DNC - Bush's PR Tour: Distracting From Reality on the Ground (Iraq)

[MaineDem]

For Immediate Release

August 26, 2005

Contact: Karen Finney - 202-863-8148

BUSH'S PR TOUR: DISTRACTING FROM REALITY ON THE GROUND

Washington, DC - As President Bush has been forced to interrupt his vacation to
try once again to put the best possible light on the increasingly unpopular War
in Iraq, developments on the ground are proving difficult to spin. Without a
real post-war political plan, the Bush White House is presiding over a
constitutional process that is spinning out of control.


For example, after first noting that Sunni participation is key to an open
political future for the people of Iraq, Bush has reversed his position and is
now downplaying Sunni concerns after Sunni leaders rejected provisions in the
new constitution. The Presdident now argues that the Sunni are just "one voice"
in Iraq. The failure of a post-war political plan is becoming clearer every
day.

SUNNI PARTICIPATION IS KEY TO DEFEATING INSURGENCY

President Bush: Everybody Must Participate In The Writing Of The Constitution.
Bush told Al-Arabia, "n order for Iraq to achieve its ultimate objective,
which is a stable, free society, that everybody ought to be able to participate
in the writing of the constitution, that there needs to be respect for minority
rights* And it is an understanding that a free society is one which honors the
voices of all."

Secretary Rice Stressed Importance of Sunni Participation In Writing The
Constitution. When asked about Sunni participation in the government, Secretary
of State Rice spoke of how critical Sunni participation is, saying, "I went to
Iraq and I talked about the extreme importance of Sunni participation in all of
these processes, particularly in the writing of the constitution." Charlie Rose, 6/9/05]

Ambassador Khalilzad Stressed Importance of Sunni Participation. U.S.
Ambassador to Iraq, Zalmay Khalilzad said Sunni participation is critical,
saying, "it's very important that the Sunnis participate in the political
process. Without them participating, the insurgency will have a substantial
base of support. It will be harder to isolate and defeat them." Press, 8/14/05]

BUT SUNNI CONCERNS GROWING ALONG WITH THE FEAR OF CIVIL WAR

Sunni Leaders Reject The Constitution And Call For Iraqis To Stand In The Way
Of Sectarianism. Sunni leaders said they were determined to stand firm against
a document they argue would devolve too much power to the regions. "We reject
federalism in the central and southern regions, we reject it because it has no
basis other than sectarianism," said Adnan al-Dulaimi, head of the National
Conference for the Sunni People of Iraq. "Every Iraqi must stand in the way of
all those who want to deepen sectarianism in Iraq."

Sunni Negotiators Say The Iraqi Constitution Is Not Legitimate. Sunni
negotiator Kamal Hamdoun said top Shiite leaders did not even show up at a
meeting set for a few hours before midnight "so we decided to leave." "Our
decision is the same," Hamdoun said. "This constitution is not legitimate*We
call on all Iraqis to vote 'no' in the constitutional referendum." Press, 8/25/05]

AND SHIITE LEADERS DECIDE TO BYPASS SUNNI COUNTERPARTS

Shiite Leaders Ignore Sunni Concerns. "enior Shiite leaders said they had
decided to bypass their Sunni counterparts, as well as Iraqi lawmakers, and
send the document directly to Iraqi voters for their approval. The calls by
Shiite leaders to ignore the Sunnis' request for changes to the draft
constitution provoked threats from the Sunnis that they would urge their people
to reject the document when it goes before voters in a national referendum in
October."

DESPITE REALITIES IN IRAQ, BUSH IS DOWNPLAYING SUNNI CONCERNS

Bush Dismissed Sunni Concerns As Just "One Voice" And Said Sunnis Must Choose
Freedom Or Violence. "You know, you're speaking about one voice. There is more
than one Sunni involved in the process* I don't know if this is a negotiating
position by the fellow or not. I'm not on the ground, I didn't hear him* And
you talk about Sunnis rising up. I mean, the Sunnis have got to make a choice --
do they want to live in a society that's free, or do they want to live in
violence."


Rumsfeld Dismissed Sunni Concerns As Just Someone Trying To Be A "Dead-Ender."
"Well, Charlie, you casually say the Shi'a say this and the Sunnis say that. In
point of fact, there is no one person speaking for the Shi'a or the Sunni*You
can always find someone who's going to try to be a dead-ender and say if you
don't do this, I won't do that, but that's part of negotiation." Briefing, 8/23/05]

**********

Paid for and authorized by the Democratic National Committee, www.democrats.
org. This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's
committee.

[ChiciB1]

1. Basically... It's The Usual End Run Game!!

Up is Down and Down is Up, any idiot KNOWS that. And besides "that's what we said in the first place, you just got the wrong meaning"! When we said what we said, we didn't say it with THAT MEANING!!

FUZZ, FUZZ, BUZZ, BUZZ....ZZZZZZZZZZZ?? SNORT!