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Bush's Trip to Iraq: This place will always suck.
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| josh4 |
But we're doing our best to make it suck less.
| quote: | Bush tries to lower expectations over Iraq
>By Guy Dinmore in Washington and Roula Khalaf in London
>Published: June 14 2006 20:21 | Last updated: June 14 2006 20:21
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President George W. Bush, fresh from a surprise trip to Iraq, on Wednesday sought to lower expectations of what should be defined as success in the country while sketching out a future strategy that did not appear markedly different from the past.
Americans should not have a “zero violence expectation”, Mr Bush said in a news conference.
“Winning means a government that can sustain itself, defend itself and govern itself, and an ally in the war on terror, and we will help this government do that,” he said in a significant departure from the rhetoric that accompanied the 2003 invasion.
Asked if the US had a specific target level of violence in mind that would be deemed acceptable, Mr Bush answered: “Enough for the government to succeed.”
Success should also be measured in terms of economic progress, the president said, mentioning production of oil and electricity, which are hovering at less than pre-war levels, mostly due to sabotage and corruption.
At the same time Mr Bush sought to damp expectations among Americans that significant numbers of US troops would be withdrawn later this year, even if just to stave off what could be a sizeable defeat for Republicans in November’s midterm elections.
Find this article at:
http://news.ft.com/cms/s/c8f51200-f...2340,s01=1.html |
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| Q5echo |
laugh at me if you want, but his speech to the troops was one of the best i've ever seen.
when he speaks to troops he's completely different |
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| josh4 |
| quote: | Originally posted by Q5echo
laugh at me if you want, but his speech to the troops was one of the best i've ever seen.
when he speaks to troops he's completely different |
Bush always gives good speeches. I wouldn't be surprised if they hired Hollywood writers to draft them.
"Wag The Dog" anyone? :D |
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| Q5echo |
| quote: | Originally posted by josh4
Bush always gives good speeches. |
whoa! i wouldn't go that far. |
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| Fir3start3r |
| quote: | Originally posted by josh4
Bush always gives good speeches. I wouldn't be surprised if they hired Hollywood writers to draft them.
"Wag The Dog" anyone? :D |
Do you realize the irony in that statement? :p ;) |
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| MisterOpus1 |
| quote: | The president was here for five hours. The first fifteen minutes were spent with the new prime minister, then a quick power nap to sleep off jet lag. That took two hours. Quick chat with the troops, judged a local hummus cook-off and then... With an international flight, you kinda want to get to the airport two hours ahead. You got the check-in, security, duty free shopping. (He picked up a bottle of perfume for Laura---Ahmed Chalabi's Desperation. It's an intoxicating blend of Sunni and Shiite aroma. Smells awful.)
Just his being there for five hours makes a statement. It told the Iraqi people: "I'm with you. I stand behind you. And now, if you'll excuse me, I'm getting the out of here."
The Daily Show
http://politicalhumor.about.com/lib...ldailyfeed3.htm |
Hehe. I really don't have any qualms with the photo-op. Granted, it was pure politics, but what Pres. wouldn't grab a quick photo-op after a substantial killing of an enemy leader?
Was it a bit strange to come into a supposedly sovereign country and not tell the PM of that country until the last minute that our President is flying into your country for a quick photo-op? Sure, but I think it also is telling as to why his stay was so hush-hush and why he only stayed for 5 hours and then high-tailed it the outa there-
it's still not quite the stable region, esp. if the Pres. didn't feel that secure in the most secure green zone region.
Regardless, I think one of the biggest back-stabbing moments came right after Bush left by the Iraqi PM:
| quote: | Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on Wednesday proposed a limited amnesty to help end the Sunni Arab insurgency as part of a national reconciliation plan that Maliki said would be released within days. The plan is likely to include pardons for those who had attacked only U.S. troops, a top adviser said....Reconciliation could include an amnesty for those "who weren't involved in the shedding of Iraqi blood," Maliki told reporters at a Baghdad news conference. "Also, it includes talks with the armed men who opposed the political process and now want to turn back to political activity."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dy...6061402432.html |
That is simply ing unacceptable. Granting amnesty to terrorists and insurgents who attacked our troops, the same troops that are trying to stabilize their country? WTF kind of diplomacy maneuver is that? How can our Congress and our Administration feel so strongly about keeping our troops in Iraq when the leaders of that country seemingly don't give a about killing our troops? |
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