Bush’s Speech Comments
Bush says:
Tonight in Iraq, the Armed Forces of the United States are engaged in a struggle that will determine the direction of the global war on terror — and our safety here at home.
Petraeus says he doesn’t know if we are safer.
Bush says:
The situation in Iraq is unacceptable to the American people — and it is unacceptable to me. Our troops in Iraq have fought bravely. They have done everything we have asked them to do. Where mistakes have been made, the responsibility rests with me.
No shit, Homer!
Bush says:
It is clear that we need to change our strategy in Iraq.
And you will change the strategy when?
Bush says:
The violence in Iraq — particularly in Baghdad — overwhelmed the political gains the Iraqis had made.
Past tense? Let’s see here: 4 million Iraqis have been displaced due to sectarian violence. Entire neighborhoods ethnically cleansed and those that aren’t live in fear of the knock at the door.
Bush says:
This violence is splitting Baghdad into sectarian enclaves and shaking the confidence of all Iraqis. Only the Iraqis can end the sectarian violence and secure their people. And their government has put forward an aggressive plan to do it.
Really, talk to the 4 million displace Iraqis and the sectarian cleansed neighborhoods. Will this aggressive Iraqi plan put those neighborhoods back together again?
Bush says:
Our past efforts to secure Baghdad failed for two principal reasons: There were not enough Iraqi and American troops to secure neighborhoods that had been cleared of terrorists and insurgents, and there were too many restrictions on the troops we did have.
Really? All this time we were told we were winning. All this time we were told we were making progess. Where is the Iraqi government in all of this? Conspicuously absent.
Bush says:
The Iraqi government will appoint a military commander and two deputy commanders for their capital. The Iraqi government will deploy Iraqi Army and National Police brigades across Baghdad’s nine districts. When these forces are fully deployed, there will be 18 Iraqi Army and National Police brigades committed to this effort — along with local police. These Iraqi forces will operate from local police stations — conducting patrols, setting up checkpoints, and going door-to-door to gain the trust of Baghdad residents.
The Iraqi government can’t even pass a major piece of legislation for its own people and they are going to do this?
Bush says:
Many listening tonight will ask why this effort will succeed when previous operations to secure Baghdad did not.
What? Bush finally read a letter or an email from one of his citizens? Wow, what a revelation that he’s just figured out we may be questioning the ability of the Iraqi government to actually govern.
Bush says:
.We will use America’s full diplomatic resources to rally support for Iraq from nations throughout the Middle East. Countries like Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, and the Gulf States need to understand that an American defeat in Iraq would create a new sanctuary for extremists — and a strategic threat to their survival
So we haven’t been using our “full” diplomatic resources in the Middle East. This must be one of those mistakes Bush was talking about earlier.
Bush says:
From Afghanistan to Lebanon to the Palestinian Territories, millions of ordinary people are sick of the violence and want a future of peace and opportunity for their children. And they are looking at Iraq. They want to know: Will America withdraw and yield the future of that country to the extremists — or will we stand with the Iraqis who have made the choice for freedom?
Are these same people wondering why the Iraqi government stand with the Iraqis who have made the choice for freedom. Americans are wondering as well. Hmmmmm.... (that’s me wondering).
Oh and this is the best line of the night by far:
Bush says:
Victory will not look like the ones our fathers and grandfathers achieved.
I don’t think victory will look like the one Bush, Cheney, Wolfowitz, and Rummy thought they had achieved either. So please President Bush, it is your version of victory that you are now changing and continue to change.
With that I leave you all to comment.
Carrick
robert108
gilbyguy
Anarchist Vegetarian
ellinas
Move_Zig
Texan Across the Pond