White House Won't Say if Troops Sought

[sfecap]

White House Won't Say if Troops Sought
White House Refuses to Say Whether Bremer Asked President for More Troops for Iraq

The Associated Press


WASHINGTON Oct. 5, 2004 — The White House refused to say Tuesday whether the top U.S. civilian official in Iraq after Saddam Hussein's ouster had asked the president for more troops to deal with the rapid descent of postwar Iraq into chaos.

In remarks published Tuesday, the official, L. Paul Bremer, said he arrived in Iraq on May 6, 2003 to find "horrid" looting and a very unstable situation throwing new fuel onto the presidential campaign issue of whether the United States had sufficiently planned for the post-war situation in Iraq.

"We paid a big price for not stopping it because it established an atmosphere of lawlessness," Bremer said during an address to an insurance group in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. The group released a summary of his remarks in Washington.

"We never had enough troops on the ground," Bremer said, while insisting that he was "more convinced than ever that regime change was the right thing to do."

White House spokesman Scott McClellan refused to say whether Bremer had pleaded with Bush for more troops. "We never get into reading out all the conversations they had," McClellan said.

(more)

http://abcnews.go.com/wire/US/ap20041005_842.html

[Supersedeas]

1. Po' Scottie can't get into it--Rummi and Paul might after exiting woodshed

[The_Casual_Observer]

2. All the while jerry painted a very cheery picture of "good progress"

Why all of a sudden this? jerry is an ass, a politically motivated ass. jerry ought to go back to Baghdad, without the aid of his goons and bulletproof vest and claim his reward for all of his "good progress".

Fuck you bremer.

[wicket]

3. If he did not ask them for more troops, they'd be flogging him with it now

Which leads me to believe that he did and they can't deny it.

[montanacowboy]

4. I heard somewhere this am

that Bremer had indeed asked for more troops at a speech he gave (sorry can't remember where)and it was documented - the WH can't lie about that because the transcript of his speech was on TV

[sfecap]

6. Yes he did...

Here's one report:

Posted on Tue, Jul. 01, 2003

Bremer requests more troops as violence, tension escalate

By JONATHAN S. LANDAY and WARREN P. STROBEL

Knight Ridder Newspapers

WASHINGTON - The top American administrator in Iraq, confronting growing anti-U.S. anger and guerrilla-style attacks, is asking for more American troops and dozens of U.S. officials to help speed up the restoration of order and public services.

Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld was reviewing the request from L. Paul Bremer, U.S. officials said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

Bremer's request underscores how difficult it has been for his small civilian staff and some 158,000 U.S.-led troops to meet the demands of Iraqis for security and other basic needs. It also conflicts with upbeat public statements from President Bush, Rumsfeld and Bremer himself on the progress made on Iraq's political and economic reconstruction.

(more)

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/special_packages/iraq/6213247.htm?1c

[clydefrand]

5. Rummy, which is it? Flip-flop or just lying??

(Asked to describe the connection between the Iraqi leader and the al-Qaida terror network at an appearance Monday at the Council on Foreign Relations, the Pentagon chief first refused to answer, then said: "To my knowledge, I have not seen any strong, hard evidence that links the two."

Several hours after his appearance, Rumsfeld issued a statement from the Pentagon saying his comment "regrettably was misunderstood" by some. He said he has said since September 2002 that there were ties between Osama bin Laden's terror group and Iraq.)


Ties and links?? Same or not?

[Amigust]

8. His remark was quite straightforward and clear.

Nothing about it to be misunderstood.

Thinking on your feet and getting it right all the time is pretty near impossible. And when you're part of a gang who elevate lying to the level of idolotry, it's even harder to keep everything you say consistent.

Now and then you slip up and the truth just accidentally slips out of your mouth.

It's fun to watch him squirm.

[madrchsod]

7. "we never get into.............."

what the fuck does that mean? if i recall bremer did make statements pertaining to these problems after he was fired..the whitehouse has lied again but nothing will change the minds of the faithful

[Amigust]

9. "nothing will change the minds of the faithful"

because the faithful treasure the lie as an indispensible tool to get what they want

[DeepModem Mom]

10. kick

[wicket]

11. This needs a...

:kick: