Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
Philadelphia Inquirer
November 30, 2006
By Leonard N. Fleming, Inquirer Staff Writer
Calling Iraq "significantly more unstable" than he imagined, New Jersey Gov. Corzine during a tour of the troubled region yesterday said that U.S. soldiers should not leave just yet.
"Travel and movement outside of these safe zones is pretty limited and seems to be becoming more unstable," Corzine said following his third trip to Iraq. "This is a really risky environment."
In a conference call with reporters while in Kuwait, Corzine reflected on his unannounced trip to the region with three other governors, which will end Saturday. They are visiting other undisclosed places in the Middle East.
Corzine's trip began with a security briefing Monday at the Pentagon. He flew to Kuwait on Tuesday, meeting with top military brass and lunching with 81 soldiers of the New Jersey Army National Guard. Yesterday, he met with the New Jersey Army National Guard's 250th Brigade Support Battalion in Baghdad and toured Tikrit.
Although the situation on the ground is precarious, he praised the troops for their high level of professionalism and called their spirits and morale "uplifting." There are more than 5,300 troops from New Jersey serving in Iraq, his office said.
The governor said that from a strategic standpoint, he finds it difficult "to take a backing-away point of view that is sometimes debated." In fact, he believes more troops - especially help from Iraq - are needed.
"I probably came here believing that we were in a better position than we are - I never thought we were in a great position," he added. "I think it is significantly more unstable than I would have thought, and the need for additional forces, primarily Iraqi forces, is pretty obvious."
The governor - who as a U.S. senator had been on two other Iraqi visits, dating back to 2003 - remarked that this is the worst he's seen Iraq, because of its deteriorating security situation.
Corzine made the trip with Gov. George Pataki of New York, Gov. Jon Huntsman of Utah, and Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski.
Corzine also warned of a "growing and transparent" effort by Iran to help destabilize the country and "preposition" itself in Iraq in case the United States pulls out.
November 30, 2006
By Leonard N. Fleming, Inquirer Staff Writer
Calling Iraq "significantly more unstable" than he imagined, New Jersey Gov. Corzine during a tour of the troubled region yesterday said that U.S. soldiers should not leave just yet.
"Travel and movement outside of these safe zones is pretty limited and seems to be becoming more unstable," Corzine said following his third trip to Iraq. "This is a really risky environment."
In a conference call with reporters while in Kuwait, Corzine reflected on his unannounced trip to the region with three other governors, which will end Saturday. They are visiting other undisclosed places in the Middle East.
Corzine's trip began with a security briefing Monday at the Pentagon. He flew to Kuwait on Tuesday, meeting with top military brass and lunching with 81 soldiers of the New Jersey Army National Guard. Yesterday, he met with the New Jersey Army National Guard's 250th Brigade Support Battalion in Baghdad and toured Tikrit.
Although the situation on the ground is precarious, he praised the troops for their high level of professionalism and called their spirits and morale "uplifting." There are more than 5,300 troops from New Jersey serving in Iraq, his office said.
The governor said that from a strategic standpoint, he finds it difficult "to take a backing-away point of view that is sometimes debated." In fact, he believes more troops - especially help from Iraq - are needed.
"I probably came here believing that we were in a better position than we are - I never thought we were in a great position," he added. "I think it is significantly more unstable than I would have thought, and the need for additional forces, primarily Iraqi forces, is pretty obvious."
The governor - who as a U.S. senator had been on two other Iraqi visits, dating back to 2003 - remarked that this is the worst he's seen Iraq, because of its deteriorating security situation.
Corzine made the trip with Gov. George Pataki of New York, Gov. Jon Huntsman of Utah, and Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski.
Corzine also warned of a "growing and transparent" effort by Iran to help destabilize the country and "preposition" itself in Iraq in case the United States pulls out.