A day after officially announcing he will not seek another term in the U.S. Senate, Joe Lieberman displayed exactly why he had become such a controversial and reviled figure among Democrats and progressives, and why his political standing is virtually nil outside of the shrinking band of moderates on either side of the aisle.
Lieberman appeared on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” program Thursday and steadfastly defended the decision to invade Iraq and even insisted that Saddam Hussein “was developing weapons of mass destruction.”
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
The senator, retiring his seat in 2012, also said that despite the enormous cost to the U.S. in blood, prestige and treasure he does not regret his vote for war and would do it all over again.
“My answer is, yes. My answer is yes because Saddam was threatening the stability of the entire region. He’d shown that by his actions. I believe that the evidence is very clear that he was developing weapons of mass destruction.
Obviously we don’t have evidence that he had a big program. But the most official and comprehensive report show that’s true. He was also, the evidence shows, beginning really tactically to support the terrorist movements that had attack us on 9/11 and today, to make a long story short, instead of a brutally repressive dictator in Iraq, we’ve got a government that was elected, that’s self-governing and the country is self-defending. By the end of this year, we’re going to have most of our troops out of there. I think that’s had a major effect on the entire region. Iraq is now the most democratic country in the Arab world. so, yes, I think it was the right thing to do. Terrible cost we paid in life and treasure, but ultimately i think the right decision.”
The importance of Lieberman’s skewed vision of Iraq is not random, as some in Washington have called on President Obama to name the retiring Connecticut independent as his new Secretary of Defense.
Lieberman clings to his war, no matter what. There is no light in his head for truth or reality. His warmongering, his slobbering all over the senile McCain, his devotion to Israel over his own country … the man is despicable…
Goodbye and good riddance, Lieberman. Try to keep your treasonous trap shut until you’re outta there.
It will be great to see this jerk out of office. His inconsistent policies and the disloyalty he has shown to his party and constituents is all that can be said of him and his career. Good riddance.
Joe’s a good man, but his support of war lost him more respect than it gained him. Future politicos should take note. With an improving economy, the corrupt Afghan War will be a major topic in 2012.
Lieberman has too much stock invested in the military complex. I’ll be glad wihen his sorry ass is gone.
He should be given a retirement home with an ocean view. Perhaps in Gaza (or Iraq), where he can bask in the effects of the policies he has pursued. There, he could watch the sunsets and think of the destruction and hopelessness surrounding him. Such a setting would be a fitting retirement for such a man of “principle”, and a champion of “democracy”.