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 Hillary helps enemies, sez Defense big

A top Pentagon official and former aide to Vice President Cheney has accused Sen. Hillary Clinton of aiding the enemy for probing contingency plans for pulling troops from Iraq.

"Premature and public discussion of the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq reinforces enemy propaganda that the United States will abandon its allies in Iraq, much as we are perceived to have done in Vietnam, Lebanon and Somalia," Undersecretary of Defense Eric Edelman wrote in reply to Clinton's May inquiry.

Clinton spokesman Philippe Reines yesterday called Edelman's letter "outrageous and dangerous."

Although Edelman questioned Clinton's patriotism, political observers called the attack by Cheney's former deputy national security adviser "a gift." The barb from Edelman - who once worked for convicted liar Lewis (Scooter) Libby - could reassure some anti-war Democrats still irked by Clinton's early support for the Iraq War.

"This helps her. She will be seen as the lightning rod that the right attacks because she asks the tough questions. It's a badge of honor," said Baruch College political scientist Doug Muzzio.

The caustic letter was part of a major White House political pushback to buy more time for the Baghdad troop surge. To that end, the Pentagon hosted classified briefings yesterday for more than 100 senators and representatives.

In a video conference with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker said that Iraq was consumed by anxiety but warned against troop withdrawals that could create a "comfortable operating environment" for Al Qaeda.

"If there is one word I would use to sum up the atmosphere in Iraq - on the streets, in the countryside, in the neighborhoods and at the national level - that word would be 'fear,'" Crocker said.

In a separate video conference, Army Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno, the Iraq ground commander, said his forces have about half of Baghdad under control and "the critical piece now is time."

Hillary hits back at Pentagon official 
Says Defense dodging her question about how troops would be withdrawn

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton hit back Friday at a Pentagon aide who charged that her questions about Iraq withdrawal planning have the effect of helping the enemy—calling the accusation a spurious dodge of a serious issue.

Clinton, the Democratic frontrunner for president, had asked the Pentagon to detail how it is planning for the eventual withdrawal of U.S. military forces from Iraq. She first raised the issue in May, pointing out that whenever troops leave, it will be no simple task to transport the people, equipment, and vehicles out of Iraq, possibly through hostile territory.

Eric Edelman, the Defense Department's undersecretary for policy, offered a sharply-worded response, saying such discussions boost the enemy.

"Premature and public discussion of the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq reinforces enemy propaganda that the United States will abandon its allies in Iraq, much as we are perceived to have done in Vietnam, Lebanon and Somalia," Edelman wrote. His tough language in a letter obtained Thursday was surprising in part because it came in correspondence with a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, which has oversight of the Pentagon.

Clinton responded Friday in a letter to Edelman's boss, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, asking if he agreed with Edelman's charge.

She said Edelman had ducked her questions and "instead made spurious arguments to avoid addressing contingency planning."

"Undersecretary Edelman has his priorities backward," Clinton wrote, calling his claim "outrageous and dangerous."

She repeated her request for a briefing—classified if necessary—on the issue of end-of-war planning.

The senator's spokesman Philippe Reines said: "We sent a serious letter to the Secretary of Defense, and unacceptably got a political response back."

As she runs for president, Clinton has ratcheted up her criticism of the Bush administration's war effort, answering critics of her 2002 vote to authorize the Iraq invasion by saying she would end the war if elected president.

If she wins, Clinton may find herself overseeing a troop withdrawal policy, but others have also raised the issue, including Republican Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana.

Edelman's letter does indicate the Pentagon might be planning how to withdraw, saying: "We are always evaluating and planning for possible contingencies. As you know, it is longstanding departmental policy that operational plans, including contingency plans, are not released outside of the department."

First it's a top pentagon official and now it's just a pentagon aide. I guess they can't make up their minds.

Either way this is nothing more than has been said many times and is in fact a truth. The liberals, not just Hillary, are causing a major problem and are in fact aiding the enemy with all their vitriol on this war just as was done during the Viet Nam war.