Sen. Biden Talks about the Crocker-Petraeus Iraq Hearings on CBS Early Show
April 9, 2008
RUSS MITCHELL: Joining us from Wilmington, Delaware, is Senator Joe Biden, the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee.
Senator, good morning to you. BIDEN: Good morning, Russ. How are you?
MITCHELL: I am doing just fine, sir.
As a long-time critic of the way the Bush administration has handled the war, were you encouraged by anything General Petraeus said yesterday?
BIDEN: I was encouraged by the bravery of our troops and how they've done what they've been asked. But I'm not at all encouraged that the president has any plan to end this war, doesn't know when to bring the troops home, even if to bring them home.
It's clear to me, and I think to my Republican colleagues as well, the president just -- his only plan to keep roughly 140,000 troops there until the next president becomes president and hand off the problem to him or her.
MITCHELL: You have said that you cannot think of a circumstance where General Petraeus or any military leader would recommend withdrawal. At this point, specifically what are you proposing?
BIDEN: What I'm specifically proposing is that we have a political solution and we do the following.
We engage both the Iraqis, the Iranians, the Syrians, all the neighbors -- the Turks. We agree on what there is written in the constitution: that there be local governments -- have considerable power. That is a federal system. And you basically separate the parties politically, give them control over their own areas with a weak central government.
MITCHELL: After another busy day on Capitol Hill, Americans are wondering, "OK, we heard a lot about the war yesterday. Where do we go from here? What happens next?"
BIDEN: Here's the deal.
The cost of leaving the wrong way are debatable. It may be that Al Qaida gets stronger or weaker. It may be Iran gains influence or doesn't.
But the cost of staying at 140,000 troops indefinitely are knowable. We are not battle-ready. Our -- the vice chairman of the United States military says, "Hey, look, we don't have any leftover forces to deal with any contingency."
MITCHELL: Senator, let me ask you this very quickly. All three senators still in the hunt for the White House had a chance to question General Petraeus yesterday.
On the Democratic side, you are one of the last holdouts. It is a gorgeous morning here on the East Coast.
(LAUGHTER)
Who are you going to endorse, Senator Obama or Senator Clinton?
BIDEN: I'm not going to endorse.
I speak regularly, at least once a week, with both Obama and Clinton. I think they're both fully qualified. I am not going to make that decision.
MITCHELL: Senator Joe Biden, as always, thank you very much. We appreciate it.
BIDEN: Thanks an awful lot.
