Bush is changing his Iraq talking points. "Progress" is out

[G_j]

http://americablog.blogspot.com/2007/04/bush-is-changing-his-iraq-talking.html

Bush is changing his Iraq talking points. "Progress" is out.
by Joe Sudbay (DC) · 4/28/2007 10:12:00 AM ET

"Progress" is no longer the operative word about Iraq coming from Bush and his lackeys. This should be an indication of just how bad things are in Iraq. The Bush team, which will lie about everything, can't even pretend that the situation is improving. George Bush's Iraq policy is a colossal failure:

The Bush administration will not try to assess whether the troop increase in Iraq is producing signs of political progress or greater security until September, and many of Mr. Bush’s top advisers now anticipate that any gains by then will be limited, according to senior administration officials.

In interviews over the past week, the officials made clear that the White House is gradually scaling back its expectations for the government of Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki. The timelines they are now discussing suggest that the White House may maintain the increased numbers of American troops in Iraq well into next year.

That prospect would entail a dramatically longer commitment of frontline troops, patrolling the most dangerous neighborhoods of Baghdad, than the one envisioned in legislation that passed the House and Senate this week. That vote, largely symbolic because Democrats do not have the votes to override the promised presidential veto, set deadlines that would lead to the withdrawal of combat troops by the end of March 2008.
What is clear is that Bush has no plans to get the U.S. out of Iraq.
..more..

[Dhalgren]

1. Well, this is breaking news:

"What is clear is that Bush has no plans to get the U.S. out of Iraq." and with no opposition party in congress, he'll just hand off the occupation to whoever is president in '09. It won't matter whether it is a REpublican or a Democrat, the US military presence in Iraq will continue for years and years to come. The new DLC talking point is that in the real world we have to accept the fact that we will be in Iraq for decades. We have lost our country, folks, and we will never get it back. We need to find a way to deal with it...

[Roland99]

2. Continuing along in his strongest area: Lowering expectations

[scarletwoman]

3. "The Bush administration will not try to assess... until September." Hmmm... That's about 6 months

from when they really started pouring on "The Surge" (tm).

We're still operating in Friedman Units, I see.

sw

[Warren Stupidity]

7. No that is about 6 months from when the escalation failed.

We are now in the permanent escalation 6 Friedman period. The surge is officially over.

[Marr]

4. I really liked the frame I heard last week- that this is a hostage situation, with the President

holding US troops hostage, threatening that they'll be harmed unless he gets everything he wants.

I think all Dem politicians should start pushing that frame, every time they're on TV. And send him another spending bill, with the date for withdrawal still in place. Make him veto it AGAIN.

[G_j]

8. not only an effective frame, but ACCURATE! n/t

[Ilsa]

5. By October Dana Cappuccino Perino will deny that Bush* ever

used the word "progress" with respect to Iraq. And the MSM will conveniently erase every last bit of digital recordings of him saying "progress" also. If we don't capture that bit of histroy now, it will all go down the memory hole. I bet by December 2008 he* denies he ever wanted to invade Iraq.

[Warren Stupidity]

6. Note to congress: he is going to need even more money.

The funding bill included funds for a temporary increase in troop strength deployed in Iraq, not a permanent one. Dumbass is going to try to stare you all down, and then turn around and demand even more money for his failed and now permanent escalation.

Will Congress have the courage to finally just say no? Stay tuned.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

9. I thought the surge was supposed to show results in 90 days

Was I dreaming of did I hear that somewhere? Now it's five more months to see if it works? And after that it'll be until the end of the Chimpdom?

[Disturbed]

10. The government of Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki

is taking a two month vacation. The Green Zone is no longer safe so they are hiding elsewhere.