by Mark Silva
“I wish I didn't have to talk about war,’’ President Bush said today in Nashville. “No president wants to be a war president. But when confronted with the realities of the world, I have made the decision that now is the time to confront, now is the time to deal with this enemy, and now is the time to spread freedom as the great alternative to the ideology they adhere to. ‘’
Bush will be talking about war a lot in the month ahead, with the fifth anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq arriving next week and with Gen. David Petraeus ready to deliver a new war progress report to Congress in early April.
And, as he weighs the future pace of troop drawdowns after this summer, the president insisted today, “The politics of 2008 is not going to enter into my calculation. It is the peace of the years to come that will enter into my calculation. ‘’
Bush, a born-again Christian, faced a national assembly of religious broadcasters at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center.
“We have something else in common; each of us has had doors opened to us by the same man,’’ the president told his audience. “He led the way for America's religious broadcasters. He brought the Gospel to millions, and many years ago he helped me change my life. And today this good man is recovering from surgery in North Carolina -- and please join me in sending our love and prayers to Billy Graham. A lot of Americans love Billy Graham, and I'm one.’’
The war against terrorism “is the calling of our time,’’ the president said. “Generations are often called into action for the defense of liberty, and this is such a time. Since 9/11, we're on the offense...
"My most important duty, and the most important duty of those of us who serve you in government, is to protect the innocent from attack,'' Bush told the broadcasters today. "And so we're on the offense. My view is, is that if we press the enemy, if we bring them to justice, if we defeat them overseas, we won't have to face them here -- is the best strategy to protect America in the short term.
“Seven years ago, Afghanistan was a haven for America's enemies,’’ he said. “Under the protection of the Taliban, the September 11th -- 9/11 hijackers trained and plotted.
“The camps used by the terrorists have been dismantled,’’ he said. “The Taliban was removed from power. And then we took on a task that we knew would be as difficult, but as essential, for keeping our enemies from regaining power, and that is we offered to help the Afghan people replace tyranny with freedom. We did the short-term job of denying safe haven.
“But we did something else. We said, we want to help you live lives based upon liberty. And it was a daunting task, when you really put it in perspective. The Afghan people had little experience with democracy. It's a foreign concept…
“But we had better aspirations for the people of Afghanistan,’’ Bush said. “We set our sights high, because we believe in the universality of freedom. We trusted in the power of freedom to transform the country, a certain trust that has to go with basic principles in life….
“ A free society is emerging, and the fundamental question facing the United States of America and our friends and allies is, is it worth it and necessary? ‘’ he asked. “I believe it is necessary, and I strongly believe it's worth it. Afghanistan has got a lot of challenges. They got to overcome corruption, they got to fight narcotics trafficking, and they got to strengthen the government at all levels. They face a vicious and brutal enemy that is determined to regain power and deny the people of Afghanistan their freedom. …
“In a few weeks, I'm going to attend the NATO summit in Bucharest,’’ the president said. “I'm going to thank our allies for standing with the people, the brave people of this young democracy. I will remind them that we're not only in a mission to protect our own security; we're on a humanitarian mission that will free young girls to be able to realize their dreams….
“The other front in this ideological struggle is Iraq,’’ he said. “And just as we did in Afghanistan, we removed a lethal threat to our national security. The decision to remove Saddam Hussein was the right decision early in my presidency; it is the right decision at this point in my presidency; and it will forever be the right decision…
“Despite the divisions and challenges, I believed, as did many in my administration, that freedom has the power to transform this country; that freedom has the power to provide hope after despair,’’ he said. “And so we reached out to the population and the Iraqi people responded. Together, Shia, Kurds and an increasing number of Sunnis joined America to advance a bold vision, and that is to build a lasting democracy in the heart of the Middle East….
“ I wish I didn't have to talk about war,’’ he said. “No president wants to be a war pPresident. But when confronted with the realities of the world, I have made the decision that now is the time to confront, now is the time to deal with this enemy, and now is the time to spread freedom as the great alternative to the ideology they adhere to…
“ Just over a year ago, things were not going well in Iraq. Terrorists and extremists were succeeding in their efforts to plunge Iraq into chaos. American peace and security required us to defeat this enemy, just as I said. So my administration reviewed our strategy, and changed course with victory in mind. I sent reenforcements into Iraq in a dramatic policy that's now being called "the surge…
“ Next month, Gen. Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker will return to Washington to report on the progress in Iraq and offer their recommendations,’’ he said. “And I will carefully consider their recommendations. I can report this to you, though, that since the surge began, sectarian killings are down; al Qaeda has been driven from many strongholds it once held. I strongly believe the surge is working, and so do the Iraqis.
“ And as a return on our success -- in other words, as we get more successful, troops are able to come home. They're not coming home based upon defeat, or based upon opinion polls, or based upon focus groups, or based upon politics. They're coming home because we're successful. And the pace of that withdrawal has been determined, and then the commanders will take a further assessment. But I want to assure you, just like I assure military families and the troops: The politics of 2008 is not going to enter into my calculation. It is the peace of the years to come that will enter into my calculation. ‘’





Comments
"BUSH SPEAKS"
I STILL HEAR THE VOICES AND THE VOICES SAYS LET'S TALK ABOUT SEX BABY.
Lets not talk about WAR baby, Lets talk about SEX.
Lets not talk about "WIRETAPPING" lets talk about sex.
Lets not talk about Re NZI, Re NZI, lets talk about sex.
Lets not talk about "Ascroft on the Hill" lets talk about sex.
Lets not talk about THE ECONOMY BABY, LETS TALK ABOUT SEX.
Lets not talk about $5.00 Gas Baby, lets talk about sex.
Lets not talk about the War Baby, Lets not talk about the War baby, lets talk about Sex.
Lets not talk about VICKI ISEMAN, Baby lets talk about SPITZER.
Lets not talk about all the things that matter baby, LETS TALK ABOUT SEX.
Repeat after me. I HEAR THE VOICES, LETS TALK ABOUT SEX BABY, JUST YOU AND ME.
Posted by: Roger Morris | March 11, 2008 2:38 PM
cue a predictable flurry of Bush haters. At least you can't say he's not consistent in his approach.
Posted by: Steve S | March 11, 2008 2:39 PM
I don't know how Bush sleeps at night knowing that he alone screwed up the stabilization of Iraq after the initial conflict. So many thousands of people died because he did not listen to the generals on the ground when they requested more troops. Keeping Rumsfeld in place for two years for what appears to be political reasons is unbelievable. I can only assume that he has no conscience.
Posted by: pd | March 11, 2008 2:43 PM
pd actually makes a reasonable case. Bush didn't listen very well after the initial, authorized, intelligence-justified invasion. That really caused a lot of unnecessary loss of life. Now we have to make it right and finish the job.
Posted by: Steve S | March 11, 2008 3:02 PM
And 81% of Americans wish you never started this war, you arrogant little twit!
Posted by: BC | March 11, 2008 3:09 PM
"Bush: 'I wish I didn't have to talk about war"
Yeah W, it must be tough to actually have to talk about all of your screw-ups.
I can only hope that all of the members of BushCo live the rest of their lives in shame and be shunned by the American citizens that they sold out for $$$:
Speaking of being dumber than a bag of rocks, John McInsane actually believes that it would be a good idea to run his campaign on the "brilliant idea" that electing him would be like giving Bush a third term.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nqtL-P8kzo
How about those poor suckers at SMU who are building W's "library"? BwaHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rev_bri/4666666/
Posted by: John E | March 11, 2008 3:11 PM
cue a predictable flurry of Bush haters. At least you can't say he's not consistent in his approach.
Posted by: Steve S | March 11, 2008 2:39 PM
Little Stevie,
Unlike chickenhawk Wingnuts like you, most of us here aren't going to praise a dictator wannabe (Bush) who is personally responsible for thousands of innocent people dying.
Posted by: John E | March 11, 2008 3:16 PM
Wow, what a load.
Bush says:
“I wish I didn't have to talk about war,’’ President Bush said today in Nashville. “No president wants to be a war president. But when confronted with the realities of the world, I have made the decision that now is the time to confront, now is the time to deal with this enemy, and now is the time to spread freedom as the great alternative to the ideology they adhere to."
Well Bush, there was never any reason to go into Iraq. Never! You wanted to go into Iraq on your first day in office and Cheney and the rest of the neocon imperialist halfwits did too. Your pleas to the contrary now are just as phony as all of your assertions in 2001 and 2002 that the decision to go to war had not yet been made.
Maybe if some of these neocon right wingers hadn't dodged the draft when it was their turn to fight they would understand what war is and not glorify it like it is some noble vista out of a John Wayne movie.
Posted by: nisleib | March 11, 2008 3:22 PM
After the Feith revelations regarding the lies and failures of his administration,I bet he doesn't want to talk about the war.
Posted by: Raving Loon | March 11, 2008 3:23 PM
pd actually makes a reasonable case. Bush didn't listen very well after the initial, authorized, intelligence-justified invasion. That really caused a lot of unnecessary loss of life. Now we have to make it right and finish the job.
Posted by: Steve S | March 11, 2008 3:02 PM
Steve: In common usage, a person who says "we" includes himself. However, "we" know that you did not and do not plan to do anything, yourself to "finish the job" in Iraq. Your involvement will continue to consist of mindless support for a cause you can't define, followed by a demand for tax cuts.
Just thought "we" needed to make that clear, lest anybody confuse "you" for a person of integrity.
It's no surprise you're such a big Bush suppporter. You two have much in common.
Posted by: a blinkin | March 11, 2008 3:29 PM
All you Bush haters listen up, no person wants to go to war! I believe that to the depths of my soul. And if any of you think for one moment that all we have to do is remove all our troops out of the region in order restore peace, than I want some of what ever it is that your smoking. Here's something for you Dems to chew on do you really think with Hillary's experience that she's going to make everything right in the world? And how about Obama, he has no experience what so ever.We know where that got us the last time,his name is Jimmy Carter. No thank you.
Posted by: Paul Jaeger | March 11, 2008 3:30 PM
Guess Georgie didn't see the news about 8 of our soldiers dying in the past 24 hours.
Well, Georgie, guess what?? In less than a year, you won't have to talk about the war anymore. You've left this mess for President Obama to clean up.
Posted by: BobHusseininATL | March 11, 2008 3:37 PM
Bush= Hitler of the 21st century.. oh wait i take that back he's just a puppet of the machine.
Posted by: Frank | March 11, 2008 3:39 PM
“No president wants to be a war president. But when confronted with the realities of the world, I have made the decision that now is the time to confront, now is the time to deal with this enemy, and now is the time to spread freedom as the great alternative to the ideology they adhere to."
No the US goes to war because our country is in danger NOT because the neocons wanted to spread democracy to a country that didn't want it.
Posted by: dogjudge | March 11, 2008 3:41 PM
Bush: 'I wish I didn't have to talk about war'
Then don't get us into needless wars. We wish we didn't have you as our President, ever! Resign already.
Posted by: Tim | March 11, 2008 3:43 PM
So it has pretty much been adopted by many of those who still deny reality that the "decrease in violence" is the proof that the ill fated escalation worked. And it is also evident that John W. McCain has been a chief proponent and certainly the main beneficiary of this absolutely over simplistic and erroneous line of thinking.
But, buried in the hullabaloo of the latest Democrat to be in the cross hairs (due in large part to his own actions), as well as the obsession over the Clinton/Obama tit-for-tat is some news from Iraq that really does not bode well. I offer a bit of analysis, but more in the way of information as to the situation on the ground.
Let’s start with a a new estimate that pegs the cost of this ongoing debacle at $12 BILLION per month in 2008. A conservative estimate by the CBO pegs the cost for Iraq alone at $1 trillion - $1.2 trillion by 2017. I’ll also note that John W. McSame has no intention of getting the troops out of Iraq – rather he is very much in favor of "more wars" (with what troops, popular support and money, I have no idea).
Another trend in Iraq is the continued violence that, despite the ongoing violence and the fact that US troop deaths have been at the same daily rate since January 1, 2005 apparently doesn’t exist according to the "surge believers" like John "four more wars" McSame. Iraqi security force and civilian deaths are on pace for the largest number of deaths since last August.
Oh, but this is a mere blip, right? After all, it is a violent area, except for the fact that there is the general thought that there is no more real violence. Well, not so fast.
I take this with a grain of salt, but there is now a warning that al Qaeda is spreading in Iraq, and may be planning larger scale attacks in the country. And who would have thought that when we armed the Sunni insurgents to fight against al Qaeda that they wouldn’t do the job for us? Of course, when you only know how to outsource the hunt for al Qaeda (among pretty much everything else), you don’t always get the results you were hoping for.
But there is always hope, right?
Well, when you have an ultra-fortified Green Zone and a partitioned off city like Baghdad, there is more than just hope. Sectarian cleansing led to a reduction in violence as there were no more Sunnis or Shiites to kill in certain areas, and at least the increased troop level in Baghdad would lead to less violence there, even if the whack a mole approach led to increased violence elsewhere.
Except for the minor issue of major violence in Baghdad lately. In what was the deadliest day so far this year for US troops, 8 troops and 14 others were killed, with more injured in multiple attacks in Baghdad. This followed a wave of attacks a few days ago where close to 70 people were killed in attacks in the very safe city of Baghdad.
But it isn’t just Baghdad either. A bus hit a roadside bomb in southern Iraq, and this was just one of a number of bombings and blasts that killed another 30 people. As for the targets – not just US troops or Iraqi security forces – they also targeted militias and civilians, a police station, a hotel, a busy traffic intersection and near a mosque and a hospital. No biggie and just another day at the office for someone like John W. McCain, who would be ok with this for another 100 years.
There were over 700 deaths in February, which is close to a third more than January. Already, March is on pace for over 900 deaths. Obviously, the key here is that the invasion was wrong, the prosecution of the invasion and occupation was wrong, the theory behind the invasion and occupation was wrong, and even the excuses and metrics used to measure "success" are flat out wrong.
Things are NOT getting better. There was one measure that was latched onto that "proved" success, and even that is a total fallacy. This is an occupation that John W. McBush wants to continue indefinitely. He is dishonest about the facts on the ground. He is dishonest with his rhetoric. He is out of step with reality. And since the press loves him and his BBQ, someone has to report the truth and smack this country back to reality.
It’s a damn good thing that there was a major link between Saddam and al Qaeda. Oh wait, even the Pentagon has said there was no link.
Posted by: clammyc | March 11, 2008 3:47 PM
I did not vote for W either time
this is what I wrote today in a post for the Guardian newspaper
that somes up my feelings and thoughts about both Iraq and Afganistan:
The problem with the Europeans is that charity for them
is a half hour television show
that they can turn off at anytime.
It's funny how the Euros complain about Africa
just about everyday,
but yet they do not have the will power
to help the poorest country on the face of our planet.
i.e. Afghanistan.
It takes a very special person to secure school kids
so they can go to school.
It takes a very special person to fight politikal ignorance
that stems from a barrow of a gun.
If the Europeans can not willing stick to one charitable cause
how are they going to help Africa?
This is a fight for the good people in Afghanistan,
a fight for clean water, a fight for police and judges,
a fight for civility.
We can't do this by ourselves and we need the good people of Europe
to hang in there with US for
the poorest of the poor.
"What you do to the least of my brothers,
there you do unto me." - J.C.
Posted by: Steve Real | March 11, 2008 3:47 PM
Smirks, smiles, posturing and 4000 dead! 40,000 maimed and he going to tap dance some more, God I'm glad I'm a republican! not to mention I love $108 per barrel of oil. 4 years ago it was $36
a barrel, now that's what I call progress!
Posted by: bill | March 11, 2008 3:48 PM
Steve S. There could be a case made that the Iraq invasion was in the US long term interests. Though if you look at British history, creating stability in the region would be difficult with the best of plans. Bush put himself in a bad position by massing our troops at the Iraq border and giving Saddam an ultimatum. When Saddam said he would not step down, Bush had to attack. Otherwise it was political suicide. This was not a war we had to fight at that point in time. Regan or the elder Bush would not have gotten us in this war.
Posted by: pd | March 11, 2008 3:53 PM
bush is a fraud. he stole the election, invaded iraq for oil, desacrated the constitution, is in the process of eliminating the middleclass, i could go on forever. next invasion is iran and venezuela for oil. he should be sent to a gas chamber.
Posted by: Frank | March 11, 2008 3:54 PM
The right schedule of events for Bush:
Impeachment
Removal from Office
Criminal Prosecution
Imprisonment
Posted by: Tom in California | March 11, 2008 3:56 PM
worst president ever!
Posted by: Frank | March 11, 2008 4:01 PM
"I don't know how Bush sleeps at night knowing that he alone screwed up the stabilization of Iraq after the initial conflict."
I asked this same quetion at the onset and I was told the undead do not sleep.
Posted by: Anonymous | March 11, 2008 4:11 PM
Frank... you're a spaz. who let you how of the home??
As for the rest of you, I have every right to support our troops in their hard, perilous work and not suit up myself for battle. That is the choice I made and my freedom that any rational soldier would support. I'm done with this rediculous argument because it only detracts from the point that our troops deserve support in the challenging effort our legitimate president and congress have set forth. I know you can't get over that, but its time to move on, kids. I hate war, but we're in it, so I support the effort and those taking part in it. I wasn't a football player either, but I still supported and cheered on the team just as much as anybody else. Thats obviously of greatly lesser significance, but it parallels just fine.
I think my partner was right about a lot of you. While I work for a living and occasionally check in here, you all seem to have way too much time on your hands and are probably sitting in your mother's basement, blogging, eating cheetos, with more than just "time" on your hands. Talk about chicken hawks! I think I keep coming back here cause its kind of like a car accident... maimed freaks lying everywhere bleeding from the fingertips.
Posted by: Steve S | March 11, 2008 4:23 PM
A vote for McNut would continue the madness.
When Bush was begging for a second term,he always used the term "I'm a War President".
Now he's just the "Worst" President.
Posted by: Raving Loon | March 11, 2008 4:36 PM
"W" stands for WORST EVER!!
Nixon must be rolling over in his grave thinking why he got impeached when this guy can get away with even taking a baseball bat to the constitution.
Posted by: Catch88 | March 11, 2008 5:05 PM
Idiot!
Posted by: Rick/Sneads Ferry, NC | March 11, 2008 5:12 PM
Talk about chicken hawks! I think I keep coming back here cause its kind of like a car accident... maimed freaks lying everywhere bleeding from the fingertips.
Posted by: Steve S | March 11, 2008 4:23 PM
Keep shaking those warmongering pom poms, chickenhawk Stevie.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zuk0at_nKmo&feature=related
Oh, and Stevie, are you wearing your flag pin today? and don't forget to go outside and see if your yellow "support the troops" bumper magnet is still on your gas guzzling SUV, the weather has been nasty and it might have fallen off, we wouldn't want to look un-patriotic, right?
Posted by: John Hussein E | March 11, 2008 5:15 PM
Why doesn't he resign then? He can go off the Paraguay and we never have to hear from him again.
Posted by: Cheryl | March 11, 2008 5:29 PM
Steve S,
I can respect your "cheerleading," as you put it for your team, but did it cross your mind that the troops themselves would be significantly safer HERE than they are THERE? This ersatz-patriotism seems misplaced. If you could confidentially ask the troops if they'd rather be home with their families or 3,000 miles away in the desert, you might change your mind about what "supporting the troops" means.
It is also necessary to understand that the current economic malaise, that some economists are predicting to be the worst downturn since the early 80's, is directly connected to the exravagant expenditures of blood and treasure in Mesopotamia.
Are the leaders of this country REALLY so daft as to not see that the big, unnecessary, expensive Iraq War is literally bleeding the country dry? That the dollar would fall when other nations are financing our unrepentant orgy of deficit spending was INEVITABLE. That inflation would explode in the face of extravagant tax cuts, coupled with cheap credit, the predictably falling dollar which would lead to high oil prices on account of oil being traded in increasingly worthless dollars, and a big, expensive war was INEVITABLE.
What the Bush Administration has attempted with their "economic policy" borders on criminal. This is the ONLY time in American history the taxes have been CONTINUALLY cut in a time of war. It is simply appalling and the height of cowardice that this Administration has no qualms about waging war after war and just "putting it on the tab." You know, OUR CHILDREN'S TAB.
Posted by: Jones | March 11, 2008 5:55 PM
Steve, grow up. The majority of Americans - indeed, the thinking inhabitants of planet Earth, see Bush and his war for what it is. Most of us support our troops. Many of us are doing things like sending them body armor because this administration won't even see to it that they have decent drinking water and standard protective gear. Why? To save money. It has always been about money. They have no concern for the lives that are being lost needlessly. We care enough about the troops enough to want them out of a dangerous, unjust, unnecessary war that is bankrupting this country while a few super rich people rake in the profits. Plenty of video made by our TROOPS exists on You Tube and Live Leak and shows just how much Bush and Dick care. Unless you are in the top 1% or a brainwashed fundy, I just don't understand how you could still support those monsters. I find it interesting that you refer to the posters who disagree with you as "maimed freaks" who don't work. I personally think those who support attacking and occupying a country that did not attack us first are the freaks. And judging from your number of posts, you seem to have a lot of time on your hands...
Posted by: Jen | March 11, 2008 6:03 PM
Bush, the Fed, Wall Street, CEO's have engaged in unabated corruption at all levels of American society and economy. We need to jail these people now!
Posted by: Anonymous | March 11, 2008 6:19 PM
spread democracy through a barrel of a gun, what genius! haha
P.S. Steve S. you brainswashed tool! you have no clue whatsoever ahahaha
question authority! stop being like sheep!
Posted by: Frank | March 11, 2008 6:51 PM
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1656880303867390173&q=freedom+to+fascism&total=1488&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0
Posted by: wake up america! | March 11, 2008 6:55 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcD57zxPb1k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25yhygUkecE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCM_wQy4YVg
Posted by: wake up america! | March 11, 2008 7:00 PM
steve s you got owned by Jen! ahahaha
Posted by: Frank | March 11, 2008 7:51 PM
All you Bush haters listen up, no person wants to go to war! I believe that to the depths of my soul.
Posted by: Paul Jaeger
-
Then your soul must be pretty shallow, and your knowledge of history must be non-existent. There have been many conquerers and would-be emperors who just loved starting wars to gain resources, land, and women. Bush and Cheney invaded Iran for OIL.
Genghis Kahn
Caesar
Napoleon
Hitler
Just a few who wanted war. You can add GW to the list.
Posted by: Bruce Y | March 11, 2008 8:49 PM
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=46907§ionid=351020104
Posted by: Freedom | March 11, 2008 11:01 PM
What a jackass. Iraq was, and always will be, the wrong stinkin' country, period:
www.asecondlookatthesaudis.com
Posted by: Bill in Chicago | March 12, 2008 11:28 AM
I'm sorry to have to say this, but I remember Mr Bush, several years ago bragging in these very words, "I'm the war president"... has there been a change of heart???
Posted by: DALE B | March 13, 2008 2:07 PM
United we stand. Divided we fall.
Posted by: Greg | March 13, 2008 2:18 PM
Bush is typical of the right wing. Arrogant, stupid and self righteous.
"The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt." -Bertrand Russell.
Posted by: Bronco | March 13, 2008 2:21 PM
I have finally come to the conclusion that most bushies like the president himself are living in a state of denial. The man is a chronic liar, or is delusioned, he said back in 2003-04 that the war is going well, victory is at hand, and we all know whats happening. Now Mr. Denial is saying the economy is sound and all you have to do is look around. All I can say is that Bush and Co are the biggest incompetants to come down the pike, and thankfully these people were not in charge during WW2, else we may still be fighting that one.
Posted by: Todd | March 13, 2008 2:21 PM
I am agree with the views of Mr. Bush but if it is on honestly humanitarian mission.
Posted by: Didar | March 13, 2008 2:29 PM
When are Bush supporters/apologists going to sober up and see him along with his blind enablers in Congress for the cancer to America's wellbeing that they really represent?
Posted by: Bob25 | March 13, 2008 2:51 PM