Congressman Steve Lynch talks about the 5th Anniversary of the Iraq War

[0:00]" First hour we spoke professor Michael Corbin and -- university professor that investor relations spoke briefly changed her final senior fellow at the heritage for a fellow at the Heritage Foundation. Now we're pleased to be joined by the good friend and and then fine congressman congressman Steve lynch the Massachusetts he represents. This the night night district of -- not mistaken -- Jamal these district right -- announced -- it's -- always veto won't reveal all but it also that is being it is really becoming Steve Lynch's district. You have made quite an impression as a as a hard working member of congress and and I want to say that publicly thank you can. You have made there -- there of their work courses in the -- show horses and you're one of the -- courses and those of the people in congress on most respects I just want to just want to get down on the table. Thank you and I appreciate you you've made. At least that I am aware of said the troops to Iraq."

[0:56]" Right this April will be a and they will be nine yeah allegory got a couple trips coming up."

[1:03]" Now you again our Democrat and you're in a party that has been for the most part critical of this war. And yet I've always heard and listened to your analysis carefully because I think that it is -- It really is realistic what are you thinking at this point. On that the fiftieth anniversary you wouldn't you -- the nomination to succeed Joe Moakley ironically as I'm sure most of our. The listeners know on September 11 2001 and for all intents and purposes you were elected to congress that day -- so you have lived this. As a member of congress like no other member of congress what are your thoughts thoughts on the fifth anniversary at this point congressman. Well."

[1:48]" I was actually one the first two members of the congress to actually fly into Iraq after the after the initial invasion Africa was still shelling the he's the airfield there it used to be called Saddam Hussein international airport now Baghdad international -- I've seen a lot of change. Since my first trip between my most recent one last month there have been there have been changes there has -- progress however. When you when you wave the the progress against the cost and -- against the I guess the good doubt in my mind that some of -- stuff is not sustainable. Then you know we've lost 4000 bravest young men women we've had one point 71 point seven million veterans who can call themselves. Either Afghanistan or Iraq veterans one point seven million have have gone through either Iraq or. -- Afghanistan -- Now we've we've had like is that we've lost 4000 I killed I action we've. Because almost 30000 injured and as as the president indicated today he has no no plans to change strategy and see plowing forward."

[3:22]" oblivious seems to me he's oblivious to -- and I'm not I'm sure you don't want to adopt that adjective it. And that that's that's the only adjective like I can apply to him listening to him today."

[5:20]" You know up I tried to calculate just -- to make the score card today as I thought about the fifth anniversary of that and thought to myself. -- here we have a situation the poppy fields were bloom in Afghanistan. We're able to do nothing about those at this point because of the instability of the government there Pakistan is in potential turmoil. As of course we have seen that -- develop. Particularly in the last few months we realized that you know Iraq is still again by word of mass. We have problems with the dollar we get price of oil price of gasoline 4000 dead as you say you're 30000 injured. The only thing I can point to that's a positive and some argue that it's not related that we haven't had another 9/11 on our soil since 9/11 or any other positive. -- that you could point to congressman that that that any of us can can look forward you know besides the great work that the troops have done don't get me wrong. But is there any other benefit that -- you can see to what we've done for the last five years."

[7:50]" Yeah trust ourselves and it's it seems to me all don't know you you can't believe me that's. That's part of the world he really you know we can't usually do we have for his own code is not going to make the US is he's played -- Yeah I think so I -- do a lot of that going on the other area that I that I see. You know is largely improve this. Is the room -- the Kurdish yours although they have control the PKK on the Turkish border to yes they are actually. Got a chance to -- spent some time in Turkey. With their their -- political leadership. There's great concern there as well put together there there have been improvements they have they have a parliament now they have a government in Iraq. So there arrivals building blocks of stability that that are going on it is a lot safer now than it was a two years ago even three years ago but it is not safe. It's it's safer than it was but it's not safe what is."

[8:54]" Life like even the areas where and that it is now safe for what is life like the average Iraqi I mean you've you've been on the ground you've seen it. Idea restaurants open our schools open it's commerce gone on what."

[11:26]" Okay well -- welcomed the ultimate adverse possession I guess congress yeah like my guess is congress' Stephen Lynch and the congressman for the -- congressional district here. In Boston Greater Boston observers as many community south of Boston segments of other towns outside of the city we're gonna take a quick break for a -- a couple of commercial messages congress we come back and ask you if you. Were named secretary of state in the new administration. What with the policy be that you think should be in place whoever whether it's McCain nor or Obama or or or Clinton. This is my side on WBZ news radio 1030. Welcome back everyone went on -- Steve lynch on the phone I he has been to Iraq seven times it will be going back there again in April and again in May. So congress and let me put it to -- let's assume that whoever is elected president called you and ask you to become the secretary -- secretary of state's last sector defense we -- we go from here what. What would you recommend and and how and in what order should should things occur -- from your experience."

[12:34]" Well you know I would think that first of all. At this -- Point at this point we should be established in the privacy of of the State Department or the Defense Department if we're gonna export democracy to Iraq it's not going to be for the Defense Department. It's gonna between state and commerce and what I would do. First write -- the bad if you remember again we first one in there and in 2003 we we made an assessment of how much the Iraqis could. Fund their own reconstruction and we get better assessment oil was at 42 dollars a barrel. We look at the reviews are right and today it's at a 105 dollars a barrel so week. I I think the State Department should initially you know just to a reassessment on what the Iraqis are able to pay for and and try to attract those oil revenues I've been to -- the major. Oil refinery in in north central. Iraq that handles a lot of these refinery operations from hopeful I think it might do about 75% of the refinery operations in the country the rest is common basra. But I've I've tracked those revenues because I think number one the Iraqis. He even though they've got a new parliament as their ability to spend money is really hampered because of the conflict because going on between. The Sunnis this year and I am occurs so they can do a lot more with the wrong resources I would also reduced the amount that we have to contribute. All that the the coalition have to contribute what."

[14:09]" What happened to the theory that that did these oil reserves were in effect. And it gonna make our financial commitment year old war."

[14:17]" Well remembered now."

[14:19]" The original assessment was that was Rumsfeld. He said this war's gonna cost between fifty and sixty billion. Between fifty and sixty billion right now. We've already spent. 475 billion. So when he you know maybe when he did the map and said okay we're gonna spend between fifty and sixty billion. -- oil revenues can't you know covered some some portion of that."

[14:49]" Are we getting any oil revenues or that any oil revenues going in anyway shape or --"

[14:54]" Sure sure sure they are but but recently we we determined that there was something on the order of seventy billion which is basically blocked within -- bureaucratic you at all. Black hole -- to -- lost that wasn't I don't know if there is just. Because of their system that takes so many of these ministers to actually release the money -- the purposes of reconstruction that is just it's just played in. It's just a quagmire in terms of trying to get the money out actually -- they've got a very poor bureaucratic system established there it's is that a lot of corruption."

[15:32]" And -- I want they're all little going to get an idea how much corruption is there."

[15:36]" you know why I mean that that whole part of the world but especially about -- you can see you know. You know things and we lost eight billion dollars and in about two months thereafter we. Ship the money from the New York Federal Reserve we can track it right from the New York Fed right to to Baghdad and then. And I've spent the last 33 and a half he has tried tracked down the eight or nine billion dollars that has gone missing but you know we've got a lot a lot of those basic problem."

[16:08]" I suspect that the of that money in Swiss banks at this point now so so so where do we go from here again I I AM. Let let's assume we you know we can argue about whether there all weapons of mass destruction about the UN resolutions whether this was. Though the war you know for Bush's father will all of that -- and that off at least for tonight with that we will although we may get to a later -- where do we go from here if you if you were in charge."