Bush: If you don't like my Iraq plan, tell me yours

[zimv20]

AP (http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/01/13/Bush.Dems.radio.ap/index.html)


WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Bush on Saturday challenged lawmakers skeptical of his new Iraq plan to propose their own strategy for stopping the violence in Baghdad.

"To oppose everything while proposing nothing is irresponsible," Bush said.

In a pitch to lawmakers and the American people, Bush said the United States will keep the onus on the Iraqi government to take charge of security and reach a political reconciliation. Democrats and many Republicans oppose the Bush plan to send 21,500 more U.S. troops into Iraq.

"We have a new strategy with a new mission: Helping secure the population, especially in Baghdad," Bush said in his weekly radio address. "Our plan puts Iraqis in the lead."

(more)

seems the (white) house of cards is really collapsing now. i can't recall a president ever making such a lost, petulant statement. or ever appearing so non-presidential.

this is not what a leader sounds like.

and he's conveniently forgetting that he'd been handed a number of alternative ideas, both from the dems and the iraq study group.

[pseudobrit]

He's the decider, not the planner.

[Dont Hurt Me]

He has never listened to anyone except his little circle, Its why he went into Iraq in the first place. This man is so out of touch with the world, with what is right & wrong it makes me think he has never read the new Testament. Torture? Spying on us? removing Libertys? and now pretends to want to listen to someone? The solution to Iraq is Bidens plan, loose federation that splits the oil and 3 seperate states backed up by the U.N. (edit) but wait thats not in the Corporations interests is it?

[Queso]

Truly pathetic. At least our turd-for-brains sycophantic excuse for a leader is going this Spring. January 2009 can't come quickly enough.

[Dont Hurt Me]

Truly pathetic. At least our turd-for-brains sycophantic excuse for a leader is going this Spring. January 2009 can't come quickly enough.
I think your skipping a year, we got 2 more years of NeoConCorporationGreed based policy.

[Queso]

I think your skipping a year, we got 2 more years of NeoConCorporationGreed based policy.
I thought the person you elect in November gets sworn in the following January. Is that not right?

[zimv20]

I thought the person you elect in November gets sworn in the following January. Is that not right?
that's right. but you brits are a few hours ahead of us -- it's still 2006 here. :-)

[Dont Hurt Me]

Nov 2008 is election and the swearing starts in Jan.:D

[Thomas Veil]

Bush: If you don't like my Iraq plan, tell me yoursSure! Here it is:

[solvs]

and he's conveniently forgetting that he'd been handed a number of alternative ideas, both from the dems and the iraq study group.

Can't forget something you've never heard. Do you really think he listens to what the Dems say, or read what was in that report? He doesn't even listen to his own party. Or his Dad. Or the American people (http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-01-11-poll-iraq_x.htm).

He may be left with just Laura, and Barney supporting him, but I've seen the look on her face when he talks about it. And Barney's just a dog. But even he probably thinks this is a bad idea (http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/12/16/2006-white-house-barneycam-daily-show-recut/).

[Sedulous]

Of the ideas to stay, I thought relocating troops along the borders of Iraq seemed the most reasonable. Keeps the military out of the civil war and urban fighting and actually might reduce the supposed Iranian/Syrian activity.

While in my heart I would prefer an outright exit, my head thinks it would be a disaster.

[obeygiant]

While in my heart I would prefer an outright exit, my head thinks it would be a disaster.

I agree, while Iraq is FUBAR, just exiting with a wave good-bye would be worse. scaled withdrawl over 12 -18 month period would be better.

[Dont Hurt Me]

Of the ideas to stay, I thought relocating troops along the borders of Iraq seemed the most reasonable. Keeps the military out of the civil war and urban fighting and actually might reduce the supposed Iranian/Syrian activity.

While in my heart I would prefer an outright exit, my head thinks it would be a disaster.its a disaster now and securing the borders seems to be against George's thinking almost like why do you need to do that? Look at the U.S. borders still wide open just like Iraq's. Strange how they never figured out how important securing borders are. 4 years later and its like we are starting over again? Stupid is as Stupid does .

[Queso]

I agree, while Iraq is FUBAR, just exiting with a wave good-bye would be worse. scaled withdrawl over 12 -18 month period would be better.
We need to start replacing US/UK troops with Egyptian, Jordanian, Saudi etc. (friendly Arab states) and put all of our resources into funding and training the Iraqi army and police. But we have to train them in a neighbouring country so they're not in the firing line until they're fully able to protect themselves. Kuwait would be a good location thanks to the roads to it being in Shia hands rather than under the control of several different groups. Unfortunately getting the Kuwaitis to agree to it may be difficult, but I'm sure if there was enough consensus amongst the Arab League they could be persuaded.

[ReanimationLP]

Bush reminds me of Adolf Hitler during the last days of the war in Germany. Moving fictional forces around, while not paying any attention to what the situation really is, and being so out of touch with it all, but still trying to control it and win.

Unfortunately, the forces are quite real, and our soliders' lives are at stake.

[Compile 'em all]

We need to start replacing US/UK troops with Egyptian, Jordanian, Saudi etc. (friendly Arab states) and put all of our resources into funding and training the Iraqi army and police. But we have to train them in a neighbouring country so they're not in the firing line until they're fully able to protect themselves. Kuwait would be a good location thanks to the roads to it being in Shia hands rather than under the control of several different groups. Unfortunately getting the Kuwaitis to agree to it may be difficult, but I'm sure if there was enough consensus amongst the Arab League they could be persuaded.

This will never happen. It was the US's fault to attack Iraq in the first place and they have to figure a way out on their own. The Arab League and 99.9% of the world opposed the idea of going into Iraq years ago. Now that the US has created a mess (disaster is more appropriate) you want other countries (Arab or not) to go in to clean it?

[Queso]

This will never happen. It was the US's fault to attack Iraq in the first place and they have to figure a way out on their own. The Arab League and 99.9% of the world opposed the idea of going into Iraq years ago. Now that the US has created a mess (disaster is more appropriate) you want other countries (Arab or not) to go in to clean it?
They won't do it until Bush and Bliar are both out of office, but if the first act Bush's successor does is close Guantanamo the Arab nations will be far more willing and able to publicly support a solution. Even then, the deployments will effectively have to be paid for by US taxpayers with freebies being given to the other states involved. Also I expect serious pressure for a Palestinian solution.

[Thomas Veil]

Check this out:

The extra billion dollars of reconstruction aid in President Bush's Iraq plan won't go far in a country where electricity output still barely meets half the demand and oil production is falling short by almost a million barrels a day.

And a companion part of the plan, to expand U.S. aid teams scattered across Iraq, may falter because of a shortage of volunteers. Some say the Bush administration may have to start ordering civilian U.S. government employees into the war zone, as was done for Vietnam.Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/15/AR2007011500349.html) (My bold)

The article goes on to talk about the misuse or non-use of some of the money that's already been spent there, but for me the part about civilians really stood out.

[yg17]

Sure! Here it is:

Oooh, a cartoon. Awesome idea! That's something Bush's little brain might understand :D

[solvs]

We're all missing the point. We're screwed, they're screwed, Iraq is broken, and no matter what we do, nothing will fix it. Nothing will work. There's nothing left but to blame the people who got us into the mess, while all but ignoring the real threats.

Thanks again Bush administration!