U.S. Is Winning the War in Iraq, Bush Declares (IHT/NYT)

[Up2Late]

(Good to know he's still in that bubble...)

U.S. Is Winning the War in Iraq, Bush Declares

By BRIAN KNOWLTON
International Herald Tribune
Published: December 18, 2005

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 - Pressing a broad and vigorous defense of the war in Iraq, President Bush told the nation tonight that while the recent elections in Iraq will not end violence there, they do send a clear message to terrorists who "feel a tightening noose - and fear the rise of a democratic Iraq."

Amid rising tensions in Congress over the war and antiterrorism measures at home, and amid indications of declining public support, the president chose to deliver his televised address from the Oval Office, the first speech from that venue since he announced in March 2003 that he had ordered the invasion of Iraq.

Mr. Bush did not cover significant new ground, but rather used the prime-time television slot and the backdrop of the Oval Office for a summation of the arguments he has advanced in three recent addresses defending and explaining his policies.

The president, mindful that "many Americans have questions about the cost and direction of this war," argued that it is far too early to abandon hopes for the emergence of a stable and peaceful Iraqi democracy, one that would be "an ally of growing strength."

<http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/18/politics/18cnd-policy.html?ex=1292562000&en=108f2418c0b0cbac&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss>
(more at link above)

[merwin]

1. Looks like the Republican party is feeling that 'tightening noose'

themselves. And what part of the theocracy that is emerging in Iraq even remotely resembles a democracy?

[heidler1]

2. I haven't given up in despair. Bush will be forced to bring the troops

home soon. I haven't gave up on this fight for freedom either because I never did believe that whole spin in the first place.

"I also want to speak to those of you who did not support my decision to send troops to Iraq: I have heard your disagreement, and I know how deeply it is felt," Bush said. "I do not expect you to support everything I do, but tonight I have a request: Do not give in to despair, and do not give up on this fight for freedom."

[Up2Late]

4. "Do not give in to despair, and do not give up on this fight for freedom."

WTF? :wtf:Was he talking about in Iraq or here in the U.S.?

Yes *, I'd like my Freedoms Back! And I want my Vote counted next election Too!

[daleo]

3. Well, hoorah

At last, all those soldiers can return to the U.S.

[ShockediSay]

5. Izzat what * declared? He also declared Saddam had weapons

of mass destruction and * killed any opportunity for Hans Blix to confirm the contrary.

Why didn't he wait for the UN inspectors to finish their work? Why isn't somebody sticking THAT QUESTION in *'s face?

[cliss]

6. Sheesh, he just doesn't give up does he?

I mean, give up Bush! It's over and you know it.

Why does Bush remind me of a cockroach? You spray and spray, pull the fridge out, try to really get in between the gaps. Still, he hangs on.

Unbelievable.

[Jawja]

19. I love that analogy!

Yes, spray and spray and spray, and the cockroaches named Bush and Cheney and Rice keep coming out again and again with the same old bullshit.:applause:

[tularetom]

7. He's really painting himself into a corner

the longer he keeps spewing this macho bullshit, the closer it gets to election day. At some point he will be forced by congressional candidates within his party to "cut-'n'-run" from Iraq. He will then be ridiculed by his "base" of vengeful religious nut jobs as a pussy, which I'm convinced is what he fears more than anything else. It is gonna be fun to watch him try to twist his way out of this.

[madmark]

8. How did this incompetent dilletante think he is an expert nation builder?

[pdurod1]

9. Bush lost this war when he

failed to get a broad coalition like his dad did. Now he'll blame it on the American people for pulling out too soon. That's exactly was this speech is saying. We had the entire world behind us after 9/11 (Iraq wasn't responsible for 9/11). This administration fricken blew it. The rest of the world sees this administration as irresponsible, greedy and corrupt. Why can't Americans see this? Or are they, finnaly?

[Peter Frank]

10. President Gives Both Reassurance, Warnings on Iraq (and Blah blah blah)...

'Victory or Defeat' Are Only Options, He Says

By Michael A. Fletcher
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, December 19, 2005; Page A01

President Bush last night hailed Thursday's Iraqi elections as a vital step toward stabilizing that nation, but warned that despite the political progress more violence lies ahead as Iraq struggles to establish a democracy amid a raging insurgency.

Speaking in a nationally televised prime-time address, Bush made a direct appeal to war opponents, conveying a more humble tone in saying he understands their arguments but asserting that there is no choice but to forge on. "I have heard your disagreement and I know how deeply it is felt," Bush said. "Yet now there are only two options before our country: victory or defeat."

President Bush said in his nationally televised speech about the war in Iraq that "to retreat before victory would be an act of recklessness and dishonor -- and I will not allow it." (Aptn Via Associated Press)

Transcript of President Bush's Remarks on Iraq
Read the text of the president's televised speech.

The speech also included his most forthright statement to date about how often Iraq has confounded his own expectations, from weapons of mass destruction that were not found to the problems of reconstructing a civil society in Iraq. "Much of the intelligence turned out to be wrong. And as your president, I am responsible for the decision to go into Iraq," he said. "Yet it was right to remove Saddam Hussein from power."<snip>

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/18/AR2005121800801.html

[Quakerfriend]

11. I'm so sick of 'the itelligence turned out to be wrong',

WRONG GEORGE!

You MANIPULATED the intelligence and LIED to this country to get us into an ILLEGAL war! And, the whole world knows it!!

[Skittles]

15. I am tired of his black and white simplistic thinking

f***ing incomptent SOB

[Freedom_from_Chains]

12. My wife and I watched about 2 minutes of his speach

and then turned it off as we both were about ready to puke. Just more of the same, another victory for the US, we are just great, etc,etc.

[lvx35]

13. I know. And all these news stories come out calling it a mea culpa

projecting humility and recognition of error where there is no recognition. Its simply ludicrous.

[Freedom_from_Chains]

14. Projecting humility my ass

It finally got to the point where you couldn't convince a 4th grader that Iraq had any weapons of mass destruction and he had no choice but to admit it in an attempt to bring his poll numbers up. These people wouldn't know what humility was if it bit them in the ass. :)

[still_one]

16. please tell me what the definition of winning is?

[Freedom_from_Chains]

17. That's easy, in the current political context

it is whatever King George says it is.

I know, it's sad.

[leftchick]

23. I know! I Know! Let me answer!!!

Winning means....

Profits soaring for Halliburton/Cheney's pockets!

Bases built for eternal presence in the MidEast hence the necessity for eternal chaos!

Money sucked from social programs being funneled to Defense contractors/repukes in congress pockets!

am I warm yet?

[Vinca]

18. All I want to know is when King George will be going back into

hiding and if he's expected to stay there awhile. His puss has been on the tube nonstop for the past couple of weeks and the only thing it's done is increase the number of damaged televisions in the country. It was a good 2 weeks for the rubber brickmaking industry.

[NI4NI]

22. Did he say he talked to wounded troops?

Did I hear him say that? When and where did those meetings ever take place? In private? No pResidential photo op, or media coverage? I completley missed that if it ever happened.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

20. Nixon used to say that about Vietnam. He was terribly wrong, too.

[Oversea Visitor]

21. Far too early to abandon hope

Here is the reality.
You will eat this words eat it. Cause all you are saying is price is not high enough yet.
Maybe you need 10,000 dead American soldiers, maybe you think you just got to hold out 3 more years and the next President will clean up your mess.

So what the next President going to do. Stay in the hole you dig. Maybe it is too deep to climb out of by then.

What a fuck up future you making for this country. You have turn US into a pariah country. You are bleeding it dry. US is going to be so weak after you have done with it. The world wont be kind to the US. Not after what happen.

[rodeodance]

24. (AP) Bush Asserts U.S. Is Winning Iraq War (do not...despair..give up).

yugga yugga

http://news.yahoo.com/

Bush Asserts U.S. Is Winning Iraq War

AP - 8 minutes ago
WASHINGTON - President Bush asserted Sunday night the United States is winning the war in Iraq and issued a plea to Americans divided by doubt: "Do not give in to despair and do not give up on this fight for freedom."

[uppityperson]

25. despair is not my problem

fuck bush

[rodeodance]

32. yes it is. Jr said so!

[rodeodance]

26. link to yahoo story.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/bush;_ylt=ArdlriYy9i4FSbw300wevSas0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA2Z2szazkxBHNlYwN0bQ--

[gordianot]

27. No despair here. Will continue to fight to be free of George Bush.

How can anyone win a war based on lies.

[dflprincess]

28. The despair I'm trying very hard not to give into

and fight for freedom I won't give up on are not the ones Bush is referring to.

[Danmel]

29. Despair? Sounds worse than Malaise!

What a complete cluster fuck this whole thing is. Spying, torture, trumped up wars, class division, cronyism, ineptitude. When are people going to be outraged? What does it take to wake this country up?

[ninkasi]

30. Despair?

Disgust is more what I feel for Bush and his war.

[rodeodance]

31. i only despair over his continued existance as our Pres (King)!!

[Beetwasher]

33. What? Me Worry?

[IChing]

34. Just before the death star blew up

[HuffleClaw]

37. haahahaha

that is so appropriate. and when his poll numbers CONTINUE to drop? what next?

[Pithy Cherub]

35. King George's Potemkin Iraq has no despair issues.

The real Iraq is a craptastic mess from that crapaholic in the Oval Office and his minions. Woe is me and despair is a 24/7 thing if the same idiot who made the BUSH league mess is upposed to be the same BUSH league idiot to fix the mess! :hide:

[madmark]

36. Its not a matter of despair; Its matter of terminating a catastrophically

bad strategic move.

[cliss]

38. Notice here the manipulating words....

Despair, fight for freedom, also shame, dishonor, cowardly, we don't run like cowards, etc.

Bush is a manipulator. He uses words like this to get people to do his bidding. The problem is: it's too late. Peoples' minds are made up. They hate this guy and his administration.

Bush is the only one feeling despair.

[Up2Late]

39. I think you give him too much credit, in speeches like this...

...he has all his words written for him, I picture a big table with about 8 to 10 RW weasels sitting around, going over his speeches word by word to figure out all the double meanings and pitfalls of each word.

Since you are into words, here are a few that I think I figured out the "how can they say that and not be accused of lying" rational for:

When Condi Rice was talking about "The U.S. does Not torture..." or "The U.S. does not approve of torture..." was she lying?

The answer is not really yes, but not really no, because by saying "The U.S. does not torture..." that IS technically true, The U.S., meaning it's people, does not torture, But the CIA Does! Get it?

When She said, "...The U.S., meaning it's people, does not approve of torture..." Again, very true, but the current U.S. President, Pentagon, and maybe even the CIA does approve of torture!

This, I imagine, is how they figure and do get away with saying these things.