the grenade detonated his body and sort the brunt of the blast severely wounding him but saving the life of his fellow marine. by his undaunted courage bold fighting spirit and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of almost certain death lance corporal carpenter reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the marine corps and the united states naval service.
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daily lives, we pray that you would a noble and empower us that when called upon we would represent the resolute fearlessness of corporal kyle carpenter and all those who wear the stars of fowler and live up to our responsibilities bringing honor to you and to this country. it's in the strength of your name we pray. amen. >> that brings us to the conclusion of the ceremony but not the reception and party and so i want to thank everybody again for being here especially kyle's wonderful family and his parents and i understand the food here at the white house is pretty good. i party told kyle's brothers that they should be chowing down but that goes for everybody else as well. i think the drinks are free.
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it's still early in the afternoon. thank you very much everybody. let's give one more round of applause to our latest medal of honor winner kyle carpenter. applause go. [applause] >> good afternoon everyone. as i stand before you today i am truly honored and humbled yet i accept this honor with a heavy heart. as the president put the medal of honor around my neck i felt the history and the weight of the nation. i think about the continental marines who fearlessly defended their ships and follow through with a new way of life. i think about the deadly trenches of world war i and the marines who charge the bloody
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beaches throughout world war ii. i think about the marines in korea who lost their feet, hands and lives to frostbite at their chosen reservoir and those he trudged to the rice paddies of vietnam. think about the marines who went from house to house in the scorching heat through cities like fallujah baghdad and rama ramadi. i think about the marines who were with me. it is i close my eyes today i can hear the matter that's being called over the radio as they bled in the fields of afghanistan. today i accept the medal for them. i will wear it for every person that makes a far greater blessed nation. i will wear it for those who have been wounded on the same lance but still continue to fight the battle. through long and difficult days of recovery and to those who
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have given all and their families i can ever express in words what you mean to this nation they use so selflessly and courageously gave forth. we are forever indebted to you and your inspiring devotion to our country. i will wear this metal for the incredible medical staff who helped keep me alive. i will wear it for my family who have also been at the health, love, support and encourage me along my journey of healing and recovery. i am proud to be a marine. i'm proud of those that have raised their right hands. those who sacrificed to earn the right to wear the sacred cloth of our nation. i think -- i thank all of who have served our serving and who will serve.
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on today's "washington journal" we talk about recent developments in iraq with congressman rick perry and iraqi war veteran. this is 45 minutes. tesco we are back with congressman scott. republican of pennsylvania who said some homeland security panel and an iraq war veteran. thank you for coming here and talking to our viewers. let me begin with what we are hearing from the military up on capitol hill yesterday. you have the defense secretary chuck hagel and gentle -- general dempsey say it's complicated. airstrikes, that kind of strategy is fraught with complications. >> guest: it's fraught with competition. i'm a helicopter pilot but people and things that are up in
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the air can end up on the ground very quickly and that really complicates the issue. even our technology were to end up on the ground and we saw what happened in iran and they have the technology and that is compromised and how do you deal with that? all of this is very complicated and a travesty for many of us who served in the country. how are we at this place with so many of us saw it coming when so many of us saw it coming and raised her hand. let's not let this happen. let's do something before this occurs. but secure the gains that we have. 4500 souls gone. it is absolute meaningful and absolutely appropriate but for the greater missions of securing iraq and making sure that no weapons of mass distraction repair and securing our place
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there all gone just like that. >> host: who is to blame, where were the mistakes made? >> guest: >> guest: there have been a lot of mistakes made. for me i think the president had opportunities here. i do say that we should have a status of forces agreement saying maliki he was not responsive. karzai has not been responsive that we were able somehow to be working through that and i would also say maliki wouldn't have a country to rule if it weren't for united states and we are in a position to dictate and say there are certain minimum terms that you will come along with here. it hasn't stopped iraq from asking for aid and assistance since that time. we are in a position in my opinion to do something about that. okay so let's say we couldn't get the status of forces agreement on that we have seen the slow march of isis come across area and work through fallujah and over at period --
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we have seen as violence escalates in steve ellis mining we have had this we are going to sit back attitude. we can't can have it. >> host: should those minimum turns for memory i'll maliki apply napa for united states goes in with any military airstrikes? >> guest: the united states has to be protected. if nouri al-maliki wants the united states the united states we are positioned to dictate terms or maim us. >> host: should he go? >> guest: what he has to go. he's been unable and unwilling to put a coalition together so this wouldn't happen and that was kind of a given and that was understood and that's precisely by the way the reason one of the major reasons the united states should maintain presence in iraq. not necessarily only for counterterrorism but to make sure the pressure was applied to maliki and make sure he did the right thing to secure the gains that america wanted in america paid for and the world was relying on. we walked away and let him do that on its his own. he was unprepared and unwilling.
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>> host: the united states, when the united states won and in 2000 three-part of the demand was to set up a democratic government. they did so. no re-al-maliki is democratically-elected. can the united states say now you have to go? >> guest: we can say it and he can say no. we are not really in a position from where we are to force anybody to do anything. we were in a position at some point that we have lost outstandingly that standing anything. i think practically speaking we can get with partners around the world who are watching this and put the pressure on because we understand that he must understand this plan has not worked. this approach has not worked and nothing is going to change at this point. he has lost the confidence of the people that he leads. >> host: what is worse, this shia led government by nouri al-maliki or the sunni led government by saddam hussein? >> guest: i guess unfortunately we will have to let it play out to know which
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one is worse. i think they are both obviously bad. one that is contained might be better but even if saddam hussein -- saddam hussein -- to some people and use the very weapons of mass distraction against his people that we were concerned going into syria over so he is no better actor and allowing someone who could be cajoled into being a state sponsor of terrorism worldwide, that cannot be accepted either. this current group of folks i think we know what we are going to get with them. we are going to get a sponsor of terrorism worldwide. they will use that as a base of operations and unfortunately we can't just put up a wall around the country and contain them all in there. that would be an easy solution but that's not a pollutant -- solution set. americans myself included have to get our brains are from the fact that we are going to have to deal with this whether we like to or not.
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>> host: one official administration official in the ground in iraq reported in the financial times this morning saying if you push too hard on this issue of nouri al-maliki he will push them right into the arms of iran. >> guest: yeah. i think that has a fair amount of merit however if we just dam back and do nothing we will allow at some point -- mcafee where the insurgents, they understand realpolitik in the interesting combat and all they have to do at some point if they want to us around the city of baghdad in late. as a reminder viewers when you serve and what was involved. >> guest: i served in 2009 as the task force commander for aviation task force of about 800 to 1000 souls at any one given time. for mission sets of medevac reconnaissance heavy lift and general support. i flew missions myself with books out there. let's go you were part of the
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national guard and you still are. could you be called a ." >> guest: yes, there is my always a possibility although the position i'm currently in actually i just got moved to a new position so it's possible but highly unlikely. >> host: but you served in iraq. >> guest: i've made a commitment and i've certainly signed up so if they call me i would be duty bound to hell. >> host: do you think over the decades in iraq your fellow soldiers that died you think the money spent, $1.7 trillion, do you think it was worth it? >> guest: will when you say as you put it wasn't worth it, it was worth it. is it looking like it was worth it at this moment? it is hard to quantify that. for the family, the parents, the wife, the husband that lost their loved one in iraq it would be hard to look them in the face and they would say to you why did i lose my son, my husband,
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my wife? what was that for? it was for the person standing next to them who is not for that soldier would not be here because we all do not only fight for our country and our constitution and preservation of freedom around the world and the mission were given but we also fight for the person next to us that the greater mission at this point has been compromised. let's go she really does the president need to come to congress for additional action in iraq? does he need legislative authority? >> guest: that's unclear right now because i'm not sure what our status is if we still have a status from a previous agreement. i asked that question yesterday in a classified briefing and i haven't gotten answer yet. if we still have a current status based on occupancy and i would say no but i would also say it would be i think the right thing to do from the standpoint of trust and collaboratively working together an understanding that the peop
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people. >> through as well as the person in their representatives. i think that we did an impromptu poll on the time hall meeting last night. there's not a whole lot of support. there's very little support for having boots on the ground in invading iraq in redoing our work right now so if he's going to take action he's going to be out there on his own. >> host: we'll go to your phonecalls. republican caller. hi george go ahead. >> caller: hi. how are you? i have to say congressman perry as a retired marine your gig line on your tie is a little askew. >> guest: i appreciate the criticism. i will square myself away here. >> caller: i agree with you the greater mission has been compromised. for good, better or worse a newly-elected president assumes all responsibilities for the
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actions of the former. it's time we stop blaming bush and obama needs to start taking responsibility because he is the president and secondly or lastly i will go to this. the sofa agreement. i have heard that disparity because we couldn't get a sofa agreement. i have heard the numbers at of the amount he requested have been different from what this president was going to give and therefore the sofa agreement was not assigned and done that way. i would like somebody to get up to the public and actually gives the figures or find out the reason why the sofa agreement wasn't done. because if it was iraq would not have fallen the way it is. let's go all right george. >> guest: i would agree. first of all the first aid and this is an imperfect world and we change presidents every four
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or eight years so the president sometimes gets things that he or she doesn't want that you have got to deal with the situation at hand. it's imperfect so you have to do the responsible thing so i would agree with that assessment. regarding the sofa i think that's an excellent point that we need to know how that went. for me it all was too convenient for political narrative did not stay in iraq. again from my foxhole if you will we were in a position to dictate a certain amount of those terms. again mr. maliki would not have been in the position that he was then at the time it is in now if it weren't for the united states and there's a certain responsibility that goes with that. you get that agreement. you don't say well we just couldn't get it. you get the agreement. this is america and we provided that position for freedom and for a democratic government in iraq. that was provided courtesy of united states of america and the coalition that was put together
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by america so you've make sure that you don't leave without setting those terms. you make sure period. anything less than that to me is a failure of completing the mission. >> host: what about the role fell at the bush administration going in going in the first place? some have argued that without the u.s. invasion to overthrow saddam hussein you would not have insurgencies that we have seen over the years. because the u.s. government force members of the baath party out disbanded the iraqi military and our previous caller said saddam hussein cap that country in order and the region in order and you have monty le bon on twitter saying we gave iraq on a golden tray to iran at a heavy cost in blood and money. time to take it back by allowing maliki to follow. >> guest: i think they are criticisms regarding how the war was prosecuted or executed are appropriate. this is an imperfect world and certainly when you are are at
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war their imperfect decisions based on the intelligence and what you think is the right thing to do. it is flawed in there's no doubt. purging all of the baath party and the military at the time has been seen over the course of history as the mistake of the operation. that having been said we don't appreciate north korea and their actions and the only reason that we let them continue to do what they do is that they are contained there but we don't approve of it. even the president at the time made these decisions and some of them again were imperfect in the prosecution of the war. we did stabilize iraq. it was a successful mission at the end of his term and he did lay a success on the next president. he handed off this successful product. not perfect but generally speaking successful to be managed and just like a person who gets a company handed to
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them from their father is the father retired you can either run it into bankruptcy or he can continue this success if it's been successful but it's been your responsibility. >> host: we will go to jamie and clarkson michigan democratic caller. jamie were on the air. >> caller: thank you for taking my call. i want to recognize representative. for his service and i hope and pray that he does not have to go back. i have a son and he is a veteran. i want to know why the parties and i don't blame the parties and i don't blame the people. why can't the parties get together and come out with the facts, the truth and understanding what's going on in our country is not healthy. i'm afraid our country is going to fall one of these days.
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i am 71 years old and things that are going on right now i have never seen in my life. where a congress refuses to negotiate, compromise and just shuts the government down. >> host: all right jamie we will have the congressman respond. >> guest: i think there's plenty of blame to go around on both sides. i think jamie makes a point that some failed negotiations on behalf of the congress and maybe some intractability but i would also lay some of the blame on administration and the congress has to continue to pull information it seems like it would be valid to have information come out so everyone can make a decision right or wrong. we understand people make mistakes. we are human and we make mistakes but less so that to the mistake. let's figure out how they could not do that again a move on but what happens is it breeds mistrust when information is not forthcoming and i would say the lost e-mails and the irs
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situation or a myriad of information where the congress is asked to hold the attorney general in contempt of congress. these things are unprecedented in all it does is feed into the circumstance of mistrust. >> host: we are talking with representatives got. republican of pennsylvania and iraq veteran who is also on the home and security committee and the houses where is the form -- as well as the foreign affairs committee. we want to hear from you (202)585-3883. as a member of the foreign affairs committee you have a closed-door briefing yesterday with the penetration officials. what did you learn? >> guest: of course not in closed-door but classified. we learned obviously some more depth about the situation. i can't give specifics that we have questions weren't since about the embassy and the staff there and timelines in preparation and you get a better feel or the situation on the ground and to some of the actors
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are in some key points that if they occur will equate to another key point. so probably members of congress that were there looking for a little different, looking at the situation differently looking for other occurrences that may be your average viewer that hasn't had a briefing. >> host: is the embassy safe? >> guest: it is that the current time. plus the cost of billion dollars to build. why would it need reinforcements? >> guest: well even at that size and its formidable structure and protective surface so to speak again anything could be held under siege and you have to get supplies in and out of it. if it's encircled the enemy all they have to do is wait them. it is my understanding and i think it's a good source they have taken ground to air new missiles. they have aaa artillery's so we supplied by air once the
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insurgents get close enough and at some point you can hold out but you can't live on nothing. you need fuel and water and food and you need ammunition to defend. once those things are all compromised then it's too late so literally the united states would have to pull out the forwarded to that point because you can't wait until then. that's too late. you have to get up it for them. >> host: we will go to our line for indepedents. from washington d.c. go ahead. >> caller: hi. the united states is a free country but i feel there's a tendency for everybody to adore them signs in the middle east which is causing the trouble. in saudi arabia and syria and iran and the shia in the middle east and the same are attacking maliki.
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the air raid raid -- arabian embassy in washington d.c. to ignore the findings the isi asset -- my the same thing happened in afghanistan. they created the insurgents against russia and we are witnessing the same thing happening in iraq and syria. so i think people should start addressing this issue and be more open about this idea for saudi arabia to saudi arabia to stop doing this because let me add to this "the wall street journal" arab allies particularly saudi arabia and the uae are pressing the white house to pull support for the iraqi prime minister. what about the role of saudi arabia? >> guest: i think hussein makes a great point and shows how complicated this has become which first of all i think americans need to be aware of how complicated in the different
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alliances that are involved in have been involved for some time which goes to my other point we are at the point we have passed the point of early having a lot of great options. this is why the president of the administration should've been engaged very directly very early on before syria even had a problem. these are not new occurrences. these are not new eventualities. that some folks are just starting to realize them is born out of situation that is occurring and it's easy to monday morning quarterback but there have been many over the course of time that is that this is coming. we need to do something. we need to get involved. this pullback pullback strategy and my big things, we are actors in the world and we either decide to pull ourselves up completely or we have to participate. now we have fooled very few good options. >> host: republican and cookeville tennessee. cal you are on the air. go ahead.
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>> caller: yes, good morning. looking at iraq reminds me ho how -- the president is. if baghdad falls they will have a real problem because there will be a threat to allies like saudi arabia kuwait and even israel as well. if i were president i would have the first airborne division heading to iraq at this point in time. [inaudible] the problem is when you have politicians -- about where you end up losing like we did in vietnam. >> host: we talked earlier there are challenges. guess of their huge challenges and a 105 and 155 does exceptional damage and can persuade the enemy to stop doing
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what it's doing. you have to get it there. you have to get the 101st air. there is the logistic tail and there's public support. i appreciate work how is and what he wants to accomplish that there are many who have said we have party to matt. we have already paid in blood and treasure in credibility and we are due on this victory. why must we with our sons and daughters go back and do it again to cal's point for politicians in washington who have screwed this up in the first place? the military is an extension of our public and diplomatic policies. an extension somewhere on the continuum. there's a time in a place to use it and right now unfortunately i don't think that the public supports but cal and i don't support it either. again we have few good options. plus it to be clear when do you say yes for a military strategy? what needs to be laid out? >> guest: even if right now and i do support drone strikes
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but they are going to have to be coordinated with ground forces. they don't have to be american ground forces. they should be ground forces from the neighborhood they are at our they are better corrugated probably with u.s. involvement to make sure that she is in the sunnis in saudi arabia and iran all that is corrugated so that they are not at the wrong place at the wrong time but to stop this insurgency and bring stability so we can have the conversation and get that country back to where it was a few years ago. >> host: patricia is an iraq veteran in garden city new york a democratic caller. good morning. >> caller: hi how are you. >> guest: i am quite well thank you. >> caller: i was a medic and that was my mos and that is what i'm doing today. i'm a great fan of late-night tv and all these people on late-night television shows and c. stennis center and cnn watching what's going on the middle east and like many people
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it seems like it is chaos and yet i know cooler heads need to prevail in its very complicated and it is an emergent situation. i think that we have the communications. we have the capacity to try and figure out without making it worse how to make it better quickly and to keep our people safe at embassy and to think about all the refugees who are lining up in the heat right now, and the heat without tents and water whether they are coming from syria or they are coming from the north of iraq. it's a humanitarian disaster and it's also a potential ecological disaster. >> host: patricia i will jump in and we'll take that point. unicef is declaring the situation is an emergency. >> guest: is certainly as a humanitarian emergency. there are many iraq if you're not interested in this fighting and would like to live in a peaceful stable nation and of
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course when you think about the children of these folks. a child as a child no matter where they are born and where they exist and living in these circumstances is terrific to us in the civilized world. i think americans should and can participate in the humanitarian relief effort and as patricia said the heat of iraq. i remember seeing the thermometer tag 145 degrees. it is oppressive and the things that will be born out of that crisis will add to it so the sooner we can get to that but it shouldn't be america alone. the neighborhood around their that have the closest dusters -- vested interest in finding the solution set. >> host: let's go to rossing connecticut independent caller. hi ross. >> caller: hi. i know that the government right now and the congress is -- benghazi and i understand that was a disaster and should be investigated but i compare that
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to iraq. i remember all these promises that were made to the american people into the world world by the bush of administration. i remember phrases like shock and awe. the opposition was going to be so overwhelmed by american might that they would never even consider doing anything like we are seeing now. i remember vice president cheney saying this cannot be another vietnam. we were going to get in and get rid of the administration there and get out and that was going to be at. we have spent $1.7 trillion. this is going to be a model democracy. once we installed there we were going to leave and show the middle east have a good stable democracy would be. why are we investigating back? how come there has been no investigation and i don't believe it's too late to start a
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congressional investigation. >> host: congressman? >> guest: looks quite honestly i think we would be throwing good money after bad. you think the jury and the verdict is in on that. those were assumptions and mistakes obviously that we could get in and get out quickly. i think history oppositely shows that those facts are what they are. there's a certain amount of criticism that is valid. having investigation regarding their remarks, those are opinions i guess based on what they thought was going to happen and what their advisers told them to they are flawed and i think again that speaks for itself. here again is another criticism is valid that president bush left the situation in iraq that was better than when it had started with saddam hussein and being a potential state sponsor of terrorism. people say there were no weapons of mass distraction. their worm weapons of mass
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destruction and there was a nuclear program is what we were talking about but there certainly were chemical and those kinds of weapons and again the same substances that we were going to syria about. the situation was improved and i think there is some criticism of the obama clinton strategy for iraq and the greater region moving forward and we are not investigating that at this point. we are seeing, we are reaping what that policy has some just likely reaped what the former evisceration had some. >> host: i would like to know what to represent a pair of i it -- kerry thinks the consequences will be for this conflict in iraq? for example will it be at gas prices? >> guest: what absolutely is going to be gas prices because there's uncertainty on the world market and those are the immediate domestic consequences.
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what we don't know i'm hopefully we won't find out if they're some kind of terror association and the fact that our people are equating this with our southern border in particular. if there is some opportunity associated with us to have come across the border and take action from a terror standpoint. we don't know that at this time and it hasn't happened and we hope that doesn't happen and i not implying that it's going to but he said the immediate consequences domestically. right now it's fuel prices. and in an economy that is contracting. >> host: robert in vail arizona. hi robert. >> caller: yes i think we should be an iraq that time. we are arctic air and we have to set up the program, a better program to sell to the world in and force human rights and set a good example for the future. >> host: congressman? >> guest: that's an excellent
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point. this is one of the things america stands force human rights but you also have to have the willingness of the community and the nation that you were hoping to have that come around to that. the culture they are obviously doesn't provide for that at this time. that's a long-term process which again goes to my point that we shouldn't have left. we have -- it lets a stabilization force there to make sure that maliki did the right things to apply pressure to write sense of a coalition government included the kurds and some of its adversaries as opposed to having them thrown in jail and shut out which is born this. that is what has been squandered and over time you can work on the human rights cultural aspects that we have lost that opportunity now read to askew and people to give the lives of their sons and daughters once again, i mean i appreciate the question and the assertion but i think there has to be a greater conversation. meanwhile the clock is ticking.
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>> host: dee dee fredericks on twitter it's not a right to decide who or what type of government they have and then you have an e-mail saying the u.s. may believe maliki must go but what do the people of iraq want? >> guest: the people it depends on what neighborhood you live in. if you're a fan of maliki he wanted to stay but obviously there are significant portions of the population that do not appreciate the governance and do not agree which is why there's so much support for this insurgents. >> host: bill on twitter said my son called this morning. he is an iraq vet and he said he would go back in a heartbeat. he knew iraq would crash when we left. bonnie and middleton new jersey democratic caller bunny or up. >> caller: good morning. i remember a lot of reasons that we were given as the american public for invading iraq in and one of them was aluminum tubes and mushroom clouds and there
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were u.n. inspectors on the ground and you are right there were no threats of nuclear weapons. we knew that there were chemical weapons because donald rumsfeld made an exchange with saddam hussein and gave them those weapons at the u.n. inspectors were there saying that those were destroyed as well. the real reason i'm convinced was the contract for a new america and 9/11 was our catastrophe. most of those people responsible for the events of 9/11 were saudi's and someone from the united emirates too but iraq had nothing to do with this. they were no threat. we went in there and depleted uranium and phosphorus bombs that killed hundreds of thousands of people so was the humanitarian reason for us invading and occupying this nation.
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when at the end of president bush's last term he signed an agreement with maliki. we recognized that as a sovereign state. mouth he did not want us to end the agreement was to withdraw troops of blame it on the critic administration is not only not factual it's downright lies. plus i think bonnie is referring to the status force agreement in 2008 at the bush image administration sign that said we would be out by 2011. >> guest: it left the prospect opened for the assertion that tied the hands of his administration to administer the future as they saw fit and i think that is well-known as well. certainly there is plenty of blame to go around for the previous administration broke the reasons stated within the period that we are having this discussion but to completely absolve the current administration is lacking as well. >> host: grant us nexa number
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10 you were -- new jersey and iraq veteran. when did you serve and where? >> caller: i served in the green zone from 20092 november 2010. >> guest: thank you for your service. >> caller: thank you congressman. congressman i heard you say president bush handed off the -- to president obama. i would like to know what we want? the country was stable before we got there and don't say we got rid of saddam because 4000 live senate million displaced people, thousands injured. what did we win congressman? >> guest: wee congressman? >> guest: we won an iraq that was headed towards democracy and was stable. it was stable under saddam under the boot of tyranny. you are certainly right about that but that is neither good for the country and the people that live there are the world or the potential for a state-sponsored terrorism and there is no doubt that if it
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suited saddam's purposes he would have been happy to do that. again while we live in a world we must be prepared to deal with those things. if you want to deal with them after-the-fact after the terror attacks i guess that's one approach that most americans would rather the attacks not happen. again it's all hindsight so we have the luxury of all the facts after-the-fact that at the time the intelligence showed what it showed and it was only president bush, the congress and the coalition forces that agreed to go. and today we did. maybe that was flawed but everybody was an agreement based on what they knew at the time and intelligence has always been that way. it's always been lacking and it always will be lacking unless you have somebody on the inside that and say these are the facts without any reservation whatsoever. we don't have that luxury in these closing countries. >> host: are you still there?
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we will go to robert next in georgia republican caller. paymack robert. robert you are on the air. >> caller: yes, i'm sorry. i meant in savannah georgia which is a suburb of atlanta. my question was without -- getting away with doing anything he wants why is there have been no talk of impeachment? bill clinton, there was talk of impeachment for sexual relations and we have a 30-day nondisclosure of the trade deal that we just did by the worst of the worst the one trader and i wonder why impeachment talks haven't been mentioned? >> guest: robert there have been talks of course in congress and certainly constituents asking their representatives on occasion that feel the same way you do that is appropriate. i will tell you that our founders left us a political
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solution not a legal solution and for the trade that was made to five for one trade and a of a 30-day notice that was codified in law and sought by the president there is some conjecture with some validity that that's not even constitutional. this trade with mr. birdsall and the taliban five happen before such time as the administration could contend in court but that is not a constitution, that was not constitutional and again this is parsing of words. it sounds like politics and it's complicated but we really have been left with a political solution which is not a finite legal solution by our founders. prosco leon e-mails in that time i had no intention of negotiating a stance of force agreement.
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a couple of tweets. karen tweets in is very early to ever going to ask american people as a whole to pay for continued prosecution of wars in iraq and afghanistan? there is that federal ledger and then there was richard who want to know representative perry the surge worked because we paid sunni not to kill shiites. do we have the money today? >> guest: during the iraq and afghanistan where we borrowed the money and so not only are americans in the past paying for but americans in the future will be paying for the worse of the past. i think it's a great point. part of going to war and the policy is galvanizing public support including the cost of the poor. we literally can't afford to do these things treat that's a circumstance and that is why our debt and deficit is actually a national security issue. that is why because we can't afford to do the things we want
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to need to to keep our nation and our nation's interest around the world safe. >> host: another viewer asked in the e-mail doesn't this whole situation in iraq speak to one more reason for us being energy independent i.t. keystone pipeline? what honestly is the hold-up and on that point t from "washington times" is reporting congress led by senator mary landrieu democrat for louisiana has proposed a bill with republicans that cuts the president out of keystone decision. mary landrieu tweeting out yesterday that your sentiment that this iraq situation means that we do need to become more energy independent. we'll go to jeff in lancaster pennsylvania democratic caller who is also a veteran. you are on the air. >> caller: hi. >> guest: thank you for your service jeff. >> caller: congressman --
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excuse me i'm a little nervous. you said earlier that bush left iraq as a place where it was stable and he handed it over stable to barack obama. president obama didn't get it -- he was given to them screwed up and we went over there based on blood in the first place so i don't see how its president obama's fault when it was the george bush of ministries that lied. they told us there was mass distraction from beginning to when there wasn't. we went on the premise of mass distraction not on democracy and leaving a stable country. >> host: just dealing with the here and now would you go back? >> caller: no, i wouldn't go back. i don't think it's worth it. i think we went under false pretenses. >> guest: again let's say jeff is correct and we went there on false pretenses. let's just say all that is correct. the bottom is -- the bottom line
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is vigorously under the obama to with their and the false pretenses -- the situation is at hand as he received the presidency with the situation in iraq. i don't think that jeff can justify the statement of any facts that says it was stable when bush left office in left office and obama took office. certainly compared to years before that when the surge occurred, the violence was at its lowest point for period of time but then shortly afterward without the status of forces agreement the violence continued and started to escalate and continue to escalate out of proportion to where it is today. the facts don't just bear out the situation and i understand suggested dismay about why he was sent sent and maybe disagrees. soldiers don't get to choose why we understand that but going back saying this was unjustified as note connection to the point where the president handed over the circumstance and here it is
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stable. we are not losing american liv lives. they were relatively stable government and a place to operate from. .. part of the job was to train the iraq you military. yesterday, general dempsey was testifying. about what is going on with the iraqi forces. i want to show that and get your take. [video clip] >> in your estimation, why did the iraqi security forces perform so badly? what does this portend for afghanistan? >> date is not universally perform badly. they performed badly in the north, in and around mosul where isil had gained a foothold in convinced some of the sunni elements. >> that j
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