George Stephanopoulos reports on events in politics, Congress and the White House for ABCNews, on the air and online. He interviews top newsmakers, discusses the events of the week and looks to the week ahead each Sunday on 'This Week.'
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Biden in Iraq: 'This is the Moment'
July 02, 2009 2:37 PM
Hello from Camp Victory just outside of Baghdad. I landed about an hour ago on Vice President Biden’s C-17 for what will be the most extensive visit to Iraq by a president or vice president since the war began in 2003.
Before we landed Biden called a few of us traveling with him into his aluminum sided airstream trailer strapped to the floor of the C-17.
“This is the moment,” he told us, “we have to make sure the Iraqis don’t take their eyes off the ultimate prize.”
He then explained the latest job President Obama has given him. A few weeks ago he was talking to the president about the challenges Iraq would face after US troops began to withdraw from Iraqi cities on June 30th and what the US needed to do about it. The president got right the point, Biden said, “Quote: Joe, go do it.”
Do what exactly?
“Help the Iraqis resolve what they have to resolve.”
That means matching the reduction of violence since the surge began with political progress now that military withdrawal is beginning.
Biden said he would build on his relationships to help the Iraqis “get to yes” on the big issues still bedeviling their country: providing basic services, resolving the conflict between the central government in Baghdad and the Kurds in the North, reducing corruption and passing an oil law to ensure all Iraqis get a share of the country’s wealth.
“I know all these guys, I have a relationship with them. They have no doubt about my role representing the White House, “ Biden told me.
Biden also did what he could to dispel the notion that he was big-footing the rest of the foreign policy team.
“I am not out to be the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense or the National Security Advisor,” he said. Biden insisted he didn’t ask for this job and that he would only get involved when necessary. “I’m here to close on things.”
This is Biden’s second trip to Iraq this year but his first as vice president. Several more are likely to come.
He was greeted upon landing by Gen. Ray Odierno, commanding general of Multi-National Forces in Iraq, and he will meet with several top Iraqis over the next two days including President Jalal Talabani, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and Speaker of the Council of Representatives Ayad al-Samarrai.
He was guardedly optimistic about what could be achieved.
So far, “folks haven’t taken the bait” on attempts to reignite widespread sectarian violence, he said.
But Biden knows that Iraqi patience will evaporate quickly if these big political disagreements aren’t bridged. “We’re down to the wire now.”
More to come over the next couple of days ... plus, I’ll have an exclusive interview with Vice President Biden Sunday on "This Week."
--George Stephanopoulos
July 2, 2009 in Iraq, Joe Biden , This Week with George Stephanopoulos | Permalink | Share | User Comments (15)
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THESE ARE THE SAME PEOPLE THAT WERE CONVINCED THAT THE WAR WAS LOST AND THE SURGE WAS FAILURE. GO HOME JOE!!
Posted by: mj | Jul 2, 2009 3:35:54 PM
Remember when the war was lost?...it was the liberal Media Story 5 nights per week. Joe Biden and fellow liberals were telling everybody that we could not win. The surge was going to fail too...They were wrong, as usual!
Posted by: Common Sense | Jul 2, 2009 3:51:23 PM
Can't we just leave George and Biden in IRAQ!!!!
Posted by: Andy | Jul 2, 2009 3:51:55 PM
ALL THE TEFLON IS BEGINNING TO WEAR OFF THIS ADMINISTARTION.GOOD LUCK IRAQ AND THANK YOU SOLDIERS FOR YOUR SACRIFICE. JOE BIDEN HOW WILL YOU PUT YOUR FOOT IN YOUR MOUTH WHILE YOU ARE THERE? WHY ARE YOU THERE?
Posted by: catman | Jul 2, 2009 3:55:38 PM
It doesn't matter! Hand over the country and bring all of our boys home. The Iraqi's can just blow up each other. The rest of the country wants us out of there! Of course, their government privately doesn't want us gone, they know they can't take care of themselves.
Keep Twittering!
Posted by: Lysa Nabours-Childree | Jul 2, 2009 3:56:26 PM
Wasn't Biden, as an Iraq War critic, the most prominent Democratic proponent of Iraqi partitioning as the solution to Iraqis' irreconciliable political differences? What is President Obama thinking?
Posted by: ed | Jul 2, 2009 3:58:53 PM
No comment from Chris Hill?
Posted by: Greyhawk | Jul 2, 2009 6:40:01 PM
Um ... a quick reminder. We never did find WMD in Iraq. Saddam had no connections to Al Qaeda nor 9-11 -- in fact disliked and distrusted Al Qaeda. We spent 4,000+ human lives and over one trillion dollars on the debacle, while Osama ran free in Afganistan/Pakistan. We took our eye off of the ball, and we'll be paying for our mistakes for generations. Or I should say our children will.
Will Iraq devolve into civil war? Who knows. Whatever the case, we can't afford to maintain U.S. military expenditures that are higher than ALL OTHER COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD COMBINED without dragging our economy farther into the sewer. We need to move on to things over which we have some control, which contribute to U.S. peace and stability, and which do not create a massive hole for future generations to dig out of.
Posted by: Donny-Don | Jul 2, 2009 7:17:43 PM
I dont think that anyone hasever came out and said that we had lost the war.
At least Biden isn't doing things like Glenn Beck... Who thinks that Al-qeada should attack america again. If anyone has put thier foot in thier mouth its that guy. What a jerk. Here we are trying to close a chapter, a dark chapter in American history and People, rather a person, from Fox News is wanting Americans to be killed by Al-qeada.
Posted by: foldor | Jul 2, 2009 9:28:42 PM
Great! Now just pull them out of Pakistan and Afghanistan, forget threatening Iran which will be crushed from within.... bring the troops home, and put them ON OUR BORDERS so we can actually have some REAL "Homeland Security!!!" OBOMB'A!!!
Posted by: hmn | Jul 2, 2009 11:34:07 PM
The biggest sign of success in Iraq will be when a major American elected official makes an ANNOUNCED (not surprise) visit there. Until that happens, each trip is just a confirmation of how screwed up the place is.
Posted by: Midnight Rambler | Jul 3, 2009 1:36:38 AM
The truth is that he could come to Iraq now, Announced with engraved invitations and nobody would care. The last two times the President, Bush and Obama arrived they flew in during the day in a very distintive plane that could be seens for miles. Everyone knew they were here. The airport in Baghdad is remarkably normal with security as tight or tighter than JFK.. no shoes worn through this medal detector and you have to be frisked, dog searched and x-rayed 3 times before you board the plane... I surprised I don't have cancer from all of the radiation.
Posted by: Doug | Jul 3, 2009 3:23:27 AM
Of course you can seen the plane, and the airport has tight security. But they never announce the visits until the person arrives, so that the insurgents don't have any time to prepare on the ground. That's what I'm talking about.
Posted by: Midnight Rambler | Jul 3, 2009 4:56:40 AM
I'm sure everyone in Iraq feels quite comforted by Joseph "Lying Joe" Biden's remarks.
Posted by: tx281 | Jul 3, 2009 8:37:16 PM
I admit I don't watch the entire show with G. Stephanopolous because he NOT an impartial commentator. Afterall, He's best friends with Paul Begala, James Carville, Rahm Emmanual so I don't believe for a moment he is an impartial commentator. He's a big mouthpiece for Pres. Obama. I haven't seen any photographs of dead soldiers coming back from the Afghanistan war, the 'good war'. When Geo. W. Bush was President I seem to remember EVERY dead soldier's body returning from Iraq, had his name and photograph prominently shown at the end of every one of Geo. Stephanopolous's shows? Why this omission George and ABC? Not comfortable for you to show dead U.S. soldiers who died during the 'good war' you are so in favor of? Interesting turn of events!
Posted by: Carla | Jul 9, 2009 1:35:42 PM
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