Aftermath Of Bush's Speech

[Annie]

http://www.buzzmachine.com/archives/2005_06_28.html#009962

Look beyond the headlines

: On tonight's Anderson Cooper 360, he urged us to "look beyond the headlines" and you will see that

"some things have improved on the ground in Iraq."​

Well, yes, considering that the headlines are all bad, you'd have to look beyond them. He hands over to CNN's Jennifer Eccleston for "that side of the story."


JENNIFER ECCLESTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT:

The big day has arrived for Piras Odisho and ---. Despite the daily disruptions to life in Baghdad, a rising number of young couples like them are taking the plunge.​

PIRAS ODISHO, GROOM (translator):

Life must go on. There must be marriages and happiness.​

ECCLESTON:

Marriages are up 30 percent since Saddam's overthrow and the judge signing their wedding contract thinks he knows why.​

GHANI AL-ISAA, JUDGE (translator):

There is an increase since the income of all sectors of Iraqi people has gone up.​

ECCLESTON:

Measuring Iraq's economic health is not an exact science, but those in work, like the 350 judges trained in the past two years, are better paid, thanks to U.S. subsidies.

The Iraqi dinar holds its value. Gone is the rampant inflation of the '90's. There are more goods in the shops, in part, thanks to low import duties and a thriving black market.

It's estimated that there's five times more traffic on Baghdad's roads than there was pre-war and then, there is, what some call, the freedom index. In January, nearly 60 percent of Iraqis voted, choosing from a wide variety of parties. The assembly they voted for is meeting and is beginning to frame a new constitution for Iraq and 25 Sunni delegates are participating.

Internet cafes, unknown under Saddam, have sprung up in Baghdad. There are more than three million telephone subscribers, compared to fewer than a million before the war and many of them are on cell phones. Some 170 independent newspapers and magazines offer competing opinions and there are 80 commercial radio stations.

Wealthier Iraqis have satellite dishes and watch channels from around the world, a luxury unthinkable three years ago. Much of the country away from the Sunni dominated north and west is not racked by sectarian violence and some 150,000 Iraqi security forces are trained, equipped, and playing a larger role in battling the insurgents.​

Well, bravo, at long last, major media concedes that the agenda it has set in Iraq -- of unrelenting doom -- has another side. But they can't leave it at that. She returns to say:

Now, despite the undeniable progress in Iraq, one year after the handover of sovereignty, the grinding violence, the lack of personal security, the hardships of day-to-day living, not enough power, not enough water, inadequate sanitation, this limits most Iraqis ability to believe their governments and American assertion that life is indeed improving...
​

Yes, we couldn't just balance months of dire coverage with a moment's good news without returning to the dire.

 

[Annie]

Some wonder whether Iraq is a central front in the war on terror. Among the terrorists, there is no debate. Hear the words of Osama Bin Laden: “This Third World War … is raging” in Iraq. “The whole world is watching this war.” He says it will end in “victory and glory or misery and humiliation.”

~ President Bush

 

[5stringJeff]

I only caught about 5 minutes. It was where Bush came out and destroyed the arguments for setting a timetable or wantonly throwing troops at Iraq. If the whole speech was like that, he kicked ass.

 

[Annie]

I only caught about 5 minutes. It was where Bush came out and destroyed the arguments for setting a timetable or wantonly throwing troops at Iraq. If the whole speech was like that, he kicked ass.

Seems to be, Jeff.

 

[Annie]

AKA Lori Byrd is happy:

http://polipundit.com/index.php?p=8617

Good tips get listened to:

http://polipundit.com/index.php?p=8592

Tuesday, June 28th, 2005
A Few Things The President Should Say Tonight

In President Bush’s Tuesday night speech, here in North Carolina at Fort Bragg, he needs to do several things.

1. Praise the troops and recognize their sacrifices. He does it all the time, so I have no doubt that he will do it again. If I were him I would begin and end my speech with a tribute to the courage of the men and women of the U.S. military and with a recognition of the sacrifices made by them and their families. I would be sure to include not only those who made the ultimate sacrifice, but also to recognize the huge sacrifices made by those who have been injured, and those who have suffered long deployments and lost precious time with their loved ones.

2. Praise the work being done in Iraq, Afghanistan and even in Guantanamo Bay. Explain to the average American watching in their living rooms that despite what they may have heard from the anti-Bush politicians and media (okay, I wouldn’t use those exact words) that our troops are performing exceptionally in extremely tough and hostile conditions. He should cite a few specific examples of the thousands of successes. As I said in an earlier post, Dick Durbin’s name and his statements will not pass the lips of President Bush, but they will be there, though unspoken.

3. List the major accomplishments that have been achieved in Iraq in an amazingly short time, beginning with the removal of Saddam Hussein to the Iraqi elections, and then briefly discuss the upcoming mileposts that will indicate further progess is being made.

4. Explain that war, by definition, is not pretty, or predictable, and that success is not always immediately recognized. (Post-war difficulties following World War II provide an excellent example of this.) State the truth that is certainly known by all who are paying attention, that he will not be led by opinion polls, but will continue to do what he believes is necessary to make the nation safer and to win the long-term war.

5. Make it clear that there will be no freakin’ timetable for withdrawal. Say it slowly and clearly, and take a few minutes to explain it so that even those people Leno interviews in his “Jay Walking” segments can understand what the consequences of a timetable would be. Include the common sense reason that should be clear to everyone (except rabid moonbats) that if you tell the terrorists when we plan to leave, then they will use that information to plan their course of action. He should also be sure to include the fact (which I never hear anyone discuss) that he has assured the Iraqi people time and time again that we will stay until the job is done, not a day longer or a day less than it takes. For us to go back on our word to the Iraqi people could do more to help insurgent recruitment than anything else.

6. Explain how important a free and democratic Iraq in the heart of the Middle East is to the war on terror.

7. Talk about how important it is for the morale of the troops to know that those at home support them. He might even name a few of the wonderful programs, such as Soldiers’ Angels, that make it easy for Americans back home to show their support for the troops and their families.

UPDATE: If President Bush decides to address the factually incorrect conventional wisdom that we went into Iraq under false pretenses, and that Iraq was a complete departure from the War on Terror, he might want to use a few of these examples.

UPDATE II: Mary Katharine Ham at Townhall.com let me know that this post was featured on CNN’s Inside Politics today. I missed it. If anyone has a link to the video, please post it in the comments section. Thanks.

UPDATE III: CNN transcript here in case anyone is interested. The segment referenced some “progressive” blogs on the subject as well.

UPDATE IV: Jeff Harrell wants me to add to my list of things for the President to say: “Dennis Kucinich, you’re an idiot.” It is kinda hard to argue with that one.
-- Lorie Byrd

 

[Annie]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050629...791V4wb.3QA;_ylu=X3oDMTA3OXIzMDMzBHNlYwM3MDM-

Nods of Agreement From Enlisted for Bush

By TIM WHITMIRE, Associated Press Writer1 hour, 38 minutes ago

For those Americans with the greatest stake in the outcome of the war in Iraq — the people fighting it — President Bush's call Tuesday to stay the course brought mostly sober nods of agreement.

On the first anniversary of the handover of sovereignty to the Iraqis, Bush spoke to an audience of 700 soldiers at a gymnasium at Fort Bragg, N.C., and a national television audience.

Recent polls have shown Americans increasingly dubious about the direction and human cost of the more than two-year-old war. Some politicians — even some in Bush's own Republican party — have called for a timetable for U.S. troops to return home. Well except for this: http://www.usmessageboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22258

Associated Press reporters in some of the states that have seen the highest number of deaths in Iraq in the year since sovereignty was returned to the Iraqi people spoke to soldiers, Marines and others about the president's message. Of course, AP was hoping for different results, but no luck tonight.

___

In Killeen, Texas, near Fort Hood, Sgt. Chuck Crawley watched the speech at Boston's Gourmet Pizza.

Crawley, 25 and a member of the 1st Cavalry Division, said America's job in Iraq is unfinished.

"They ain't liberated. If they were liberated we wouldn't still be there," said Crawley, of Charlotte, N.C. "They're not free."​

Crawley has already spent a year in Iraq, returning to the U.S. in March. He re-enlisted and has been told he'll be returning there later this summer.

Only when Iraq has a stable police force, Army and government will American troops be able to come home, he said.

"If we leave there will be a civil war within the country and more people will die that way," he said. "At least when we are there, we have control over it."
​

___

Some 2,500 miles from where Bush spoke to the troops, the president's photograph hung on a wall at Beachcomber Barbershop in Oceanside, Calif., while Marines from Camp Pendleton got their hair cut and listened to the speech.

Cpl. James Anderson, 22, applauded Bush's refusal to set a timetable.

"Like any Marine, you do the job until it's done. You don't just do it halfway and leave," said Anderson, a Houston native who said he is scheduled to leave for Iraq soon.​

Fellow Houston native Cpl. Chase Krebbs, 22, agreed.

"I'm a Marine. That's why I joined, to do this stuff, to serve and protect," Krebbs said.​

California-based troops have suffered more deaths than any other state over the last year, and the state also leads in deaths among troops who list their hometowns in California.

___

Even farther west, in Hawaii, the president's speech came at 2 p.m. on a sunny afternoon.

Lt. j.g. Ben Beebe of Alexandria, La., a Navy pilot and third generation serviceman, stopped by a Taco Bell in the seaside military town of Kailua with another sailor to grab some snacks.

The town is next to the Marine Corps Base Hawaii at Kaneohe Bay, which lost 26 Marines in a helicopter crash in Iraq in January and seven last October when a car bomb exploded outside Fallujah. Hawaii-based units have been among the hardest-hit over the last year.

Beebe said he and other soldiers are simply doing a job.

"You do the mission that we're trained to do," said Beebe who just returned from a six-month deployment in the Middle East and Afghanistan. "We never sit back and second guess what's going on."​

Dissenting was Candice Wells of Asheville, N.C., visiting her brother, Justin, a sergeant stationed at the Marine base.

"I think we have too many problems in America before we go messing in other people's business," she said.​

___

In Centreville, Ohio — a state among the top five in hometown casualties over the last year — the wife of Air Force Maj. Rick Webster said she hopes the president's appeal will shore up eroding support for the Iraq mission.

"To have my children have to hear, 'Oh well, we shouldn't be over there,' I think that's very degrading" to members of the military, Jennifer Webster said as she played with the couple's 5-month-old son and 2-year-old daughter.

Her husband was optimistic that troops will be coming home eventually — even as he wondered about the president's stated aim of eradicating global terrorism.

"To go through and say, 'Are we going to eradicate terrorism off the face of the earth?' is the same as saying, 'Are the good lord and the devil ever going to eliminate each other?'" Webster said.​

___

In the gymnasium at Fort Bragg, Staff Sgt. Daniel Metzdorf — who lost his right leg to an improvised explosive device while serving in Iraq in 2004 — was inspired by Bush's words. He was among the 700 soldiers who stood silently at attention when their comamnder-in-chief took the stage.

Metzdorf, 28, of Altamonte Springs, Fla., has rejoined the 82nd Airborne since losing his leg and said Bush delivered the right message:

"We're doing a great job over there, but the job is not over with."
​

___

Contributing to this story were AP Writers Angela Brown in Texas, Elliot Spagat in California, Tara Godvin in Hawaii, Nick Juliano in Ohio and Estes Thompson in North Carolina.

 

[Gabriella84]

Bush certainly has courage. It takes a strong leader to journey to one of the nation's largest military bases and promise the assembled troops that more of them were going to die. With no end in site.

 

[Avatar4321]

Bush certainly has courage. It takes a strong leader to journey to one of the nation's largest military bases and promise the assembled troops that more of them were going to die. With no end in site.

He isnt telling them they are going to die for their country. He is telling them to go make the other side die for his.

 

[Hobbit]

Bush certainly has courage. It takes a strong leader to journey to one of the nation's largest military bases and promise the assembled troops that more of them were going to die. With no end in site.

They're frickin' SOLDIERS!!! Have you ever actually met a soldier? Unless you catch somebody who joined assuming he would get a job and a free education without actually having to fight, you'll find that the soldiers you are so vehemently trying to "protect" would bust you up for the effort more likely than thank you. True soldiers, like my uncle, my grandfather, and several of my friends, are not really irritated that they have to risk their lives. That's what they signed up for and they're proud to do it. Now, like anybody else, they don't want to die, but they'd rather die than stand back and watch as somebody like Saddam kills countless others. The mentality of a soldier is sacrifice, determination, and defense of the weak and the innocent, and these speeches you make about not doing anything about anything with the military so you can "spare their lives" will be more likely to get you a black eye than a pat on the back.

 

[Gem]

You'd think, since Gabby is one of the 46% or so who voted for Kerry, and because of that believes that Bush doesn't have a "mandate" from the people...she would look to the numbers of military members who voted for Bush. I believe they were up close to 80%.

You may not believe that Bush has a mandate from the US as a whole, Gabby...but the vast majority of US military member support and believe in this President.

 

[Bullypulpit]

I thought it was a masterful performance. It was absolutely riveting, and when John Travolta stepped out of that plastic bubble I...Oh wait, this is about Dubbyuh's speech...isn't it?

Isn't it ironic that "Boy in a Bubble" was running opposite Dubbyuh's speech?

 

[Bullypulpit]

He isnt telling them they are going to die for their country. He is telling them to go make the other side die for his.

Uh yeah, right...whatever.

 

[Bullypulpit]

Kathi, dear lady, I do support the troops...I do not, however, support the C-in-C. His administration put our troops in harms way based upon a lie...His administration ignored the advice of his generals who stated 200 to 400 thousand troops would be needed to secure Iraq...His administration pointedly ignores the plans made by the State Department for a post-war Iraq...His administration failed to ensure our troops had adequate equipment for the job at hand...His adminstration tried to cut combat pay, death benefits and disability pay for those wounded and maimed in Iraq.

And you think HE supports the troops? They're nothing to him but props.

 

[Annie]

Kathi, dear lady, I do support the troops...I do not, however, support the C-in-C. His administration put our troops in harms way based upon a lie...His administration ignored the advice of his generals who stated 200 to 400 thousand troops would be needed to secure Iraq...His administration pointedly ignores the plans made by the State Department for a post-war Iraq...His administration failed to ensure our troops had adequate equipment for the job at hand...His adminstration tried to cut combat pay, death benefits and disability pay for those wounded and maimed in Iraq.

And you think HE supports the troops? They're nothing to him but props.

Bully my friend, it was not I that was saying all that, rather it was reported by AP. Go read the NY Times this morning, you'll find it more to your taste! They took Move On's position further. That should bring a chuckle to you.

 

[5stringJeff]

Bush certainly has courage. It takes a strong leader to journey to one of the nation's largest military bases and promise the assembled troops that more of them were going to die. With no end in site.

Good leaders make tough decisions. Bush's decision to stay the course in Iraq is a tough decision, but he has laid out his reasoning behind it.

 

[freeandfun1]

Bully, Gab, may I recommend that both of you watch the show on TLC called "Operation Homecoming". They profile soldiers returning from the war and getting to see their families for the first time in months. One thing you will notice is that just about EVERY soldier profiled says that they truly believe in what they are doing. One soldier on a show a couple of days ago had lost his leg and he still wanted to go back. Why? According to him, because it is an honour for him to fight for our country and that he truly believes that what America is doing in the ME is the right thing to do. He held an American flag and said to those watching, "for those of you that don't understand, let me tell you; we fight, we die and some of us come home maimed for THIS flag and we do it with pride and honour". You two could learn a little something from that soldier. But you both have your heads so far up your liberal asses living in a make believe land that you will NEVER understand.

 

[krisy]

I agree with Hobbit.

Last time I checked,no one in the military was asking Bully or Gabby,or any of the anti war crowd to stand up and whine for them. They know what their job is,and want to do it. The members of the military that joined since 9-11 especially knew what they were getting into and that there was a possibility they would be sent to war.Instead of trying to speak for them,why don't you all do something to help them out,by volunteering to help out with groups that send care packages?

I thought Bush's speech was great,and he meant what he said. At the end of his speech,when he got teary eyed,I was discussing with my husband what it must be like for him ,feeling that he is doing the right thing,and having a force as strong as the media working against him. I'm sure it weighs heavy on him the number of deaths we have had. I wonder what people will say about him years in the future when the Middle East as a whole is a free and democratic land.

 

[Gabriella84]

I totally support our troops. I do not support the idiots who are sending them off to die.

A lot of people are unable to make that distinction. American soliders are, for the most part, brave and loyal. They have taken an oath for their country and will follow orders, whatever they may be.
The problems I have are with the people who are giving orders.

 

[Annie]

I totally support our troops. I do not support the idiots who are sending them off to die.

A lot of people are unable to make that distinction. American soliders are, for the most part, brave and loyal. They have taken an oath for their country and will follow orders, whatever they may be.
The problems I have are with the people who are giving orders.

Gabby, this war or all wars? This administration or all?

 

[Avatar4321]

I totally support our troops. I do not support the idiots who are sending them off to die.

A lot of people are unable to make that distinction. American soliders are, for the most part, brave and loyal. They have taken an oath for their country and will follow orders, whatever they may be.
The problems I have are with the people who are giving orders.

Bosh. If you supported the troops you wouldnt be undermining everything they are trying to work for. If you supported the troops you wouldnt have voted for a man who voted to send them into harms way and then voted against giving them the funds they need to survive simply because he wanted to increase taxes. If you supported the troops you wouldnt accuse them of torture and all this hate america BS crap you've been spouting.

You cant support the troops and attack the nation and freedom they are fighting for. You can say it all you want but your actions speak louder than words.