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The White House Scales Back Talk of Iraq Progress »

Posted by: deathray 2 years, 6 months ago

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The Bush administration will not try to assess whether the troop increase in Iraq is producing signs of political progress or greater security until September, and many of Mr. Bush's top advisers now anticipate that any gains by then will be limited, according to senior administration officials.

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deathray

Hm...summarizing a life...Investment banker, sailor, unintentional gourmet cook. Ex US Naval officer, also Foreign Service. Split my time between NYC and Miami Beach ...

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deathray
April 28, 2007, 7:28 a.m.
As in so many other instances, the Bush Administration has set expectations for their Iraq policy and now has to back down from those.
If only the Administration had been up front with the American people from the beginning, and allowed us all to share in both the victories AND sacrifices. I suspect we would be more disposed to allowing the President to pursue his strategy. It's as though the Administrationj doesn't trust the American people to be supportive of the truth.
Now he has to pursue his strategy in spite of most Americans' desires. For such a media savvy Administration, this has been an abject failure.
No wonder they don't want to talk about progress. The Administration is in a bind here, even if the military surge tactic works, because the Iraqi government is clearly not vested in progress either. Maybe that's why military and diplomatic figures are now talking about replacing the democracy in Iraq with something more focused.
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Amazing1
April 28, 2007, 8:42 a.m.
This president (or what some call a president) has listened to no one regarding this occupation. No matter what he has stubbornly and blindy kept following the same plan. So come September, there will be some kind of blah-blah about how we have to give this a chance because the Parliament has been on a two month vacation and it probably won't be until after Ramadan before anything can be accomplished.
In the meantime, more American soldiers will die, more Iraqis will die, more debt will be added to what we already have and more people around the world will dispise us.
If we're going for Most Hated Nation Status, I guess that's a plus.
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deathray
April 28, 2007, 12:08 p.m.
LOL, Ed, you went OFF!
lovermanComment has been removed: User banned.
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jovial
April 28, 2007, 12:41 p.m.
Outstanding! You don't have to apologize for the rant. It's exactly what I've been thinking all along. I'm glad you finally came around to believing impeachment is justified.
Every week a new scandal, sometimes twice a week, in this administration. Sex, lying, incompetence, manipulation all the forte of this administration. We have got to do something about this guy. We can't afford some funny vote counting in 2008 ushering in a Bush clone into the presidency for the next 4 years. The connivings of this administration have to be exposed to all the world to see so that we can never, ever let this happen to our country again. Thanks Death, for another good post.
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Chiyonofuji
April 28, 2007, 11:12 a.m.
No surprises here. Depressing isn't it? I just hope Afghanistan doesn't fall off the radar screen. There is work that needs to be done there, that situation could be saved if we had just a fraction of the resources being squandered in Iraq.
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Obaku
April 28, 2007, 5:43 p.m.
And Scooter Libby.
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Dave59
April 28, 2007, 4:02 p.m.
What you say is very accurate Edin. Bush is simply a tool of others. This was my thought when he ran for president in the first election. I had to ask myself, where did the Republican party dig up this non-entity? Just because his dad was President before was my original thought.
Much of his administration has been fueled by an inferiority complex the size of the Grand Canyon and the child like behaviour of "nobody can mess with me".
Bush cannot stand to be told no. At this point he is so deep in the lies and deceptions of his Presidency that he can no longer keep them straight. Now he just changes the story and repeats it often and loudly so as to make it seem to be so.
What our UN-esteemed President apparently does not realize is that video and audio recordings show a very different version of events than the triumvirate of Bush/Cheney/Rove would have us believe.
The only people that still support this must have the same I can't be wrong so you must be mindset.
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dadesider
April 28, 2007, 11:18 a.m.
These knuckleheads are just biding time until '08 when they can unload this tub of crap and lead the life they have been dreaming of for the last 8 years.

Don't worry Georgie, someone will clean up your mess...
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longshort
April 28, 2007, 11:19 a.m.
Brilliant. So they now have a clue of some sort that Iraq is not all peaches and cream these days.
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bubba2
April 28, 2007, 1 p.m.
Good post DR!
Edinbug -- I hear ya!
People want to criticize Obama because "he doesn't have enuogh experience". Well, how much does it take??
W has never held down a 'real' job in his life - maybe you could count governor but like with his presidency it is really someone behind the scenes (Rove) that has 'run' things.
As I heard on the radio one time -- Bush could not even manage a baseball team and an oil company - an oil company! He grew up in Texas, and Texas is oil, and he still couldn't handle it. How pathetic is that/
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deathray
April 28, 2007, 5:31 p.m.
I thought that Stewart's statement to Moyers on this Administration's view of Presidential accountability to the American people was absolutely right on. They only believe they are accountable when they need to be elected, and their only moment of accountability is the election required to perpetuate power.
This Administration does not only have disdain for the Congress, but for the people they have been entrusted to govern.
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RASSRASS
April 28, 2007, 3:22 p.m.
Well they can publish their report in October after the troops come home. This is a technological era, we don't need their doctored report to know that Iraq is in as much disarray as it was before the so-call surge. Actually, by all accounts things have gotten worst, because they recently had a bombing in an area they considered safe (a green zone - now that's a safety code we have not seen in the US for quite some time. I said it before and I will say it again - a smart commander knows when to call for a retreat. Retreat does not spell defeat, but not retreating when it's your best possible oftion for saving your military is just inane.
TALK LESS, THINK MORE, DO MORE TO END THE MADNESS!
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Reignman
April 28, 2007, 4:50 p.m.
What I find amusing here is there is NO MENTION of how the Dumbocrats are not passing the supplemental bill for our troops to get the necessary supplies, ammo, etc.. No matter if you support Bush or the war, as a AMERICAN you should be supporting our troops, for Henry " Communist" Reid to embolden our enemies by publicly proclaiming we have LOST the war is inexcuseable...Even if we were loosing, WHICH WE ARENT.. Their is simply no excuse for such blatant ignorance, and he should step down.. Now as for the upcoming elections... Well you have Hillary Clinton, whom is mental and most democrats I know hate that woman with extreme passion, then you have the self admitted Crack head Obama who is not capable of running a 7 eleven yet alone anything else.. The only Democratic candidate you got that has any credability " Joe Liberman" he isnt running.... The others are just left wing whackos...
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maynuh
April 28, 2007, 4:52 p.m.
WOW! I am really inclined to agree with Edinbug. This is the best description on GW that I have ever seen. Nothing but a puppet. I never did feel that he could think for himself. He has trouble talking.
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Dave59
April 28, 2007, 4:55 p.m.
I have stated this before and will say it again. Just because I think it is important.
We did accomplish the original mission in Iraq. Saddam was removed and a new government elected. The failure of the operation there was not pulling back when the country devolved into civil war.
As poorly as the justification for this war was handled the objective was never the less carried out. Saddam was removed and a new government installed. It is my opinion that past that point we have no business telling the Iraqi people how to run their country.
Using assault troops as a police force is not only stupid but is a waste of dedicated young Americans lives. These men and women signed up to defend our country not fight a civil conflict that has no bearing on the actual safety of our nation.
It appears the only issue in doubt about the Iraq conflict is just how far will Bush go in proving he can't command a box full of GI Joe dolls let alone the Army and Marines.
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Obaku
April 28, 2007, 5:53 p.m.
Sun Tzu said: In the operations of war, where there are in the field 1000 swift chariots, as many heavy chariots, and 100,000 mail-clad soldiers,the expenditure at home and at the front, will reach the total of a thousand ounces of silver per day. Such is the cost of raising an army of 100,000 men.
When you engage in actual fighting, if victory is long in coming, then men's weapons will grow dull and their ardor will be damped. If you lay siege to a town, you will exhaust your strength.
If the campaign is protracted, the resources of the State will not be equal to the strain.
Now, other chieftains will spring up to take advantage of your extremity. Then no man, however wise, will be able to avert the consequences that must ensue.
Thus, though we have heard of stupid haste in war, cleverness has never been seen associated with long delays.
There is no instance of a country having benefited from prolonged warfare.
Sun-Tzu
The Art of War.
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contrast
April 28, 2007, 7:57 p.m.
they're vaporizing themselves at an alarming rate too...
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contrast
April 28, 2007, 7:56 p.m.
sending troops into a battle situation is tricky. It takes time to decide if the right call was made. Personally I dont think this was the right answer to the baghdad situation. But I will give it more time before criticizing it. There is much bleeding in war and no band aid quick fix can stop that bleeding just keep that in mind...everyone.
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Reignman
April 28, 2007, 8:08 p.m.
The sad reality is that its our troops that suffer!!! I will repeat myself, it doesnt matter if you hate Bush, hate the war.. Thats irrelevant... Our troops are now suffering without the tools they need... How would you feel if it was your BUTT over there getting shot at. What is even more disgusting is that on account of idiocy illustated by Henry " I hate our troops and America" Reid, publicly stating the war is lost.. Now all the Iraqis have given up ALL HOPE and now most certainly will not stand up and fight for their country... Good job Dumbos... I love your plan... Perhaps during the Democratic primaries just wave the WHITE FLAGS PROUDLY as you support your Candidates during there speeches!!!!
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NelsonR
April 28, 2007, 8:19 p.m.
As long as Bush can find a general (Petraeos) to advocate a chance for victory in an unwinnable war, war will continue.
I look back into our history as Vietnam, same thing. General Westmoreland gave a rosy picture of the status quo but it was a lying illusion to perpetuate the manufacturers of war commodities that led the charge for America. It was wrong then and the repeat of things in Iraq is wrong also.
I feel no sympathy for General Petraeos, he accepted the assignment and now refutes those in America who speak the truth. He advocates no dissent, I say dissent. He deserves no respect from me and I'm sure it doesn't bother him. He perpetuates death for those Americans soldiers that will die to continue lunacy. No, I am not a sooth sayer but I tell you this, this war is not winnable and our leaders now in office are similar to Petraeos, dillusional and power hungry to promote an agenda of world power and the enrichment of the one percent of Americans.
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Natureboy
April 28, 2007, 10:15 p.m.
"Life is WORSE under Islam!"
Not your call to make. The basic concept of democracy is that a people have the right to select their own government.
Want a vote as to whether Iraq is islamic? Move there!
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FrankieT
April 29, 2007, 10:13 p.m.
L.T.F. and so do you! Much larger ones, too. and what, pray tell, is your definition of absolute victory???? Please enlighten us.
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ETproductions
April 29, 2007, 1:27 a.m.
Surprise of surprises. Bush fails yet again. Overall attacks are up. US troop deaths are up. "Stay the Course on Steroids" is producing VERY predictable results. Bush will TRY to spin all this in a positive way. He continues to believe that what you SAY controls reality, instead of the other way around. But the fact is that the situation will continue to slide deeper into chaos, and that we are now more a part of the PROBLEM in Iraq than the SOLUTION.
It is past time to begin a phased withdrawal.