NYT: Bush Hails a 'Turning Point' in Iraq

[DeepModem Mom]

Bush Hails a 'Turning Point' in Iraq
By JOHN O'NEIL
Published: May 1, 2006


President Bush talked to reproters after a meeting today with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, and Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joints Chiefs of Staff.

President Bush today called the formation of a new Iraqi government "a turning point," after hearing from Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld about their weekend meeting with that country's prime minister designate.

Mr. Bush cautioned that "there's going to be more tough days ahead," but he said that "it's important for the American people to know that we've got partners in this effort who are dedicated to a unified Iraq."

The president said that Ms. Rice and Mr. Rumsfeld had gone to Baghdad over the weekend "to sit down with these new folks and say, 'You have our support and we want you to succeed.' "

Mr. Bush spoke outside the Oval Office after a briefing that included Ms. Rice and Mr. Rumsfeld and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Peter Pace.

He said that the cabinet secretaries had reported that the new leaders "were optimistic people, that they're full of energy and they're very eager to succeed."...

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/01/washington/01cnd-bush.html?hp&ex=1146542400&en=006c1bd2775fc414&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[Jack Rabbit]

1. !!

:boring:

[ixion]

2. turning point, blah blah blah, rounded the corner blah blah blah

:puke:

[bullimiami]

3. mission accomplished?

BWAHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAA!

oh bushie, you kill me.

[tabasco]

12. Quagmire accomplished !

Mr. Traitor already stated it would be somebody else's problem getting us out of this shit!

:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

[bklyncowgirl]

They have seen a light at the end of the tunnel. nt

[wakeme2008]

4. This is turning point 2239044499944444224444422222 + 1

ZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

[adigal]

8. ROFL!!!! I think you might be one or two

turning points shy of an accurate count; can you count them again????

[Sub Atomic]

5. I'd like to know how many millions of dollars this little trip cost us.

The president said that Ms. Rice and Mr. Rumsfeld had gone to Baghdad over the weekend "to sit down with these new folks and say, 'You have our support and we want you to succeed.' "


How many fu(king folksy talks do we have, as taxpayers, have to finance?

[Oversea Visitor]

6. Yes SIR message receive SIR

Ok new turning point
Aaaah Tough days ahead

Aaaaa
Turning point for worse SIR
Partner SIR

Who SIR
Oh the Iraqies SIR
Ok who we shoot then?

[uppityperson]

7. blah blah blah

"The president said that Ms. Rice and Mr. Rumsfeld had gone to Baghdad over the weekend "to sit down with these new folks and say, 'You have our support and we want you to succeed.' ""

Good thing, otherwise they would have always wondered.

[Joe for Clark]

9. So his girls are going on the next boat, right??"

I - got some PREMIUM swamp land in Florida for sale...

Joe

[cliss]

10. The look on their faces tells the whole story.

Take a good look. Look at the grim truth etched in their faces. Rumsfailed is trying to look happy; he just can't seem to do it. Bush almost looks like he's pleading, with his hand up in a begging position.

The two most honest faces: General Pace and CondaLiar Rice. They're both looking off in the distance, trying to figure out how they can get out of this.

[cassiepriam]

26. Bingo. If this is good news, why do they look like they are at a funeral?

[FightingIrish]

11. When you're going in circles they're all turning points

[mom cat]

13. LOL. Good one!

[Blackthorn]

14. Circles don't have points...

It seems like one big downward spiral, each bend brings more of the same.

[AndyTiedye]

15. This Kind of Turning Point

[heartofthesiskiyou]

16. It's not yogert, it's butter

[libodem]

17. the turning point

between all out civil war vs dividing the country into 3 sections. What a fruitless quandary. Compare that to the feeling our United States demonstrated when the south wanted to secede from the country. A house divided against itself can not stand. We have ruined Iraq for Republican GREED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Anywho6]

18. Turning point my ass

Turning right into another pile of steaming shit. That prick should be prosecuted and dealt with accordingly. I'm so sick of all of this I could scream.

[rodeodance]

19. Bush voices confidence in new Iraqi leaders ( defends prewar planning)

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/12577894/

Bush voices confidence in new Iraqi leaders
Also acknowledges ‘tough days ahead’; defends prewar planning

Updated: 11:33 a.m. ET May 1, 2006

WASHINGTON - President Bush said Monday that a report from his two top foreign policy officials on their visit to Baghdad shows that Iraq’s leadership is “more determined than ever to succeed” now that a new permanent government is in place.

“We believe we’ve got partners to help the Iraqi people realize their dreams,” Bush said outside the Oval Office after meeting with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld. “They need to know that we stand with them.”

But Bush said that Rice and Rumsfeld didn’t come back from their surprise joint visit to Iraq last week with all good news.


“There’s going to be more tough days ahead,” the president said, with Rice and Rumsfeld at his side. “It’s a government that understands they’ve got serious challenges ahead of them.”

[rodeodance]

20. more---Powell questions planning

.....Powell questions planning
The White House on Sunday defended its prewar planning against criticism from an unlikely source — former Secretary of State Colin Powell.

In an interview broadcast Sunday in London, Powell revisited the question of whether the U.S. had a large enough force to oust Saddam Hussein and then secure the peace.

Powell said he advised now-retired Gen. Tommy Franks, who developed and executed the 2003 Iraq invasion plan, and Rumsfeld “before the president that I was not sure we had enough troops. The case was made, it was listened to, it was considered. ... A judgment was made by those responsible that the troop strength was adequate.”

Rice, who was Bush’s national security adviser at the time of the invasion, responded, “I don’t remember specifically what Secretary Powell may be referring to, but I’m quite certain that there were lots of discussions about how best to fulfill the mission that we went into Iraq.

[cliss]

22. There's the issue:

Powell.

This weekend, Powell started to throw grenades in the direction of Washington. While Rice thought she was in the clear, there was Powell forcing her to address the issue of too few troops.

That's why they're appearing now to defend this point.

This is an easy one for Powell: they can't defend themselves on this issue. They're on the defensive. And I'm sure they're furious at Powell.

[gratuitous]

21. Suggestion: Bush doesn't get to say other people understand something

That's all. Just that whenever Bush says he understands something, I'm pretty doubtful. When he goes beyond that to tell us what other people or the American people "understand," I don't think he knows in the least what other people understand.

Just cut it out, you ersatz cowboy. Just shut up, Mr. Bush. That's all.

[Seabiscuit]

23. Two years ago he said we'd "turned the corner" in Iraq. Therefore

by today's statement that we've "reached" the "turning point", he's admitting that we've been moving backwards for the past 2 years. 2 years ago we were past the turning point. Now we're just reaching it again.

Friggin' idiot.

Next they'll tell us they've killed the #2 man in Al Queda for the 24th time.

[brooklynite]

24. You know, if we keep "reaching a turning point"...

...and keep turning, we end up traveling in a circle.

[Spazito]

25. I think I found what all their turning points look like!

They really have boxed themselves in, lol.

[0007]

27. Yawn.....Oh hum, what else can he say?

I don't think Rumfeld believe this one.

[rustydog]

28. hey y'all this is GREAT! only 2400 muricans killed! wow it

could be worse!
Sheeitt, we're doin' a heck of a job!

[Amonester]

34. And many more to come ('round the forever round turning point.)

[spanone]

29. The hail you say, George. The delusional one

Now we should all shut up, go home and be good little citizens.:sarcasm:

[yellowcanine]

30. Does George have to stand between Rummy and Condi to keep them from

sniping at each other?

[Amonester]

36. Herr Rumsfailed sure look$ like he'd love to $%$/* her there - n/t

[yellowcanine]

31. "We haff turned ze corner and gone into ze tunnel. When ve see

ze light at ze end of ze tunnel ve know ve are almost there."

[WhiteTara]

32. turning point straight down

to deepest regions of hell.

CHIMPEACH BUSH AND SEND THEM ALL TO THE HAGUE

[winston61]

33. sometimes the light at the end of the tunnel

is the train coming toward you.

[VegasWolf]

35. Bush, "Iraq has turned another one of those kerners!" nt

[SOS]

37. Yup

Mr. B had been whistling down Quagmire Ave. He just turned right onto Sectarian Blvd., which unbeknownst to Mr. B is a dead end.
Too bad he didn't bother to read the map before he began his not-so-excellent adventure.
And we know he's too manly to ask directions.

[DrZeeLit]

38. Dizzy from all the turning, look at their faces. They reallllllllly

believe him, don't they?
Sure.

(I can't believe the words "turning point" could even pass his lips at this point... amazing)