Bush* Tries to Placate Waverers at Home

[kskiska]

President George Bush conceded yesterday America had "a security issue in Iraq" as polls revealed public opinion growing increasingly sceptical about the presence and purpose of US troops in the Gulf.

With the number of American casualties still rising, two months after he declared victory from the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln, the president admitted: "There's no question we've got a security issue in Iraq. We're going to have to deal with it person-by-person. We're going to have to remain tough."

Mr Bush's comments, a marked contrast to the "bring them on" stance of last week, have been prompted by a growing uncertainty about the role of American troops in Iraq among the public and the political establishment.

"We have the world's best-trained soldiers serving as policemen in what seems to be a shooting gallery," Senator Edward Kennedy told the defence secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, during a Senate armed forces committee hearing on Wednesday. "The lack of a coherent plan is hindering our efforts at internationalisation and aggravating the strain on our troops."

more…
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,995904,00.html

[Rose Siding]

1. Hah! This part's great-

"After persistent questioning by a Democratic senator, Mr Rumsfeld's team telephoned the Pentagon during a break in the hearing, and later revealed that the estimated military cost of the operations had risen from $2bn (£1.2bn) a month to $3.9bn."

You know who pressed and pressed for this number? Byrd. It was great. Byrd was told that Rummy would have to look into that and get back to him. Byrd said, But I want to know now. You must have some idea.

Rummy said, No, I'd be able to get it for you at another time. Byrd said, But I want to know now. You always have the numbers when you're looking for appropriations.

TEE HEE! I didn't realize that Rum was driven to the phone on a break. This just makes my day.

[JohnyCanuck]

4. And you can be pretty damn sure

He's lowballing the new nubmers too.

[I AM SPARTACUS]

2. "lack of a coherent plan is hindering our efforts at..."

"...internationalisation..."

There NEVER were any plans for internationalisation, it was always the plan to hoard-up on the oil.

[DianeK]

3. i just really need to rant...

bush has a tiny, puny, insignificant mind. I am in tears thinking about the families that have lost their children, husbands, fathers, sisters, moms...for what? i am so angry i can barely express it..how do the families of the military feel? any out there to respond?

[diplomats]

5. There've been several threads on this

there was a particularly moving one yesterday. The poster said he was friends with a couple whose son was in Iraq, and he reported that U.S. troops get shot at constantly. The parents were Bush voters but have violently turned against him becuase of the Iraq mess.