Joe Biden Tears Up Talking About Fallen Soldiers in Iraq
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden became emotionally overwhelmed recently in a candid interview where he discussed Iraq, the U.S. troop pull-out and fallen soldiers.
Biden spoke to ABC news correspondent Ann Curry while on his last official visit to Iraq before the U.S. Military withdrawals troops from the country by the end of the year.
Biden discussed the current situation in Iraq with Curry and addressed why the Obama administration ultimately decided that eight years in, Iraq is in a stable enough position to overcome still prevalent security challenges without U.S. forces.
“There’s still concerns here in Iraq, but if you take a look at it Ann, violence is down to an all-time low,” Biden told the news correspondent who made the journey all the way to Iraq to speak with the Vice President.
“The idea that there is sufficient capacity to bring down this government, to fundamentally alter this democratic processes underway, that no longer exists,” he said.
Biden become sentimental and choked up when Curry questioned him about his own son’s military service.
Beau Biden joined the military in 2003 and was deployed to Iraq in 2008, during the height of violence in the country. He served in Iraq for one year.
“First of all I say I am so damn proud of you, I am so incredibly proud of him and these kids, and I say it mattered, it mattered.” Biden told Curry.
Biden expressed his view that those that are serving are an exceptional generation but lost his composure when he discussed how he felt when his eldest son returned from Iraq.
“When Beau came home after a year, obviously there was an overwhelming sense of joy and relief. All I could think of was, those fallen angels,” he said through tears.
Biden is on his eighth official visit to the country since becoming Vice President.