Bush to fight Iraq critics with speech on stragedy

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N29172577.htm

WASHINGTON, Nov 30 (Reuters) - President George W. Bush plans on Wednesday to try and counter criticism that he lacks a clear strategy on Iraq by focusing on the training of Iraqi forces to take over security so U.S. troops can eventually withdraw.

Bush will speak at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, in the first of a series of speeches on his administration's plan for victory in the runup to the Dec. 15 elections in Iraq, the White House said.

Bush has repeatedly said that once Iraqi forces are able to take over security for their country, U.S. forces can leave. He has been battling increasing criticism including calls for troop withdrawal and public dissatisfaction with his handling of Iraq, where a violent insurgency persists.

More than 2,100 U.S. troops have died and nearly 16,000 others have been wounded since U.S.-led forces invaded Iraq in March 2003 and toppled Saddam Hussein.

[gristy]

1. Bush speaking on strategy in Iraq?

This could be good. :popcorn:

[Theduckno2]

2. I agree that the U.S. needs specific criteria for withdrawal from Iraq.

"Bush has repeatedly said that once Iraqi forces are able to take over security for their country, U.S. forces can leave." is much too vague for my tastes. What level of security?

For instance: If after the Oklahoma City bombing, would it have been OK for Canada to send in 100,000 troops to help reestablish security until U.S. forces were able to take over security for their country?

It still seems to me that Bush wants to be acting viceroy in Iraq and on his subjective whim, decide when security in Iraq is sufficient to allow for U.S. withdrawal.

This can't continue, we need an objective (and not just victory) policy for the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq.

Hint to Bush: give up the idea of permanent bases in Iraq!

[Swamp Rat]

3. Captive audience

I'm sure they will enjoy his speech. :eyes:

[izzie]

4. I get the feeling that Bush is running for office with no Vice Pres.

I feel that Rowe is putting him out and trying stuff to see what will work. You know,Rice on the EU prison camps, workers, Iraq, crooks in Congress and what else is new? When Bush goes to Texas or Camp David he has always come back with some thing new. This has been like clock work since McCain beat him in NH. He seems or Rowe finds what is going well and they pick it up and run with it. Of course he will need a new back drop and he has govt. people to fill that now and before he was Pres. he just had a new hanging blue thing with the new deal and icon on it. I am sure they will be just as empty to me as when he ran for Pres. but it did work for him before and since he has to have lost some of his base it may pick them back up.Look and see if he also does not pull in the people he used before. Rice, Karen, and maybe Baker who has always helped father and son. Congress will be harder to get as they are worried about getting their votes and he has nothing to deal with as he is not running in 3 years.

[Spinzonner]

5. At first I was going to correct your spelling

but then I realized that what Bush 'plans' is a mixture of stratergy and tragedy.