Bush questioning hard-line Iraq policies

[ima_sinnic]

By JOHN WALCOTT
Knight Ridder Newspapers
Sept. 20, 2003

WASHINGTON - Faced with rising costs, sinking polls, unsympathetic allies, an increasingly skeptical Congress and potential splits in his political party, President Bush has begun to question the hard-line Iraq policies long championed by Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld.

Foreign-policy concerns and domestic politics are prompting the administration to rethink its approach to Iraq, said a number of administration foreign and domestic-policy officials, who all spoke on the condition of anonymity because, as one of them put it, "the president hates seeing internal debates in the paper."

Abroad, these officials said, it's clear that the United States needs more foreign money and manpower in Iraq. It's also clear that America isn't likely to get much of either without sharing at least some authority with the United Nations and agreeing to hand over power to Iraqis more quickly.

At home, they said, budget chief Josh Bolten and other White House officials have been troubled by the rough reception the president's request for $87 billion for Iraq and Afghanistan in 2004 is getting in Congress and across the country.

The officials said Bush's chief political adviser, Karl Rove, was concerned about new polls that suggest sinking support for the president's handling of Iraq. . . .

http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/news/nation/6821495.htm

[bluestateguy]

1. I refuse to take this seriously

This is just a planted story to make * look "moderate".

Sorry, ain't working!

[Khephra]

2. Nah, it's the start of the settup

for them to clean house before the election, placing all the blame for everything going wrong on Anybody But Bush (The Republican Version).

[Flying_Pig]

13. Bingo Kheph!

And you can bet, any and all will be sacrificed in *'s desperate attempt to stay in office. The Dems need to start talking about "responsibility", and how the "buck stops here", when it comes to Bush. He cannot be allowed even a millimeter to wiggle back into his rathole. He needs to be crucified, day in, day out for his crimes. After all, is he the Commander in Chief or isn't he? He's the one who wore the stupid fucking flight suit, and declared the war over. Now he needs to be made to eat every goddamn word, and pay for every person who's death he has caused.

I'll grab the rope......

:evilgrin:

[Guaranteed]

24. That's right....I have no sympathy...

...I've been called "unAmerican" way too many times.
FUCK the warhawks. They didn't listen. They sewed the seeds. They're gonna pay.

[ewagner]

19. Agreed

what do you want to bet that Rove himself was one of the "unnamed sources"?

[On the Road]

5. Certainly Sounds Like It

but it also gives added weight to the emerging negative consensus about the war.

[Skittles]

3. BULL F***ING SH**

Dubya knows what his role is and asking questions is NOT one of his duties.

[KittyWampus]

4. Bush Questioning Hard-Line Policies?

Isn't he ultimately responsible for them?

If not, then what the heck is his role as President?

[NormanConquest]

15. We kept hearing Rummy was "doing a FAAAAAB-ULOUS job"

At what point did he cease to be so wonderful?

[Booberdawg]

16. He's not a details guy

:eyes:

[wtmusic]

6. Nation Questioning Bush Gestapo Fundamentalist Profiteering Policies

[efhmc]

7. Hey, who read the newspaper to *bush??

That slimy, creepy little idiot has never cared about anything, worked for anything or done anything on his own. Why should we think he is starting now???

[Robin Hood]

8. But, but...

I thought that Bush was great because he didn't pay attention to polls. What a let down.

[carpetbagger]

9. Does the puppet diss the hand? no.

[ima_sinnic]

10. as if a puppet somehow has a mind of its own

. . . act/think independently of his handlers? I don't think so.

[Upfront]

11. Watch out.

Could be something too this. They are saying he got bad advice every day now. Could be trying to get Bush* off the hook.

[BadGimp]

18. you dont get Off the Hook by

you dont get Off the Hook by admitting your team gave you bad advice and you had no ability to generate better ideas so you took thier advice.

That just makes you look incompetent...wait

This is making me dizzy

[Democat]

12. Everything is politics or money for Bush

Everything.

The guy doesn't care at all about what's best for Americans.

[FlemingsGhost]

14. *cough* BULLSHIT! *cough*

Nice try, Karl.

[Whoa_Nelly]

17. ummm...WHO'S Policies??

Posted 8/26/2003 8:51 AM Updated 8/27/2003 6:38 AM

With nod toward WWII, Bush urges patience in Iraq

By Richard Benedetto, USA TODAY
ST. LOUIS — President Bush forcefully defended his Iraq policies Tuesday, amid a mounting death toll of U.S. troops in Iraq and growing demands that he solicit military help from more allies. "There will be no retreat" in the war on terrorism, he said.

<snip>
"The transition from dictatorship to democracy is a massive undertaking," the president said to thousands of cheering veterans at the 85th annual convention of the American Legion. "In the aftermath of World War II, that task took years, not months."

Though urging patience, Bush pointed to progress achieved in Iraq in a relatively short time: More than 8,200 tons of ammunition seized since May 1. Forty-two of the 55 most-wanted Iraqi leaders captured or killed, he said.

<snip>
The 34-minute speech, billed by the White House as a major policy address, was more like a pep talk. Bush's words seemed aimed more at reassuring the public and rebutting war opponents than at offering a change in tactics.

more...
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2003-08-26-bush-speech_x.htm

[BattyDem]

20. Isn't the president supposed to

question those policies BEFORE going to war?

[peacetalksforall]

21. Listen up - here is their strategy...

There is a huge operation for whom he is a front man - a puppet. If they sacrifice a couple of them in a pretense that they are cleansing their white house of the culprits - that leaves 99% still in place.

This cabal is the most exquisitely organized gigantic war machine that money can buy. It extends to our intelligence forces, our military forces, all the little secret governments, the religious right, the bankers, the international partners, and one of the most important ones - the media. Disallusionment of some?...line them up -who are they?

[fizzana]

22. Here's my take on this

Cheney & Rumsfelt are like the bad guys in a James Bond movie - they're both evil and insane. Carl Rove, on the other hand is equally evil but is both a lot smarter and inderstands some of the realities of politics.

I also think they know full well that the situation in Iraq is bad and is only likely to get worse if they stay on the current course. The military in Iraq are putting on a brave face and the generals are "officially" being very optimistic. At the same time they didn't become generals by being stupid and the reality on the ground is a lot more of the same unless they more than double the amount of troops in Iraq, something that isn't feasible.

If things are the same or worse in Iraq this time next year Rove knows full well that Bush is toast. To save his Presidency, they have to extracate themselves from Iraq and save face at the same time. If they have to make sacrificial lambs out of Rumsfelt and Wolvowitz they will. The one thing they cannot afford is for Bush to take the rap and lose in '04.

Rove will do whatever it takes to preserve the Presidency. Of this I have no doubt.

[Guaranteed]

23. Money? Manpower? No....

"Abroad, these officials said, it's clear that the United States needs more foreign money and manpower in Iraq. It's also clear that America isn't likely to get much of either without sharing at least some authority with the United Nations and agreeing to hand over power to Iraqis more quickly.

If this is ever going to be solved, the Iraqi people need some legitimate leadership that they can trust. THAT'S why the UN needs to be involved- to get some traction with the people.

[kathee]

25. Timely and Typical

they roll out this crap like the latest fall fashions.