MSNBC "The Ed Show" - Transcript: Iraq War

Interview

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

SCHULTZ: Joining me tonight Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Senator, always a pleasure to have you with us.

I want to focus in on the money if we can because I think the spotlight of what we did in Iraq and what we could possibly doing in the future is pretty scary. The amount of money spent in Iraq is estimated to cost each American household around $35,000 according to Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times and there are other economists out there who were saying that. What`s your reaction to that number, Senator, on where we stand right now?

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS, (I) VERMONT: Well, when you look at the cost of war - - I mean, generally people talk about it in the laws of life which has been tragic, people coming home without arms and legs, tragic. But it is also important to look what we as a nation are spending, spending $4 trillion on war in Iraq by the way helping to rebuild Iraq`s infrastructure, when what we should be doing is investing that money in our bridges, our roads, our sewer systems, our wastewater plants.

We have a crumbling infrastructure, Ed. The American Society of Civil Engineers tells us we have to spend over $3 trillion. And if we invest in America, we become more productive and we create jobs. $1 trillion of investment in infrastructure, Ed, creates 13 million jobs. And when real unemployment in America is close to 12 percent, use that unemployment 20 percent. That is exactly what we should be doing.

SCHULTZ: So Senator, with what is happening in Iraq right now and what potentially could be on the horizon, is this going to help the Democrats make the case for infrastructure? Do you expect the public to take better notice of what we need to do base on what we could be doing?

SANDERS: Well, I surely hope so. I think if you go over to the average American and you say, "Is it more important to build bridges and roads in Iraq or in the United States of America?" I think most people think we should invest here.

And I think that highlighting the cost of war, the enormous amounts of money we spent in Iraq contrasting to that to the needs in America. I mean, Ed, we have a rail system today that is way, way behind Europe, and Japan, and even China. We need weatherize millions of homes to cut back on greenhouse gas emissions and save people money on their fuel bill.

So I think when people understand that the war in Iraq cost $4 trillion, but if we invested $1 trillion right here in America, we become more productive, we create 13 million jobs. I think the American people will say as Harry Reid just did invest in America. Create jobs here.

SCHULTZ: Senator, your response to what the president did yesterday. Are you OK with it? Do you think that this could spiral out of control? Do you think that we have gone as far as we can go at this point? Is this it with Iraq as you see it?

SANDERS: Well, Ed, I voted against the war going into that war. And I --
the one thing that really drives me a little bit nuts is that people are still listening to the Dick Cheney`s and the others who got us into this disastrous situation in the first place by not telling the truth and the reality of what was going on in Iraq.

To my mind clearly, this is not just an American issue. It is a crisis which the international community has got to deal with which the region Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Iran have got to be working with the international community to stop terrorists from taking over Iraq. But I am adamantly opposed to sending ground troops into Iraq and to get back into that war that we got out of.

I do support the President protecting the embassy. I think some troops giving training to the Iraqi army is OK. But I will adamantly oppose the United States getting involved in a ground war in Iraq again.

SCHULTZ: Senator Bernie Sanders with us tonight here on the Ed Show. Senator, always a pleasure, good to have you with us. I appreciate your time. Thank you so much.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source