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Title: Bush Urges Patience, Says Congress Can't Run Iraq War
Source:
Bloomberg
URL Source: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aeHMu6SNtyj4
Published: Jul 13, 2007
Author: By Roger Runningen and Edwin Chen
Post Date: 2007-07-13 17:26:51 by Zipporah
Keywords: None
Views: 129
Comments: 13
Bush Urges Patience, Says Congress Can't Run Iraq War (Update1) By Roger Runningen and Edwin Chen July 12 (Bloomberg) -- President George W. Bush appealed to Americans to be patient with Iraq's effort to achieve a unity government even as a progress report showed the nation's leadership short on key goals to establish democracy. As Republican defections over the war increase in Congress, the president insisted he won't yield to mounting demands to bring troops home. ``I don't think it makes sense'' for Congress to tell ``our military how to conduct operations'' or ``deal with troop strength,'' he said today at a White House press conference. Bush said he's sending Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to the region in early August to stress that ``the Middle East remains a vital strategic priority to the United States.'' ``I believe we can succeed in Iraq, and I know we must,'' Bush said. In a status report to Congress on the four-year-old conflict, the administration said the government of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has failed to meet several political goals essential for the success of the U.S. effort in that country, including easing restrictions on members of Saddam Hussein's Baath Party, set new local elections or guarantee all groups a share of oil revenue. The report credited the government with fulfilling its commitments to provide troops for the security crackdown on insurgents that has been under way since February. It said that crackdown has begun to achieve success. Lawmakers Respond The report gave fresh ammunition to lawmakers demanding a change of course in Iraq, including some Republicans. Bush stressed that the report is an ``interim'' assessment and that he intends to revisit his strategy in September based on the recommendations of General David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in the Middle East, and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker. ``This progress report is like the guy who's falling from a 100-story building and says half-way down that everything's fine,'' said Senator Joseph Biden, a Delaware Democrat who heads the Foreign Relations Committee. ``If we continue the way we're going, with the president's failed strategy in Iraq, we're headed for a crash landing.'' ``We must change course now, not in September,'' Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid of Nevada said in a statement. `Tired of the War' Bush said he knows the American people are tired of the war. ``There's war fatigue in America, it's affecting our psychology,'' he said. ``I understand that. It's any ugly war.'' Bush reaffirmed confidence in al-Maliki and said there were some signs of progress toward a unified government. ``Yeah, I've got confidence in him, but I also understand how difficult it is. I'm not making the excuses, but it is hard,'' he said. The president said he would resist congressional pressure to reduce funding or call for troop withdrawals or set deadlines, insisting that he would await the Sept. 15 report on military, economic and political progress. ``I don't think Congress ought to be running the war,'' Bush said. ``I think they ought to be funding our troops.'' The president said he was willing to consult with Congress, ``but trying to run a war through resolution is a prescription for failure.'' Al-Qaeda Still Dangerous Bush said that al-Qaeda has been weakened since the Sept. 11 attacks but is ``still dangerous.'' Asked about potential summertime attacks on U.S. soil, he promised to share any credible evidence with Americans. ``My gut tells me, which my head tells me as well, is that when we find a credible threat I'll share it with people,'' Bush said. ``My head also tells me that al-Qaeda is a serious threat to our homeland, and we've got to continue making sure we've got good intelligence, good response mechanisms in place.'' The terrorist threat to the U.S. is a ``serious issue that's going to outlast my presidency,'' he said.
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#1. To: Zipporah (#0)
Frick if I know.. the biggest cluster in American history IMO
#6. To: ghostdogtxn (#4)
It's gone on longer than either the so-called Civil War or American involvement World Wars I or II or Korea. It has now cost more, even adjusted for inflation, than Vietnam. It's a gravy train for Darth and the Chimp's contractors, though. And you're right. If we can believe the reported casualties (this is the same government which says the "core rate" of inflation is practically zero), they are fairly light. Maybe that's also why nothing of any significance has been accomplished in this so-called war, other than to bleed U.S. citizens and future generations dry financially.
Good point...although the #s are in question .. they dont come close to the Civl War
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#2. To: ghostdogtxn (#1)
#4. To: Zipporah (#2)
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#7. To: ghostdogtxn (#4)
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