Bush backs away from opened-ended pause

[maddezmom]

Source: UPI

CRAWFORD, Texas, April 11 (UPI) -- U.S. President George Bush said Friday a timetable for withdrawing troops from Iraq is not open-ended, ABC News reported.

"Sometimes people read what they want to in the president's words," Bush said in an exclusive interview with ABC. "My statement was, in essence, this: If Gen. (David) Petraeus needs 45 days, he'll have 45 days."

In a speech on Iraq Thursday, Bush said Petraeus could "have all the time he needs" to evaluate and assess troop levels in Iraq. The current drawdown ends in July, after which Petraeus recommended -- and Bush endorsed -- a 45-day period of "consolidation and evaluation" followed by an assessment of the situation to determine when reductions could resume.

War critics, including both Democratic presidential contenders Sens. Barack Obama of Illinois and Hillary Clinton of New York, interpreted Bush's statement to mean the Republican president would not be drawing down forces in Iraq anytime soon.


Read more: http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Top_News/2008/04/11/bush_backs_away_from_opened-ended_pause/2929/

[Igel]

1. This is news?

They keep saying the same thing breathlessly, as though it were some revelation.

Even heard one presidential candidate refer to it, a month or two ago, as a "permanent pause" in troop withdrawals. He managed to get headlines.

[annabanana]

2. President obeys General

General obeys President

round & round

[Th1onein]

3. See how proud he is to be president?

"Sometimes people read what they want to in the president's words."

I think that he will, one day, regret that he is a part of this country's history. Most of America and the rest of the world already does.

[japple]

4. I can't believe this headline isn't from The Onion. n/t

[gratuitous]

5. Who's the commander guy around here?

Looks like George is kind of, you know, flip-flopping. But since it's only lives at stake, it will unnoticed by the major media. What really needs some discussion is whether or not poorer Americans are bitter about the last seven years. Let's have a round table of multi-millionaires explain to us all their in-depth experience in being poor, and how tough they have it on $5 million a year.

[Doctor_J]

6. Is this fucker on vacation again?

When was the last time he worked?

[lunatica]

7. It's Petraeus' fault. nt