Bush questioning hard-line Iraq policies

[Barrett808]

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. Rove also is worried about a potential schism between traditional Republican conservatives wary of spending huge sums in Iraq and neoconservatives who want to remake not only Iraq but also Iran, Syria and the Israeli-Palestinian relationship. Even some of Bush's strong support from military families appears to be ebbing, one official said, as overseas tours are extended and casualties mount.

"The election is still ours to lose," one senior official said. "What's new is that some people now see ways we could do that, even against this field of Democrats."

(more)

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/6821495.htm

[ixion]

1. even against this field of Democrats

against ANY democratic candidate, you creep. This has the distinct sound of spin, to me.

[sspiderjohn]

5. Clark has them scared. But what can they do -- the die is cast.

Any reasonable policy now is an admission of their initial error.

[kentuck]

13. What a joke !

Al Sharpton could beat this "f***-up" !

[diplomats]

18. One official is quoted as saying Bush's approval rating

is "not that worrisome," but the trend needs to be reversed. Obviously, it is "worrisome" then, or you wouldn't consider a change in course.

[diplomats]

17. I think it's a major admission for someone to say this:

"The election is still ours to lose," one senior official said. "What's new is that some people now see ways we could do that, even against this field of Democrats."

Maybe our candidates aren't McGoverns after all.

[grytpype]

2. Damage control.

Bush is distancing himself from his own policies now. We'll see if it works, I doubt it...

[NickDanger]

4. A little late to begin the questioning--people are dead

billions spent, and US prestige shot to hell. That's why you don't put a 'C'student in charge of the nation.

[T Bone]

19. So now he is saying the Focus Groups of last Feb 15 were correct

Well, isn't that nice of him. The murderous war-mongering fraud.

[MuseRider]

3. They had better

be concerned. People are waking up and if they actually make it all the way to a conscious state they will be out and in prison.

[xchrom]

6. bush can try to blame cheney

the media can try -- but this is the same guy, who asked by the pope to spare the life of one death row inmate, couldn't be bothered.
bush is a brutal, stupid, vicious man -- that he has been as popular as he has been says a great deal about americans and america.
iraq was bush's war as much or more as it was anyone elses.

[chookie]

7. Deja vu all over again

This seeming "switch" is pure Rove strategy. Bush always runs as a moderate, always steals the other guy's issues and pretends they're his own, with no intention other than discard them if/when he wins. Then, he gets in office -- through deception -- and governs as an extremist.

Anyone out there remember that the Bush who ran bears little resemblance to the guy in office, except that they are both dumb as shit and look like a chimp? Have a look back at his "record" as governor -- same thing.

I don't know about you guys, but I was waiting for the charade to begin.

This is aimed not at his core constituency (the barking mad religious wackos), or at Those Who Read the Newspaper and Know What He's Up To -- but at those people who are normally very casually interested in politics, who are now paying attention because the country is in the toilet economically with no end in sight, and our fellow Americans are dying in Iraq daily with no end in sight , that Mr Rove wishes to fool into believing that Glorious George is changing course.

I PITY the fool who falls for this bullshit! All we can do is keep getting the truth out, and expose this bastard for what he is.

What His Chimperial Highness possesses that allows him to survive is his skill as a poker player -- he is the Ultimate Bluffer. All it is going to take is to have a Real Man (or Woman) to force the bastard to show his hand -- and that will send him back to Crawford, or better yet, into exile or prison....

[Ilsa]

8. How can he possibly excuse himself from this?

What is he going to say?
"They made me do it?"
"I wasn't paying attention when I was reading that damn telepromter?"
"I overslept for the last two years, nine months?"
"I have no control over the people I hired to help me run the country?"

This country has got to hold that Shithead accountable.

[gratuitous]

11. Exactly

I thought Lil George was the last word in his corrupt administration. Don't tell me he isn't the man in his own White House??

[rocktivity]

9. HUH?

...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.

The new strategy is beginning to take form now. Bill Clinton, The Republican-Eating Boogie Man is back, complete with a plot to take over the world and hand it to Hillary. And now, here's Bush The Innocent Bystander, an innocent dupe who's been taken advantage of by his scheming advisors. He's questioning THEIR policies? Can't he tell that they aren't working? And doesn't he have the authority to CHANGE them?


rocknation

[Fovea]

10. George leads the 'party of personal responsibility'

Someone else is always personally responsible.

[cthrumatrix]

12. take him up on it...withdraw ll troops and give the oil back to the people

then let's have a hearing in court to determine how to prosecute all the deaths becuase of this admin.

[young_at_heart]

14. Is he questioning Cheney and Rumsfeld because he's changed his mind?

Whatever happened to "The Buck Stops Here". Since when does a president take orders from his vice-pres and a secretary?

[JPace]

15. There is a small sign on AWOLs desk.....

It says "The buck never stops here".

[Mari333]

16. TOO LATE shitforbrains

YER OUTTA HERE