Joe Biden update: Iraq one of Obama's 'great achievements'

Who knew?

Thank goodness, Vice President Joe Biden went on CNN to chat with Larry King Wednesday night. So many think things are not going so well for the Democrat administration, as The Ticket chronicled here.

Many Americans recall the ex-Sen. Biden's Democratic primary plans to give in to Iraq's fractious factions and carve the country into three territories. And even more probably recall Biden's boss' plan to halt the Iraq war years ago. As long as it got started anyway without the permission of the then state senator.

Plus, of course, the vehement opposition of the Nobel Prize winner to the 2007 American troop surge of you-know-who from Texas that Obama knew for certain was only going to worsen sectarian strife there. (See 2007 video here.)....

Well, of course, it didn't turn out that way, thanks in large measure to the brave service of hundreds of thousands of U.S. troops who served in that war-torn land and helped peace to break out despite the loud political acrimony back home over their role.

Now, the Obama-Biden pair that opposed the Iraq war and its tactics and predicted their failure is prepared to accept credit for its success.

It seems that Biden, who's from Delaware when he's in Delaware and Pennsylvania when in Pennsylvania, is certain now that Iraq will turn out to be one of the Obama-Biden administration's greatest achievements.

No, really.

Here's how Biden put it to Lar:

I am very optimistic about -- about Iraq. I mean, this could be one of the great achievements of this administration. You're going to see 90,000 American troops come marching home by the end of the summer. You're going to see a stable government in Iraq that is actually moving toward a representative government. 

I spent -- I've been there 17 times now. I go about every two months -- three months. I know every one of the major players in all the segments of that society. It's impressed me. I've been impressed how they have been deciding to use the political process rather than guns to settle their differences.

Biden did not elaborate on what all the administration's other "great achievements" were so far.

No doubt, Iraqis too are very thankful for that 2008 U.S. election. (Full King transcript here.)

-- Andrew Malcolm

Talk about success, openly click here to receive Twitter alerts of each new Ticket item all day every day. Or follow us @latimestot. You can also go to our new Facebook fan page here.

Photo: Lorenzo Bevilaqua / CNN

Comments

[BD]

"Plus, of course, Obama's vehement opposition to the 2007 American troop surge of you-know-who from Texas that Obama knew for certain was only going to worsen sectarian strife there."

One small note here: It was Bush and his cronies who decided to try to fight the Iraq War on shoestring troop levels to begin with, preferring instead to try to rely on armies of Blackwater mercenaries.

The notion of a "surge" started not in the Bush White House, but amongst the very same Conservative think-tankers that brought us the first four failed years of the war, in response to seeing their intended cakewalk devolve into an orgy of violence.

If Bush had been prudent from the outset, and put the troops in that commanders were asking for prior to the invasion, or yes, even not have invaded at all, we would have been able to concentrate on Afghanistan, and if we'd entered Iraq after all, we'd have won it more quickly and efficiently than we will have by the time this is done.

[forparity]

Andrew. I hope this is in the print edition, and not just hidden on-line? It ought to be on the front page - above the fold.

It seems to be just a continuous line of big ones from this administration, especially Biden.

They've never taken any official credit (well, the press gave them a pass - Obama tried a couple of times, but the media changed the subject) for being an integral part of the cause of the housing bubble which led to the morgtgage crisis which led to the credit crisis which then led to the recession. It's still not to late to ask them questions - the American public could learn quite a bit about how it actually works.

Biden has also been opt to blame the rich getting richer on Bush, claiming that it wasn't that way before he was elected. Actually the big shift in wealth, which Biden oft refers to, occurred during the Clinton dot.com bubble of greed and fraud years - as well as the huge gains in the gap between CEO pay vs average worker pay.

Obama was also quite quilty (and caught by FactCheck.org) in lying to seniors in Florida about Bush's SS reform efforts - repeating old lies and trying to scare seniors into believing that if McCain was elected, they'd loose their SS income. The national media looked the other way on that one as well.

It's about time. You must hold them accountable to basic truths. Thank you.

[J. Brown]

Yesterday, I thought of Obama as "The Great Confabulator."
After this, Biden "Vice-confabulator."

[lolbama]

Any stability in Iraq must be Bush's fault...right? Everything else is.

[T0m Holman]

Well...I think the administration's other achievements are:

1.Turning water into wine,
2.Walking on water and stilling the tempest storm,
3.And soon; Healing the sick and birth defects and raising the dead,
4.All without raising taxes,too.

Awesome ,huh?

[James Nemec]

If the bar has been set so low as to say pulling troops out of Iraq is an achievement, the next three years are going to be a blast.

The work that the US Military did in Iraq should be commended, but the Obama administration has no business trying to take credit.

[grumpyoldb]

Hey, why not... They make up their own facts on everything else. Why not Iraq. Let me help them with future announcements.
B.O. has cured cancer, reverser global warming, brokered a true and lasting worldwide peace, stabilized the world economy, cured acne,diahrea, the common cold, and hair loss.

And all of the snow that has shut DC down, is just proof that hell has actually frozen over..

[Tronist]

Biden is a liar and Larry is, of course, stupid enough to believe him.

[Jennifer]

Darn! I may have to change my opinion of the LA Times as a Liberal rag. Glad to see this. I got here via a link from a more trusted media source, but who knows I may just add the Times to that list if this sort of thing continues.

Who Knew?

[matt white]

This guy can't be real. Talk about scary. Biden clearly has his head in his rear end.

[Bob Montgomery]

I suppose all the lives saved in Africa by George W. Bush is one of the greatest accomplishments of the Obama Administration ,too. Joe knows every player in every sector of Iraqi society. What a guy! If it was just the Obama Administration that was sick, that would be one thing. The problem is the entire Democrat Party ( and a good quarter of the Republican Party) are twisted. t-w-i-s-t-e-d. Let's have some tea.

[redhawk]

"Obama's Victory in Iraq" Hey Joe Better take care of thet persisting Brain Deficiency.. you know Dementia as some call it!
It was Bush's SURGE that Obama Opposed thet gave the USA a victory in Iraq on George Time table for Withdrawal to boot... YEP George did say @010/11 would be the Reduction of Comabat Troops in Iraq... Now Joe Take your Meds and Relax!!!

[Darrel]

I;m afraid we need to drug test Biden. He is either delusional of drugged out.

[R King]

lol... For once, the administration would do right by admitting that it's all G W Bush's fault.

[RickS]

But Harry Reid said the war was lost. What's going on here? Did we lose it or not?

[linda]

BUSH DID ALL THE WORK... AND BIDEN GIVES OBAMA THE CREDIT... NOW THAT'S PRICELESS.......LMAO

[Just_Facts]

Unbelievable! Not only do they blame the Bush administration for everything negative, but now they are taking credit for everything positive. The success in Iraq is due to Pres Bush and Gen Petraeus. Period! (I guess they think the people who listen to such comments weren't paying attention the past several years and don't know any better).

[American Born]

Most Americans can see through the Obama/Biden spin on this. For those that cannot they are simply color blind. Bush was portrayed by the liberal media as a bumbling goof but history will prove that his decisions were correct on Iraq. For Biden or Obama to take credit for any success in Iraq is shameful and should not be taken seriously.

[murray McNichol]

I believe it was a misquote. He meant to say Iran!

[Dronetek]

Hes lucky he has a propaganda, lap dog media to not challenge him on such absurd statements.

[Merritt]

He's livin' the dream!

[Cleophis Flyjuice]

This Buffoon has left me speechless once again.

[GUS]

Is this the same Joe Biden and Obama who were against the whole Iraq situation? Now that it is a success they claim they are responsible for that success. Of course, this is the same Biden who believes "JOBS" is a three letter word. And Obama is the same guy who said he has visited fifty-seven states and has one more to visit. Being on "Larry King" is appropiate as he was able to be interviewed by that corpseman Obama spoke about recently. What a joke this pair is turning out to be.

[G. Reasoner]

Typical of the delusional: If it's a problem, it's Bush's fault, and if it's a success, it's due to their brilliance!

Further evidence of their delusion is that they seem to really believe this fantasy. This makes them very dangerous....if they were not politicians, they'd have to visit a mental institution like anyone else who sees the world in such an unreal way!

[Alex]

Joe is starting to sound like Al Gore, take credit for things he did not do and blame others for the things he did do.

[fishergirlusmc]

They INHERITATED Iraq from the Bush Administration didn't they? We have not heard a peep about Iraq since the ELECTION. Let's give George Bush his due and acknowledge the success we have had in Iraq. Obama and Biden have no shame and no honor. Sad examples of MEN!!!

[Serondal]

If Obama wants to add to his list of great achievements he could find a way to shut Biden up for the rest of time, I might even vote for him in 2012 if he can find a way to do that!

[mbs]

I still find it hard to believe anyone thought Biden would make a more intelligent Vice-President than Sarah Palin.

[Buck]

Biden lives in an alternate reality. He's been inside the beltway so long he dosen't even know Avatar is a movie. He is the classic ready shoot aim with his mouth. Fortunately for the country he is irrelevant

[Ben]

The Obama administration acts as if its policies, after ONE YEAR in office, suddenly changed the course of progress in Iraq. Yet the current state of the economy is Bush's fault, even after Obama wasted a year pushing a rabid liberal agenda instead of pursuing policies that actually created jobs. This is typical of liberal hacks: point the blame on someone else when things go poorly, and take credit when things go well.

[Gekkobear]

FINALLY Something that isn't simply "inherited from previous Administrations" or "Bush's missteps" or "Bush's mistakes" or the obvious "blame Bush".

The win in Iraq from the war Bush went into, and the surge Bush approved with the plan put for by Bush is ALL OBAMA...

I'm guessing we're still at the point where none of the debt, none of the deficit, and none of the economic issues are Obama yet? Of course.

[C. M. Lingenfelter]

The very same people whose policies would have ended the Iraq effort mid-stream and let it stand as a disaster are now trying to claim credit for it? The credit goes first to the Iraqis and secondly to all those who dedicated their own lives to its success. It absolutely does NOT belong to those who used its successes and failures for gaining political advantage.

[BillK]

How did this ignoramous ever get elected to anything?? Sure doesn't say much for the ones that voted for him either!

[freeta goodholm]

That poor man.
Alzheimer's is a terrible disease.

[voxdoc]

Hahahaha! That is hilarious.

[Atlas]

Wow... a bit of a dramatic detachment from reality.

[Shawn]

I hate to say it Biden, but it's Bush's fault! You and Obama wanted to run like scared jackrabbits. Now returning when it is politically safe to claim credit after the fact.

[LindaInNY]

He's kidding right?

So, the Obama/Biden Administration have no 'successes' of their own so they're going to hijack one from the Bush Admin...

Nice ....NOT

Biden is the gift that keeps giving....

This whole administration is filled w/nothing but
Czars, amateurs and buffoons oh yeah
& Chicago thugs...

[Smokehouse]

This is by far the stupidest man on the Planet.

[otis]

Wow. If these clowns weren't running the country I could muster up a giggle at this.

[BABS]

"Do you have no sense of decency?" This entire administration is a fraud. Do they ever do anything other than pat themselves on the back and campaign? Biden should realize that every time he opens his mouth that he not only embarrasses himself, but the entire country. Obama/Biden have done nothing to contribute to the success in Iraq.

[Brian in MD]

Joe Biden is a complete moron. How anyone can take what he says seriously is beyond me. Just live in the VP mansion for the next 3 years and shut up. You'll be packing your bags along with your boss.

[Steve Gregg]

While I hate politicians who lie, I especially hate politicians who lie badly. I have no doubt Obama will claim credit for the success of the Iraq war he opposed, just like Democrats claimed credit for the Cold War they opposed.

Interviews like this are why Biden is considered the dumbest guy in the Senate. He's like a salesman who got lucky and now roams the country club posing as a genius, spouting gibberish. However, no matter how much nonsense Biden spouts, the liberal media will turn a blind eye to him and continue its jihad against Sarah Palin.

[Jason in OregonI]

Typical. If I fail miserably at everything I promised I could do, it's Bush's fault. If there are any successes where I did nothing, I take the credit. Wonderful leader we have in Mr. Obama. That's right up there with record-setting blizzards proving global warming. You know, because extreme weather- like increased hurricane activity- is a sign of global warming... never mind that there have been record LOW hurricane activity since Katrina was touted as being caused by global warming... Seriously people, wake up and vote these idiot liberals out of office in 2010 and 2012.

Miss Me Yet Shirts:
http://www.cafepress.com/ConservaTshirts

[Scott Phillips]

Biden was clearly using the future tense relative to Iraq being a potential success. This is muchado about nothing!!

[Scarface]

All I can say is that I am so very thankful for the monumental achievements of Joe Hairplug and Oprehbama. They should walk the wide boulevards of D.C. and their radiance should melt all the snow. We should erect great statues in their glorious honor.
These clowns cannot be serious! Our brave men and women in uniform stabilized Iraq...against these idiots best attempts to subvert them.
2012 cannot come soon enough!

[Flurmf]

I thought everything was W's fault! What gives?

[Heartland Patriot]

Yeah, well the surge was a plan that worked...just about every Democrat was AGAINST the surge, including the current National Administrator...if anyone gets to claim success in Iraq, beyond the brave men and women of the US Armed Forces, it would be their former Commander-in-Chief, President George W. Bush. Period!

[Doug]

WHAT ! You are now entering THE SPIN ZONE.

[Rick D]

Who is this guy? Why can't they just tell the truth and say they had it all wrong... Or say, okay, it turned out okay, but we were against it and we still feel it was not worth the sacrifice of men and material... Maybe one day someone will be that enlightened.