will be in iraq for the rest of our lives there is no doubt about it. and take you know if the u.s. isn't ready to leave and from what you're saying we are far from from leaving the country what does that mean for president obama who is touting the end of the war and iraq as a campaign promise fulfilled. well i mean i'm not haven't been supportive of barack obama since the third day he was in office i mean i don't i do not think that president obama has been a very good president whatsoever but i do give them credence that he did whole combat troops out of iraq that much to be said he polled the troops out of iraq and he should be saluted for that i whatever i don't think that he can count iraq as a success or afghanistan or the killing of these people and all over the world the drone strikes me these have not been successes i think the obama presidency has so thus far has been a failure but we'll see what happens if he wins his second term now this is called operation po-r. post operation new dawn but this report it doesn't really go into much detail on to what exactly this entails

he was obsessed and convinced that iran is going to take over iraq, and it's taking over iraq in an ideological way and, therefore, he cannot allow them to see iraq from a weak point of view. the answer to the last question about familial or party, i think the answer is really both. if you look at the quartet that stuck with him, one of them was half a kurd, one was a christian and one was a sunni from his area but not directly related. later on there were intermarriages. i think the family and the tribes played a very important, but it really at the end of the day for saddam was are you 120% loyal. that was the litmus test. everything else is really -- i mean, he punished as we know many of his families and tribes and close kin because he suspected them of being not 120% loyal to him. >> okay, thank you very much. so maybe we'll take some questions now from the audience if that's okay. >> sure. >> okay. yes. >> of course, as you alluded to -- thank you very much, by the way. i'm really looking forward to reading the book. you have allude today, the baath doesn't start, after all, as an ideolog

here's what the iraq veterans are saying on the issue of, oh, we shouldn't have an end of the iraq warr on in afghanistan. this is what they say to that. some of our nation's leaders disagree that now is the time to celebrate our returning veterans. all americans know that the fight is not yet over, not in afghanistan and not at home. but if our country can afford two wars, it can afford two parades and more. for our vets to show them that we've got their backs. editorial comment here -- it is dumb politics for politicians and pentagon brass to stand against the actual veterans on this. and honestly, it is nearing obscene that in order to get a parade thanking them for their service, iraq veterans are having to ask for it. mayors of new york and boston, mr. president, the ball is in your court. that does it for us tonight.

that believes the usa is leaving iraq without a clear victory barack does this suggest that there is in fact a lot more work to be done there. yeah i mean this is this is this is one of the major problems i mean we did not a we were not able to finish the task off inside of iraq as the bush administration had planned the obama administration wisely understood that that the problem was way too deep for us to be able to fix and so he said ok it's time for us to cut our losses see that we have made some progress and then pull the troops back and leave the rest of it in iraqi hands the last bit here is for the u.s. to basically been able to keep it on and make sure that iranian influence is can't take over the government and also to make sure that iraq doesn't implode again and civil war so that's why there is this three billion no small is no chump change to two needed to help out the remainder part of it now and again this iraq was not a military or political success for the united states we are still saying going to see the consequences of the choice to invade for some years to come a

here's what the iraq veterans are saying on the issue of, oh, we shouldn't have an end of the iraq warade because there's still another war on in afghanistan. this is what they say to that. some of our nation's leaders disagree that now is the time to celebrate our returning veterans. all americans know that the fight is not yet over, not in afghanistan and not at home. but if our country can afford two wars, it can afford two parades and more. for our vets to show them that we've got their backs. editorial comment here -- it is dumb politics for politicians and pentagon brass to stand against the actual veterans on this.

>> well, the legacy we see in iraq depends on what the iraqis do now. we have given them the opportunity to enjoy freedom and liberty. now they need to decide what sort of form that will take for them and their children and grandchildren. >> colonel, you were on the front lines in iraq. what did you see? what were your impressions about your involvement in this conflict? >> well, it was a long process. the marine corps was largely in anbar province. so my experience is largely from what happened there and fallugia and ramadi. we have an adaptive and professional force that's able to figure out the war and come out victorious. >> how are you preparing for tonight's dinner? what will you be wearing and is this your first time at the white house? >> definitely my first time at the white house. wearing evening dress which is the equivalent to a tuxedo for civilians. >> and your wife? >> my wife is dressed up in an evening dress that would go alongside a tuxedo. >> is there a sense of excitement? what are your thoughts? >> we're very excited. the people i ha

iraq israel and turkey we have very good relations with three of those countries turkey iraq and israel they have a very vested interest in a solution that doesn't make that part of the world worse i think primarily what u.s. policy be doing is working with those three countries working on getting them on a common agenda and doing what is best possible for the region and for the people of syria but i think this discussion about a direct military intervention by a coalition of the willing is is premature and and again very likely to lead to a really really difficult situation that make things look like somalia and other countries are just bad and i just remind people you know the closest we've had to this is bosnia and if you remember about the one thing about the european intervention in bosnia the europeans went in basically after the killing stopped. i mean after the worst genocide was over after the sides had had split off and after everybody was exhausted then they went in and going in on the front is a very difficult and very different scenario very interesting james if i go to you

the iraq war has ended.d over 4,400 gave their nationwideo step up before kickoff this sunday and petition the president and the mayors of new york and boston to lead a national day of action to properly honor iraq veterans' service and sacrifice. this is up on my blog if you want to see it. here's what the iraq veterans are saying on the issue of, oh, we shouldn't have an end of the iraq war parade because there's still another war on in afghanistan. this is what they say to that. check this out. some of our nation's leaders disagree that now is the time to celebrate our returning veterans. all americans know that the fight is not yet over, not in afghanistan and not at home. but if our country can afford two wars, it can afford two parades and more. for our vets to show them that we've got their backs. editorial comment here -- it is dumb politics for politicians and pentagon brass to stand against the actual veterans on this. and honestly, it is nearing obscene that in order to get a

i couldn't self-justify what i was doing in iraq any more. what we as a nation were doing in iraq. had to refigure out who i was as a human being and what i wanted out of life. and what legacy i was going to leave for my children. i struggle every day, every day i struggle. >> this is a situation where we could and should have done a better job of protecting innocent life because this is not only a war of territory, of physical destruction, this is a war of hearts and minds. clearly if you're killing civilians in the process of trying to secure a city, you're not really winning that battle. >>> coming up -- soldiers returning from war. some of the most memorable homecomings we've ever seen. >>> while thousands of miles from home, u.s. troops use all the technology available to them -- >> what's up? >> -- including video to stay in touch with their families. like this dad who reads to his daughter on camera whenever he can. >> waits at dawn. time to work the whole day long. >> yeah. >> the separations can be long and difficult. and they make coming home all the more sweet. >> daddy!

you read a second ago a quote from an iraq vet who did want a parade. on a facebook page today there was another iraq vet who wrote a statement saying parades are ridiculous suicide rates of military and veterans community exceeds combat casualties. he said i don't want a parade, i just want this country and i want the department of defense and veterans administration to treat us like we are more than a burden. in our nation after after what we have done. that is the point. the pentagon does not oppose parades. our military leadership does not oppose parades. what happened in st. louis was a template. that was a parade that grew up containously and allowed that community not to just attract hundreds of thousands of people to shed tear and have their tear ducts dry but to understand who these men and women are who have served our country and to ask the questions, when, where and how can we help them? well, the answer is to win is always, and the answer to where is everywhere, and the answer to how is all kinds of simple, direct things that can be done da

we think they're critical to the stability and security of iraq. so we take it very seriously and we take, you know, recommendations from sigar and others very seriously as well. >> finally in my remaining time, i just want to add my voices to others that -- about our continued effective and full engagement at the u.n. certainly not a perfect body, but one that certainly they've made some successes. they're vital for our security and economic interest and appreciate those continued efforts. >> thank you. >> thank you very much. mr. shab bit, the chairman of the subcommittee on middle east and south asia, is recognized. >> thank you, madam chair. madam secretary, because of limited time i'd like to raise three issues and then give you the remaining amount of my time to address them. first, iran. on the subject of the iranian nuclear program, the fiscal year 2013 congressional budget justification notes that, quote, the bureau of near eastern affairs will maintain pressure through sanctions to encourage iran to return to the negotiating table, unquot

i couldn't self-justify what i was doing in iraq any more. what we as a nation were doing in iraq.human being and what i wanted out of life. and what legacy i was going to leave for my children. i struggle every day, every day i struggle. >> this is a situation where we could and should have done a better job of protecting innocent life because this is not only a war of territory, of physical destruction, this is a war of hearts and minds. clearly if you're killing civilians in the process of trying to secure a city, you're not really winning that battle. >>> coming up -- soldiers returning from war. some of the most memorable homecomings we've ever seen. it's got 10 speeds, my friend. ♪ is it fast? it's got a lightning bolt on it, doesn't it? ♪ is it fast? i don't even know if it's street legal. ♪ is it safe? oh ya, it's a volkswagen. [ male announcer ] the security of a jetta, one of nine volkswagen models named a 2012 iihs top safety pick. ♪ got you in a stranglehold, baby ♪ immerse yourself in all over relief named a 2012 iihs top safety pick. [ female announcer ] feeling that

and iraq, it's a very traditional society.ple don't go wandering around on the streets in their pajamas to get hit by an ied. >> narrator: there were also purported eyewitnesses on the videotape. their stories, too, were completely at odds with the marines' press release. >> narrator: mcgirk wondered if commanders might be trying to conceal deliberate killings of civilians by the marines. he wrote to the local marine press officer. >> "why were the marines unable or unwilling to distinguish women and children in daylight at close quarters from potential terrorists? is there any investigation ongoing into these civilian deaths, and if so, have any marines been formally charged?" >> narrator: the officer who wrote back, jeffrey pool, was incredulous. "to be honest, i can't believe you're buying any of this. there is no investigation. this falls into the same category of al qaeda in iraq propaganda." >> we know that the hammurabi video is insurgent propaganda because intelligence information received almost immediately after the.

i couldn't self-justify what i was doing in iraq any more. what we as a nation were doing in iraq.of life. and what legacy i was going to leave for my children. i struggle every day, every day i struggle. >> this is a situation where we could and should have done a better job of protecting innocent life because this is not only a war of territory, of physical destruction, this is a war of hearts and minds. clearly if you're killing civilians in the process of trying to secure a city, you're not really winning that battle. >>> coming up -- soldiers returning from war. some of the most memorable homecomings we've ever seen. [ sighs ] i wish there were an easy way. woohoo! why put up with drips? gimme that. let's foam in those tones and highlights. [ gigi ] try nice 'n easy colorblend foam. get permanent dimensional color in a drip-free delight! oooohh! [ gigi ] our foam penetrates hair and locks in color. for tones and highlights that last. drips? dropped! grays? gone! why put up with drips when there's foam at your fingertips. [ gigi ] try nice 'n easy colorblend foam. no other foam

al qaeda in iraq and violent shia extremist groups are still very much active and threatening to iraq's stability. it is increasingly difficult to argue that iraq, to use the president a president's words is, quote, stable and self-reliant. one year into the arab spring the situation is fluid and in places very troubling. and libya to egypt, yemen bahrain, countries are undergoing monumental changes and the outcome is still far from clear. then there is syria, where the conflict appears to be entering a new phase, more than 6,000 lives have been lost, and there appears to be no end in sight. the bloodshed must be stopped, and we should rule out no option that could help save lives. we must consider among other actions providing opposition groups inside syria both political and military with better means to organize their activities to care for the wounds, to find safe havens, to communicate securely and defend themselves and to fight back again assad's forces. the time has come when all options must be on the table to end the killing and force assad to leave power. we could continue for

the end of the iraq war and welcome home the troops. so far michael bloomberg says no to that idea but the other most powerful person in new york besides mayor bloomberg is christine quinn, she says she is for this idea. christine quinn will be joining us tonight. that is all coming up over the course of the hour. >>> but first, as ed mentioned, it is elect shun night again in america. sort of. bringing you results as they come t from the republican presidential primary in missouri, and from the republican presidential caucuses in minnesota and in colorado. at this hour, polls have closed in that missouri primary. they closed at 8:00 p.m. eastern, across the state of missouri and the results we have so far are as follows. in missouri, very small proportion of the vote in, 2% in, rick santorum right now in first place, mitt romney in second place, ron paul in third place, and my favorite, uncommitted in 4th place. in missouri it's important to remember, newt gingrich is not on the ballot. do not be looking for him among the results in mi

in two thousand and three was a kneejerk reaction it was overreaction everything related to iraq was an overreaction. and again you know going into afghanistan was one thing going to iraq was totally different and i think that the building of the mountain as a reactionary could just call that something completely based on lies which was sold to the people who you know who reacted alongside with it but i want to donate all four of the over reaction i want to get into a little let me read this line again right there times decided to highlight as to how tough life is at the embassy right now that within days the salad bar at the embassy dining hall rather low sometimes there was no sugar splenda for the coffee on chicken wing night wings are rationed at six per person i mean right off the bat that sounds absolutely ridiculous would you agree did you will you know did you see the photographs that came along with that article there were about thirteen photographs inside the embassy it's incredible when i was over in iraq i was based out of baghdad. and i ate my meals at the at the at the

was all about iraq wasn't about oil how much oil are we getting out of iraq it's negligible i mean it's nothing how many a lot with oil company merican oil companies there was about taking down saddam hussein because he supported the enemies of israel and with regard to the palestinian resistance there so with iran that's what then game is for this agenda like i said i'm not saying that elements of the pros are a lobby started that revolution or uprising in syria but i think the numbers have been inflated i think i saw an artsy piece about that about it about reporting entity and they've been exaggerated in western media and like i said then game is iran you can read my friends book the transparent cabal dr steven seagal ski and that is what we're we're working towards they want to take down the neocon service and wrestle pros are a lot we want to take down the. main arab ally and that's syria and it all goes back to nine hundred sixty seven peter and israel's deliberate attack on the u.s.s. liberty of a good friend a former republican congressman paul finley and he told me when israel

i go back to when i was first here, right when we went into afghanistan and iraq. it was 18 months before we were re should have been. i'm concerned that this downsizing, y'all plan to continue it, rather than reach a plateau and make sure that we're ready with this depot infrastructure. give me some reassurance that we're not going to keep whole that we have to be ready toquic. and i want to be able to have the facilities i need in order to do that. that's one of the requirements i basically made to the service chiefs and all of them to make sure that we have the base on which if we have to go, we've got them, and they're in place. closing those facilities is going to hurt us. and so my point is let's try to do what we can to maintain what we need in order to mobilize quickly. >> and that's what i'm looking for reassurance on. these numbers, you're confident with these cuts, you're still going to be able to maintain that core capability. >> that's correct that. >> we need in the event we're in north korea or iran six months from now. >> yes, absolutely. >> and wit

were saying about the situation in iraq and what we were saying we were much much closer to the truth the reality is you know if a doctor cannot have a good therapy unless he has a good diagnosis and if governments make the wrong diagnosis about is about iraq where about iran well how can you have the good therapy you as a civil service however you'd like. to call it give a diagnosis and as far as you're concerned the powers that be can do what they want with that but as you said perhaps those diagnosis have been misused. what do you think maybe what you think is going wrong that there's a new element also in the i.a.e.a. inspections that is that came off to ninety ninety one because in ninety ninety one we realized that iraq just had been cheating we went to declared installations but not to other places and they were building things elsewhere so we said if intelligence knew about this if the cia knew about these things they should tell the yeah i can then ask the iraq and say that look we have heard this we would like to go there and then if you say there's nothing in them lift lett

all staff to are deployed to iraq are certainly aware of the risk. they are getting out. they are working with their counterparts in government agencies, businesses, ngos, but we are in the process of trying to right size our presence in iraq. i think we have to assume we're moving toward a more normalized relationship with iraq and that means we got to be very clear about what we can do and what we cannot do. because of our experience in iraq we're starting that process earlier in afghanistan because we do have through the end of 2014 until the nato combat troops will be out. we're trying to get ahead of the curve. your questions are absolutely the right ones. we do want there to be secure democratic governance and progress in both iraq and afghanistan and how we allocate the responsibilities within the civilian workforce is what we're trying to determine. >> on an entirely different subject, madame secretary. yesterday the keystone pipeline company announced it was going to construct a pipeline between mid oklahoma and houston, texas. they pointed out this would not req

the end of the iraq war and welcome home the troops. so far michael bloomberg says no to that idea but the other most powerful person in new york besides mayor bloomberg is christine quinn, she says she is for this idea. christine quinn will be joining us tonight. that is all coming up over the course of the hour. >>> but first, as ed mentioned, it is elect shun night again in america. sort of. bringing you results as they come t from the republican presidential primary in missouri, and from the republican presidential caucuses in minnesota and in colorado. at this hour, polls have closed >> conservatism is alive and well in missouri and minnesota. your votes today were not just heard loud and wide across the state of missouri and minnesota, but they were heard loud and louder all across this country, and particularly in a play i suspect may be in massachusetts. they were heard particularly loud tonight. >> if ever it was more clear this race is not yet over, that republicans are not satisfied to just pick mitt romney, here is yet anoth

and in two thousand and five the two thousand and six syria would essentially be iraq in a very small place it would be a very very difficult and problematic situation and i think that's why. people talk about this but i don't think anybody has a real appetite to go in there i must tell you i think from the u.s. perspective although the u.s. has interests in how things turn out in syria i don't believe you should only use force when it's in your vital national interest and i don't think that the u.s. has a vital national interest that would that would justify u.s. and u.s. military intervention we have. there are four countries that border this country which are very important iran iraq israel and turkey we have very good relations with those countries turkey iraq and israel they have very vested interests in a solution that doesn't make that part of the world worse i think primarily what u.s. policy be doing is working with those three countries working on getting them on a common agenda and doing what is best possible for the region and for the people of syria but i think this discu

car blown approval to intervene this is simply nonsense the idea that iraq was conducted the invasion of iraq was conducted under a responsibility to protect is just perverse it wasn't that was that was not the argument put forward by you know you know what you know it's going to be a cake walk you know they're going to reassess the raiders i mean come on they did there was the only poor people after a decade of sanctions needed to be liberated and were democracy very very serious middle east and really that was tiring i am well i am look i am looking i am looking at the international lore of this and i'm telling you in fact tickly that are to pay was never part of either the british or american justification for the invasion of iraq now as it happens i opposed that in from that intervention i thought that it was unlawful and strategically unnecessary but i'm afraid that it's wrong to suggest that if i can intervene if i can i don't think you gentlemen we're going to get to a short break and after that short break we'll continue our discussion on the contradictory situation in syria s

and what role is iran playing in iraq? >> i didn't quite write down all those questions. >> basically, do they continue to support hezbollah? >> yes, they do. there is a very close relationship between particularly the irgc, the republican guide course, which is the organization responsible for war around the world. >> is hezbollah not a terrorist group that threatens our close ally, israel? >> yes. >> does iran continue to support hamas in the gaza strip? >> indirectly, yes. >> are they not a threat also to israel and also the peace process? >> hamas? >> yes. >> yes. >> general burgess, is iran supporting the insurgents in afghanistan? >> yes, ma'am. >> and what type of role are they playing in afghanistan? >> well, they have provided arms, they have been caught -- i mean, we have found them running arms in afghanistan, so they are working what we would call a duel track strategy as they work not only to work against u.s. and coalition desires in there, but while at the same time they want to put forward the government of