Bush Baselessly Asserts That Troops Want To Stay In Iraq (speech this a.m.)

[babylonsister]

http://electioncentral.tpmcafe.com/blog/electioncentral/2007/apr/16/bush_baselessly_asserts_that_troops_want_to_stay_in_iraq

Bush Baselessly Asserts That Troops Want To Stay In Iraq
By Greg Sargent | bio

President Bush just finished up his speech today ratcheting up the pressure on Congress to do what he wants them to do (give him a war funding bill with no withdrawal timeline), rather than what the Antiwar Majority of Americans wants him to do (give him a funding bill with such a timeline).

Here's one of Bush's key quotes: "Families gathered here understand that our troops want to finish the job."

But is there a single scrap of evidence that this is true? Is there a single scrap of evidence that says that a majority of the troops want to stay in Iraq until the job is "finished," whatever that means? The only poll that I've seen that comes close to a real and comprehensive effort to measure troops' attitudes on such questions was the annual Army Times poll, which was released last December. While for various reasons it's an imperfect guide to what the troops in Iraq want, it's certainly closer to a real and scientific effort to measure it than I've seen elsewhere.

It suggests that the troops are ambiguous on this question, finding that only half thought the U.S. can succeed -- meaning that only half thought the job could be finished, let alone that they want to finish it. The other half, meanwhile, didn't think the "job" could be finished or didn't have an opinion on whether it could.

Meanwhile, the poll also found pessimism among the troops about Bush's leadership. It found that only 38% thought that there should be more troops in Iraq -- in other words, that a minority supported the President's "surge" policy. And it found that for the first time, more troops disapproved of Bush's Iraq performance than approved of it. The poll is here -- and keep in mind that these numbers reflect where the troops' attitudes were four months ago.

So how the heck do we know that the troops want to stay as long as it takes to "finish the job"? Does anyone know if there are any better numbers out there than this poll? I haven't seen anything.

[maggiegault]

1. Every Military Family That I Know...Including Me...Wants The Troops Home NOW

Our soldiers have an interesting take on it a lot of the time, stating that we cannot simply up and leave after we have made such a mess. It isn't as easy as just saying that there will be a withdrawal. A timeline would be a good start.

But no, we want our soldiers home.

[C_U_L8R]

2. finish what job ???

perhaps it's the job that needs to change.

why does the world have any patience for this Bush's bullshit and deflection.
He screwed up.. he had a bad plan... the job is fubar.
Congress needs to protect our troops from this administration's bad decisions.

[Dhalgren]

5. Right. End funding now! Bring the soldiers home!

[Missy M]

3. I haven't seen any better numbers out there than the poll....

and have mostly heard from the commanders about staying to "finish the job". I haven't read too much about the troops wanting to stay.

[maxsolomon]

4. their job is to stay alive & sane until this madness stops

i support them in their efforts to complete the job.

[kimmylavin]

6. What would be really refreshing...

... would be if Bush actually stated what the "job" is, and what "victory" would actually look like.

[TwilightGardener]

7. WTF does it matter if they want to stay or go home? This is more of his

insane circular logic--the troops are there, and because they're there, we must continue to keep them there, to support them--because they are there. Now it's: The troops WANT to be there--isn't that a good enough reason to continue this doomed policy? My question: Forget the troops--WTF is the MISSION?

[jwirr]

8. There were soldiers who wanted to stay in Vietnam also. They

grew up to be Swiftboaters.