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| Iraq-Jordan | |
| No timetable for Iraq withdrawal: Bush | |
| 2005-06-25 | |
WASHINGTON - President George W. Bush assured Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari on Friday âthereâs not going to be any timetableâ for withdrawal of American forces and vowed victory over insurgents attempting to prevent establishment of a democratic government. âThis is not the time to fall back,â al-Jaafari concurred at a joint news conference at the White House.
âIt does it bothers me. It bothers American citizens. It bothers Iraqis.â Bush said he would stay the course in Iraq despite public opinion polls showing dwindling support for his policy. He indicated his awareness of his domestic critics when a reporter began asking a question about whether he was concerned about a âslumpâin his support. âQuagmire?â the president suggested instead, employing a word that some Democrats in Congress have begun to use to describe the military presence in Iraq one year after the transfer of sovereignty. Al-Jaafari, seemed to recognize the domestic pressure on the president. âYou have given us more than money, you have given us your sons...this is more precious than any other support we have received,â he said. An Iraqi reporter asked the two men when reconstruction would begin in the war-torn country. Bush said he wasnât trying to âpass the buck,â but looked at al-Jaafari and said âtheyâre in charge,â meaning the Iraqis. | |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #9 Jan - you're thinking beyond the Dem rhetoric - there's hope for you, and I'll address you with respect for thinking beyond...every step is a plus Frank |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-06-25 21:03 |
| #8 Yes I agree that having bases in Iraq will help us keep tabs on Iran. Yes I know we shouldn't have a pull out date for the war. And yes I wish there was a better solution. Maybe it would help if we only allowed the military to be there to get the job done, rather than having the reporters and the engineers there rebuilding and reporting. I do enjoy the fast feedback and perspectives from this forum, thanks. I'd like to see the military calling the shots not having to deal with or react to the reports from the press. |
| Posted by: Jan 2005-06-25 20:59 |
| #7 I don't like any wars no, you'd rather just allow slaughter, rape and genocide without being bothered to help. |
| Posted by: 2b 2005-06-25 20:37 |
| #6 "I don't like any wars." Neither do any of the rest of us, I suspect. But we didn't choose this war, or start it: totalitarian Islamic fanatics began focusing on the United States over a quarter-century ago, and their attacks have been slowly gaining in ferocity until, on September 11, 2001 they finally went too far and we decided (at least, some of us decided) to do something about them and their vile ambitions. They are at war with us; I don't know how to put it any differently: THEY ARE AT WAR WITH US. They don't want us to be "nice" to them. They don't want us to be "sensitive to their needs". They don't want us to "respect their religion". They don't want us to treat Palestinians as equals of the people of Israel. They don't give a fat rat's ass about any of that: they want us to bow before their hateful deity, OR DIE. And they are convinced that that is EXACTLY what they can make us do, because in their experience we do not have the stomach for a long fight. And you are proving them right. |
| Posted by: Dave D. 2005-06-25 18:21 |
| #5 Jan, We've been in Germany, South Korea and Japan nigh onto 60 years. Why will you give Iraq only 5 or 10? Do you hate Islam? Are you anti-Arab? how do you deal with people like this You seem like you are intolerant of diverse cultures. W wants to do what it takes to bring the Midle East into the 21st century. No time li8mit, no schedule, just that goal. If you want to propose an alternative plan or schedule, please include what the alternative to having the Middle East in the 21st century is. I'm pretty sure it will be less attractive than this war. |
| Posted by: Mrs. Davis 2005-06-25 17:55 |
| #4 Yes I would like to see our soldiers brought home, as quickly and as safely as possible timetables do not help, in fact, they deliberately hinder as Kennedy, Leahy, Levin et al desire. They don't care about the fate of US servicemen, Iraqis who support democracy, Kurds, or teh future of our bases in the ME. Iraq will provide permanent bases to use against our enemies, and to ensure oil flow. The Dems would throw all that away to regain power, and for that, they should be condemned. Where do you stand on that, Jan? I think somewhere different than your party...Join the dark side ...of freedom and democracy in the ME, even if it helps W? |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-06-25 17:41 |
| #3 It's okay to be a Democrat Jan. Just don't drink the dregs. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2005-06-25 15:33 |
| #2 I don't like any wars. I do believe that we have the finest soldiers, and I support them 100% while they have to be there. I guess I try to see what differences there would be if we pulled out now verses in 5 or 10 years from now. I'd like to think that there would be peace, but these people have been fighting for years, I don't see any difference happening I'm sad to say. We just joined into their fighting, and no one has given me a convincing story otherwise. Alot of them are so under-educated and religious zealots they don't understand that we are trying to help them. Their culture is so different from ours, while I like diversity, it's hard to be on the same playing field with people who have different rules and/or different codes to live by if you will. They will kill their own people if it benefits a few to be broadcast on TV, yes, how do you deal with people like this. Treat them humanely? There is no such thing as an honest fight, yeah we "embarrass" them to get information to possibly save lives, but they cut off prisoners heads, what's up with this as to compare? We need to strengthen our borders and improve our security here on our homefront. We have people here in America illegally that may have dirty bombs, and not much is being done about it. Screeners at airports aren't American born, speaking poor english and screening little old ladies checking their shoes. Yes I would like to see our soldiers brought home, as quickly and as safely as possible. And yes I'm a Democrat. |
| Posted by: Jan 2005-06-25 15:18 |
| #1 Timetables are what the Dems pushed in Vietnam resulting in over 2mil deaths in SE asia after we left, not that the blood on their hands would cause them to pause. Where American soldiers boot tread; Germany, Japan, S.Korea we see democracy. We see it evolving in Afghanistan and Iraq. However, back in Vietnam there is no democracy. And that is what the misnamed Democratic Party supports. They believe in ruling, dictating, controling and thus identify with the concept of Peoples Democratic Republics [which are neither democratic nor republics]. Heck, having continuously lost seats in the House and Senate, let alone the White House, they still believe they should rule here. At least they're consistant. |
| Posted by: Glaick Whailet9991 2005-06-25 08:08 |