Bush Insists Iraq Coalition Not Crumbling

[spinbaby]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush (news - web sites) insisted on Wednesday the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq (news - web sites) was not crumbling and he shrugged off Italy's decision to begin pulling troops from Iraq by September.

"Quite to the contrary," Bush said when asked if the coalition was falling apart. "I think the coalition has been buoyed by the courage of the Iraqi people."

Nearly two years after the Iraq war began, Bush hailed the first meeting of Iraq's national assembly as a "bright moment" and said Iraq's elections, a potential Syrian pullout from Lebanon, and Israel and the Palestinians talking peace could produce change elsewhere in the Middle East.

"I believe those examples will serve as examples for others over time," he told a White House news conference. "And that will lead to more peace, and that's what we want."

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20050316/pl_nm/mideast_bush_dc

[PROGRESSIVE1]

1. I pray for it to collapse.

get us out of Iraq NOW!

[booksenkatz]

2. And horseshit smells like lilies. See how easy it is? Woo-hoo! nt

[BlueEyedSon]

3. Bush insists sky is not blue. Says Up is Down, Black is White.

Lies are truth and slavery is freedom.

[The Backlash Cometh]

4. How depressing. The fact that the coalition is crumbling is the only

good news today. Well, it would be good news if I weren't so convinced that Bush has imperial aims to conquer the world and many will die in the course of reaaching his ambitions.

[MichiganVote]

5. It's melting! It's melting! Ahhhhhhhh....

[DoveTurnedHawk]

6. So Stop Saying That! (eom)

DTH

[8misyears]

7. Of course,

he is saying that. He never makes mistakes or could possibly do anything wrong. Ass.

[justjones]

8. Crumbling? It already crumbled, if it ever existed at all. n/t

[HockeyMom]

9. Kool Aide

Obviously, the rest of the world refuses to the drink the Kool Aide, as our CONGRESS has done.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

10. "Fiddle dee dee" declared

Nero as Rome burned, "tomorrow's another day and everything will be allright"

[The_Casual_Observer]

11. "bright moment" "buoyed"

"And that will lead to more peace"

He really is that stupid, isn't he.

[redqueen]

12. And he insists we're 'about to turn the corner', too.

Does he really think his insistences matter at all?

[guitar man]

13. No

...the coalition is NOT crumbling. It is stronger than ever I tell you!

[Blackthorn]

14. Hehehe...

nice one.

[karlrschneider]

15. Begala showed a list of those who have bugged out, 19 I think it was.

:eyes:

[UCLA Dem]

self delete

[UCLA Dem]

16. i wonder what he's going to say when Britain eventually has had enough

[gratuitous]

17. Then why doesn't his website list the coalition anymore?

It used to be that the White House website had a page listing the glorious democratic coalition of the willing democratic countries democratically dedicated to bringing democracy to Iraq (or some such nonsense). But that list has long disappeared off their website, subsumed by some internet black hole.

[dbt]

18. How can you tell the coalition is crumbling?

"bu$hler Insists Iraq Coalition Not Crumbling"

[gademocrat7]

19. he is not of sound mind

he must be impeached.

[louis-t]

20. Didn't you hear?

"Their work is done there." Adirect quote from an unnamed * mouthpiece.

[solinvictus]

21. Here's the Chimperor's newest PR man to spin the war

"">

"There is no collapse of the coalition. The Coalition is stronger than ever and, God willing, will triumph over the Iranian, err, I mean Iraqi foreign insurgency. Don't forget Poland, peace be unto them, for they are an important ally in this crusade"

[goodboy]

22. he also insisted Iraq had WMD's, links to Al Qida, and bought uranium.,

his insistence means nothing.

[acmavm]

23. What was Babs taking when she was pregnant with this nut? Or for that

matter any of her brood. There's something seriously wrong with that family.

[TankLV]

26. Alcohol. Alcohol Fetal Syndrom has as one of it's components a failure

on the part of the person resulting from this abuse during birth to develope any sence of complex thought processes - such as that one's actions have consequencenses on others.

A complete lack of understanding of right and wrong, or, a complete lack of understanding of "if I did this to another person, how would I like the same thing done to me".

It's one of the classic symptoms.

The whole family is comprised of convicted drunks.

[uppityperson]

24. Don't forget Poland

How are we ever supposed to win if you keep bashing our friends and supporters? Everything is fine. Trust me. The coalition has been buoyed by the courage of the Iraqi people. Now, if we could get those courageous Iraqi people to quit attacking us and welcome us with flowers, we could go home.

[dutchdoctor]

29. "home" being one of the 14 permanent military bases in Iraq? n/t

[LynnTheDem]

25. bush insists "there is NO DOUBT"..."we have darn good intell!"

bush always insists his lies are facts. They never are.

[this_side_up]

27. Could not find article on-line, so

Sidebar on March 16 newspaper article:

US about 150,000
Britain 8,000
South Korea 3,600*
Italy 3,000*
Poland 1,700*
Ukraine 1,500*
Netherlands 1,250*
Georgia 850
Romania 800
Japan 550*
Denmark 530*
Bulgaria 460*
El Salvador 380*
Australia 300 (to add 450)
Mongolia 173
Azerbaijan 150
Latvia 120*
Lithuania 120*
Slovakia 107
NATO 100
Czech Rep 90*
Albania 71
Armenia 49
Estonia 45*
Macedonia 34
Kazakhstan 27

* current mission to end in 2005

Partial Pullouts:
Ukraine 137 March 15
Still has 1,500

Poland 700 February
Still has 1,700

Netherlands 150 in February
Most of remaining 1,250 to be out by April 30

Norway 150 July 2004
Still has 16

Withdrew troops:
Moldova 12, Feb 11, 2005
Portugal 127, Feb 10, 2005
Tonga 44, Dec 17, 2004
Hungary 300, Dec 20
New Zealand 60, Sept 15
Thailand 423, Sept 9
Philippines 51, July 19
Honduras 370, May 12
Dominican Republic 302, May 4
Spain 1,300 May 4
Singapore 160, April 4
Nicaragua 115, Feb 4


Frankly, I am surprised the entire world has not
shut off our oil.

[opihimoimoi]

28. ll the Kings Men and All the Kings Horses could not put the Coalition

together again.....

[Up2Late]

30. Bush Insists Iraq Coalition Not Crumbling (Reuters)

(He's rapidly loosing touch with reality)

Wed Mar 16, 2005 11:44 PM ET

By Steve Holland

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush insisted on Wednesday the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq was not crumbling and he shrugged off Italy's decision to begin pulling troops from Iraq by September.

"Quite to the contrary," Bush said when asked if the coalition was falling apart. "I think the coalition has been buoyed by the courage of the Iraqi people."

Nearly two years after the Iraq war began, Bush hailed the first meeting of Iraq's national assembly as a "bright moment" and said Iraq's elections, a potential Syrian pullout from Lebanon, and Israel and the Palestinians talking peace could produce change elsewhere in the Middle East.

"I believe those examples will serve as examples for others over time," he told a White House news conference. "And that will lead to more peace, and that's what we want."

(more at link)

<http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=7927199&src=rss/politicsNews>

[Azathoth]

31. This kind of reminds me of Baghdad Bob insisting there were no US troops

anywhere near Baghdad, as a US military Abrams was rolling around behind him.

[DulceDecorum]

39. We Love the Iraqi Information Minister

http://www.welovetheiraqiinformationminister.com/

[Randi_Listener]

32. Delusional motherfucker.

He's smoking hog shit in a glass bong with that prattle.

[sasquatch]

33. I thought the Coalition list was scraped after the election!

[The_Casual_Observer]

34. Coalition of the Bogus.

"Quite to the contrary," No thanks george, save it for somebody else you hasn't listened to your bullshit before.

[Colorado Blue]

35. WHAT coalition? Am I missing something here? Oh well. nt

[nolabels]

36. Hey Shruby, just wait till Tony get's ousted and the Brits pull out !

Say good night Dick :hi:

[pinniped]

37. This POS shurugged off everything his whole life, what's a few countries?

Let me guess, the fact that countries are leaving is a sign that the "coalition of the idiots" is growing more strong. Sorry sack of shit.

[this_side_up]

38. The coalition, per newspaper article

Sidebar on March 16 newspaper article:

US about 150,000
Britain 8,000
South Korea 3,600*
Italy 3,000*
Poland 1,700*
Ukraine 1,500*
Netherlands 1,250*
Georgia 850
Romania 800
Japan 550*
Denmark 530*
Bulgaria 460*
El Salvador 380*
Australia 300 (to add 450)
Mongolia 173
Azerbaijan 150
Latvia 120*
Lithuania 120*
Slovakia 107
NATO 100
Czech Rep 90*
Albania 71
Armenia 49
Estonia 45*
Macedonia 34
Kazakhstan 27

* current mission to end in 2005

Partial Pullouts:
Ukraine 137 March 15
Still has 1,500

Poland 700 February
Still has 1,700

Netherlands 150 in February
Most of remaining 1,250 to be out by April 30

Norway 150 July 2004
Still has 16

Withdrew troops:
Moldova 12, Feb 11, 2005
Portugal 127, Feb 10, 2005
Tonga 44, Dec 17, 2004
Hungary 300, Dec 20
New Zealand 60, Sept 15
Thailand 423, Sept 9
Philippines 51, July 19
Honduras 370, May 12
Dominican Republic 302, May 4
Spain 1,300 May 4
Singapore 160, April 4
Nicaragua 115, Feb 4

[rodeodance]

40. The Brits are filling the gaps left by the 'un' willing leaving.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1439360,00.html

Bush denies that Italian withdrawal will weaken the coalition

Ewen MacAskill, Richard Norton-Taylor, and Michael Howard in Baghdad
Thursday March 17, 2005
The Guardian

George Bush denied that his "coalition of the willing" in Iraq was crumbling after the Italian prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, phoned him yesterday to discuss his planned withdrawal of Italy's 3,000 service personnel.

The Italians are based in Nassiriya, part of the British-run sector. The British force has already had to put 650 personnel into a gap left by the withdrawal of soldiers from the Netherlands.

President Bush told a press conference that the US had no timetable for withdrawal.

"Countries will be willing - anxious - to get out when Iraqis have got the capacity to defend themselves," he said......

[rodeodance]

41. thanks for the side bar info.

[MADem]

42. He insists that women do not serve in combat, either

http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=27779

...The 25-year-old officer from Cody, Wyo., already has a Bronze Star Medal on her résumé for valor under fire during an ambush in northwest Baghdad last August. Just days later, she helped repel an insurgent attack on the Al-Shoula Iraqi Police Station, which brought an additional commendation.

“We joke around all the time and say there are no women in combat,” she said. “That’s all right, though. We know what we do.”

Vasquez, a platoon leader for the Hanau, Germany-based unit that functions in Iraq under the 2nd Brigade Combat Team of the 10th Mountain Division, is among several women who fill vital roles within the company as it patrols Baghdad. It might not be classified as combat, but for the last 11 months, women certainly worked on the front lines.

“They say it’s an asymmetrical battlefield,” said Capt. Kevin Hanrahan, of Whitman, Mass., the 127th Military Police Company commander. “Women are not supposed to be in combat. The fact of the matter is they are in combat.”

[Up2Late]

51. I don't know if you listen to NPR, but they have been doing a...

bunch of stories on the recovering wounded. Last week, they did a great story on three very brave, severely wounded, (but recovering) Women.

I posted here about it, but didn't very many responses. If you haven't heard them, I recommend them.

These links take to the NPR Page, then click the red and white "Listen" button.

Wounded in War: The Women Serving in Iraq

Health Care Gap Cited for Guard, Reserve

Big Strides in High-Tech Limbs for War Amputees

An Amputee's Long Walk Back to Flight Duty

Caring for the Wounded: The Story of Two Marines

Amputee Wounded in Iraq to Return to Active Duty

[NJCher]

43. read between the lines

NPR had a "news" story where they prefaced this report by saying that bush and Berlusconi were talking on the phone about "some other matter" and that bush had been assured by Berlusconi that the withdrawal would be done with consideration to the ability of Iraqis to defend themselves.

This bit about them talking about "some other matter" immediately disgusted me (political influence at work at NPR) and alerted me to the fact that this must have hit bushco very hard. Why would one go to the trouble of "setting the scene?" Why say that they had been talking of "some other matter"? You can be sure bush initiated the call to Berlosconi to lean on him hard because in fact their so-called "coalition" is crumbling and there are probably more withdrawals in the making.

At dinner, my spouse, who travels regularly to Italy, reiterated the bitter opposition of the Italian people to this oil-grab. Berlosconi will be in a dire situation politically if he does not get Italian troops out soon.


Cher

[oblivious]

44. So this is going to be the new line - a coalition with the Iraqi people

The coalition of the willing is now practically defunct so now it is the US allied with the Iraqi people. Hell, it'll probably work. You'll soon see editorials around the world talking it up. The new improved coalition.

[illflem]

45. Even if the withdraw makes little difference militarily

it's just a last minute policy change by politicians who acted against their citizen's wishes to enter Iraq in the first place.
Just goes to show what they'll do for the almighty vote.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

46. Herr Busch doesn't think global warming exists, either.

[Deja Q]

47. Mr. Bush, it is crumbling. And it's not their fault for leaving.

[GOPBasher]

48. The coalition is NOT crumbling!

And the dollar's decline is a GOOD thing!
And outsourcing is a GOOD thing!
And 45 million people without health insurance is NOT a crisis!
SS running having problems in 2042 is!
And education costs are NOT rising!
And the minimum wage is great!
And the environment is in wonderful shape!
And war is peace!
Freedom is slavery!
Ignorance is strength!

Come on, people! Haven't you heard of the Patriot Act? Big Brother is WATCHING! Get with the program and join me in the chants to honor our glorious Leader!

[trof]

49. No, no...it was GRUMBLING. That's it.

And you have to expect a little grumbling now and then.
oh yeah

[raccoon]

50. More peace??!!!

" "And that will lead to more peace, and that's what we want."

THe Bush Junta wants more peace!!!!! LMFAO

[EBK]

52. There goes the neighborhood !!! n/t

[dArKeR]

53. Bush's `coalition of the willing' fading fast

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2005/03/20/2003247041

[Iterate]

54. Baghdad Bush, our recycled cultural icon

Two years ago the world mocked another clueless wonder...


<>

[deadparrot]

55. What "coalition"?

The vast majority of "coalition" countries donated few, if any, soldiers.

I cannot believe how out of touch with reality these people are. It would be amazing, if it weren't so scary.

[jazzjunkysue]

58. Coalition of the Dwindling.

[Iterate]

56. Foreign government support is token,

and public support is, well, opposed. How could it be more simple?

(AP) In Oslo, Norway, about 400 people rallied to demand that the 10 Norwegian officers in Baghdad be sent home.

[struggle4progress]

57. Junior's whopper, with lies and a medium fake.

[bunny planet]

59. he also said there'll be two chickens in every pot.

and another tunnel at the end of the tunnel we're in right now.
F**cking Blivet.

[jazzjunkysue]

60. And if there's one thing he knows all about, it's pot.