When Pennsylvania Democratic Congressman John Murtha said last week that it was time to bring the troops home from Iraq, it touched off a bitter debate in Washington.
Republicans and Democrats in the House shouted and traded insults in a heated exchange that culminated in a late-night vote against summary troop withdrawal. The high emotion speaks to the looming question of how and when to withdraw from Iraq.
The administration shows no sign of backing down from its message to stay the course. John Murtha insists “it’s a flawed policy based on illusion.”
Hear about Iraq, American troops, and the debate in Washington over how and when to withdraw.
Guests:
Mark Mazzetti, Pentagon correspondent, The Los Angeles Times
General Barry McCaffrey, former Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Armed Forces Southern Command. When he retired in 1996 he was the most highly decorated and the youngest four-star general in the Army. He served two combat tours in South Vietnam as a platoon leader.
Barry Posen, professor of political science at MIT where he is affiliated with the Security Studies Program and author of “Inadvertent Escalation: Conventional War and Nuclear Risks” and “The Sources of Military Doctrine”.
Major Ben Connable, US Marine Corps, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force. He is to be deployed to Iraq on December 1.
