Sen. Jack Reed responds to Yahoo! readers

Hundreds of comments and questions for Sen. Jack Reed (news, bio, voting record) were posted, and while topics included education, the economy, healthcare, food and drug issues, and many others, the vast majority of  users focused on the war in

Iraq.

Reflecting reader focus on Iraq, most of the questions Sen. Reed responded to were on that topic.  Talk to Power host Judy Woodruff presented readers' questions to Sen. Reed in his office in Washington.

Thanks again to all who posted their thoughts and questions, and to Sen. Reed for taking the time to answer.

Deploying forces in Iraq

Many readers wrote in support for the continuation of the war in Iraq, and many called for an immediate pullout. But perhaps more than anything else, those who wrote in seemed to be looking for other options. Here's what one reader wrote:

"Professional military leaders must spend a lot of time privately positing possible exit strategies for Iraq. Why don't we get to hear any ideas at all for how we might get out of there with any relative amount of success? Neither cut and run nor stay and bleed are viable choices."

Click here to see Sen. Reed's response.  You can also read the complete transcript below.

Echoes of Vietnam?

Another reader wondered if a pullout would not echo the effects of the American pullout in Vietnam:

"If we were to begin withdrawing our troops from Iraq in the near future [or later] do you feel that it would be history repeating itself?"

Woodruff amplified the question of a troop pullout with a comment from another reader:

"Would it be a good idea to do this with extremists in Iraq and surrounding country waiting eagerly for a chance to take power and control of one of the most valuable oil nations in the world?"

Click here to see Sen. Reed's response.

To stay in Iraq

Continuing the focus on Iraq, a reader asked about U.S. goals:

"Is establishing permanent bases in Iraq not the real mission?"

Click here to see Sen. Reed's response.

Afghanistan

: The forgotten war?

A U.S. sailor sent this question:

"I have seen firsthand the good we are doing in [Afghanistan] yet it feels as if this is a forgotten war to the American people. What is being done by way of the U.S. and the U.N. to increase the needed troops, supplies, and awareness for this battlefront? Thank you."

Click here to see Sen. Reed's response.

Military tribunals

The treatment and legal process for terrorism detainees was widely commented upon by Yahoo! readers. Following up on the broader discussion of Iraq, Woodruff noted that the Senate Armed Services Committe, of which Sen. Reed is a member, had just endorsed a plan that would give detained terrorism suspects broader legal rights. What, she asked, does Sen. Reed expect to happen next in the debate over

President Bush's proposal for military tribunals?

Click here to see Sen. Reed's response.

Democrats on the war

Moving beyond the question of the war in Iraq, a reader asked about the Democratic Party's platform and message:

Why do you think it has been so hard for Democrats to get the majority of the public to listen to them – and why can’t the Democratic party seem to come up with an effective response to Republican attacks?

Click here to see Sen. Reed's response.

Illegal immigration

Immigration was hot topic, as it was when our guest was John McCain (news, bio, voting record). A reader summed up activity on the boards this way:

The feedback you are getting on this forum should make it clear that while there are many serious problems facing our country that need to be fixed, one of the most emotionally charged, that is right up near the top in terms of volatility and urgency, is the illegal immigration issue. By now, you should be getting the message that there are a great many U.S. citizens who are outraged that the present administration and Congress are not clamping down hard on this extremely destructive problem.

Click here to see Sen. Reed's response.

Improving education

One reader wrote:

What are your views on improving education in general and special education specifically (curriculum, facilities, teacher training, pay, etc.)? Are there any plans in the works to make NCLB easier for school districts and teacher to comply with?

Click here to see Sen. Reed's response.

On religion

A reader wrote:

Senator Reed, I am a Democrat but also a conservative Catholic. What decisions have you made with religion being a primary factor?

Click here to see Sen. Reed's response.

"Not a spectator sport"

When asked what message he has for today's youth, Sen. Reed urged young people to get involved in public life, saying service is the key to combating cynicism among younger voters.

Click here to see his response.

Below is the full transcript of Sen. Reed's remarks. 

MS. WOODRUFF:  Senator, thank you very much for talking with Talk to Power.... 

Many readers wrote, Senator, in support of continuing the war in Iraq. Many of them called for an immediate pullout.  But perhaps more than anything else, those who wrote in seemed to be looking for other options and choices.  Now, we know that you have sponsored, with other senators, an amendment calling for a phased redeployment or withdrawal before the end of this year, but I'd like to read to you what one reader wrote, and I quote:

"Professional military leaders must spend a lot of time privately positing possible exit strategies for Iraq.  Why don't we get to hear any ideas at all for how we might get out of there with any relative amount of success?  Neither cut and run nor stay and bleed are viable choices."

Deploying Forces in Iraq - Response 1

SENATOR REED:  Well, unfortunately, I think the present administration has chosen to really just rhetorically deal with the issues of Iraq, rather than realistically deal with the issues of Iraq.  So, we have a series of slogans:  "Mission accomplished."  "We'll stand down when they stand up." 

The reality is much more complicated than that, and there are military officers, professionals, in Iraq and elsewhere that are taking seriously what we can do and what we should do.

And along with my colleagues, I've tried to suggest ways that we can improve our position there, begin to re-deploy our forces out of Iraq, and stabilize the country.

First we have to redouble our efforts to improve the Iraqi security forces.  Without adequate security forces, the country could tip into total instability.

Then we have to also reinvigorate our efforts to help reconstruct the country and provide for governmental capacity.  Without effective governance, without health care, without access to water, access to electricity, the people of Iraq feel as if they have no future with their present government and won't be supportive of that government.

And I think if we redouble our efforts there, we can in fact make a real difference and allow a redeployment of our forces, first within the country, and then outside the country. 

But what I think is most frustrating to me and to my colleagues is that the administration talks about success in Iraq, but doesn't put the resources, the effort, and doesn't respond to the reality of Iraq in a way in which we can improve our chances of success, our chances of changing the course effectively, and beginning to see our forces drawn down.

 

 

MS. WOODRUFF:  Senator, you're not calling for an immediate withdrawal from Iraq, but several of these questions are related to the notion that eventually your plan and others would lead to American troops coming out.  And so, the question is, and I'm going to read just one of them, wondering if a pullout wouldn't echo the effects of the American pullout in Vietnam:  "If we were to begin withdrawing our troops from Iraq in the near future or even later, do you feel it could be history repeating itself?"

And I just want to combine that with another question, where the reader says - I want to get this straight - "Would it be a good idea to do this with extremists in Iraq and surrounding country waiting eagerly for a chance to take power and control of one of the most valuable oil nations in the world?

 

Echoes of Vietnam? - Response 2

SENATOR REED:  We can't engage in a precipitous withdrawal from Iraq, regardless of what your thoughts were about the conflict in Iraq initially.  Now we have our in own self-interest, the obligation to stabilize that country.  The way we do that, though, is not simply, in my view, just standing pat and keeping 100,000 troops there, not supporting reconstruction, not adequately going ahead and ensuring that the Iraqis have the capacity and the will to make tough political decisions. 

We have to continue our military effort, but I think we can refocus it.  We can focus more on training Iraqi security forces; put more personnel, the best personnel we have in that effort.  We also have to reinvigorate our reconstruction efforts, reinvigorate our efforts to get the Iraqi government to begin to govern effectively.

And if we do those things, I think we have the obligation, the chance, the opportunity to begin to re-deploy our forces.

We also have to recognize, and I think this is a valid critique of the administration's strategy, that because of the invasion in Iraq right now, we're seeing a lot more violence in the region.  We're also seeing, ironically, the position of

Iran enhanced.  They actually have people who have close ties to the Iranians who are now part of the Iraqi government, like Moqtada Sadr.  So, we have to be conscious in that region of not leaving an unstable situation which will rebound to our regret and the regret of the region.

But we can't simply just stay there and keep pounding away, just make speeches rather than take effective action.

 

MS. WOODRUFF:  Senator, one other question connected to Iraq.  This reader asked, "Is establishing permanent bases in Iraq not the real mission of the Bush administration?"  What's your sense of that?

To Stay in Iraq  - Response 3

SENATOR REED:  Well, the Bush administration has articulated several missions:  Their first mission was to deny Saddam weapons of mass destruction.  It turns out he didn't have any of those.  Their second mission was to break the link between terrorists and Saddam.  It turns out, based upon a report recently of the Senate Intelligence Committee, there really was no strong linkage between Iraq and Al Qaeda terrorists and other terrorists.  And then they talked about the mission of transforming Iraq into a democratic oasis and a market economy, using that as a template to reform the Middle East.  The last few years, I think, have disabused most people of that notion, that that will be easily accomplished.

Now the mission seems to be simply to stabilize the country.  That mission, I think, has to be accomplished.  And it has to ultimately be recognized that it's a function of several factors:  First, decisions that the Iraqis have to make with respect to their own future - political decisions, tough decisions.  Making sure that the militias don't become powers unto themselves.  Making sure that the Iraqi government delivers effective services to its own people.  And we can help them with those efforts, but ultimately it's their effort.

And I think if we are there and we are signaling to them that we're not interested in permanent bases, but we're interested in providing them long-term assistance, but it's their effort that will win the day, I think that's the best course of action.

 

MS. WOODRUFF:  A different question, Senator.  This is from a United States sailor.  He says, "I have seen firsthand the good we are doing in Afghanistan, and yet it feels as if this is a forgotten war to the American people.  What is being done by way of the United States and the