Bush: "I know the Iraqis are better off without Saddam Hussein in power"

[sabra]

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/05/20070524.html

<snip>

THE PRESIDENT: Ed, going into Iraq we were warned about a lot of things, some of which happened, some of which didn't happen. And, obviously, as I made a decision as consequential as that, I weighed the risks and rewards of any decision. I firmly believe the world is better off without Saddam Hussein in power. I know the Iraqis are better off without Saddam Hussein in power. I think America is safer without Saddam Hussein in power.

As to al Qaeda in Iraq, al Qaeda is going to fight us wherever we are. That's their strategy. Their strategy is to drive us out of the Middle East. They have made it abundantly clear what they want. They want to establish a caliphate. They want to spread their ideology. They want safe haven from which to launch attacks. They're willing to kill the innocent to achieve their objectives, and they will fight us. And the fundamental question is, will we fight them? I have made the decision to do so. I believe that the best way to protect us in this war on terror is to fight them.

And so we're fighting them in Iraq, we're fighting them in Afghanistan, we've helped the Philippines -- Philippine government fight them. We're fighting them. And this notion about how this isn't a war on terror, in my view, is naive. It doesn't -- it doesn't reflect the true nature of the world in which we live.

[Richard Steele]

1. Shows what you know, then, doesn't it? Moran. nm

[louis-t]

2. Blithering idiot. Acts sooo serious when foaming at the mouth.

TELL ME ONE THING that you were warned about that DIDN'T happen, you piece of garbage.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

3. Iraqi morticians and grave diggers certainly are.

[EFerrari]

4. 650,000 of them can't weigh in, can they? n/t

[Kagemusha]

5. His position is that Saddam was a bigger threat than Osama will ever be.

And it doesn't matter what the Iraq conflict is doing for Al Qaeda in a positive manner, Saddam was the bigger threat. So there.

The rest is just clean-up.

[terisan]

6. Women now dying in "honor" killings. Women have lost their rights in Iraq due to Bush.

[InternalDialogue]

7. Even if that statement were completely and utterly true

it's the equivalent of burning down someone's roach-infested house and proclaiming they're better off without the roaches.

[rasputin1952]

19. The roaches move next door when a building burns...

something the neighbors are eternally grateful for...:eyes:

[magellan]

8. "They're willing to kill the innocent to achieve their objectives"

Evidently, saying "We regret the loss of innocent life" is what makes us different from AQ.

:eyes:

[AndyA]

9. Why don't you let the Iraqi people themselves tell us that, George?

I'd like to hear that directly from them.

From what I've seen and heard from over there, there's no way this statement could possibly be true.

Have another drink and snort, George. :eyes:

[HCE SuiGeneris]

10. Eat s@#t you m'fkr!

[Cobalt-60]

21. well said!

I love a good display of profanity.

[Toots]

11. "I know the Iraqis are better off without Saddam Hussein in power"

Let's see...over four million homeless and two million refugees in other countries and over six hundred and fifty thousand dead. Are those Iraqis better off without Saddam in power? I somehow doubt it.

[pingzing58]

12. The children of Iraq are so better off that UNICEF asked for $42 million in emergency aid.

The children are so better off because they don't have
schools.  All of the Iraqis are elated because they do not
have potable water.  Their gratitude is beyond bounds because
their medical doctors have fled the country and medical
service is limited.  Oh, their joy - Mr. I'm The Decider -
because your war for control of their oil has opened up Iraq
to Al-Qaeda and given you another reason to continue to put
our troops in harms way, regardless of loss of American and
Iraqi life, while achieving your true objective.  Boy, oh boy,
aren't the Iraqi people better off.

[ninkasi]

15. Just FYI

since you're new here...when you use sarcasm, there is a smilie to use, so nobody misinterprets your post .Here it is...:sarcasm: Welcome to DU:hi:

[pingzing58]

16. Thanks ninkasi. I stand advised. peace. n/t

[ninkasi]

20. No problem

It was obvious to me that your post was using sarcasm, but that's the smilie we use in order to eliminate any doubt. I hope you enjoy your stay here.

[MasonJar]

13. No they are not, dopehead. Listen to the NPR interviews on Fri.

morning to see what kind of life the Iraqis and their children are leading. Listen, you bloody idiot. And while you are at it, take your sleeping bag out to the graveside and hang out with the dead soldier's mother, who spends her days lying in a sleeping bag next to her son's grave.

[moondust]

14. My Question.

How many deaths was Saddam responsible for (excluding the sanctions) in the last few years of his rule and who were they?

[SammyWinstonJack]

17. He weighed the risks and rewards. Sure he did! Well the rewards to him and his

corrupt corporate bidness buddies that is and it's been profitable, right george? Philippines? He forgot Poland!

[Edgeoforever]

18. Must be them voices he keeps hearing

[L. Coyote]

22. "UNLESS THEY ARE DEAD. " I yelled this out very, very LOUDLY to finish his Dad's speech in my town

when GHW Bush said the same thing, except about fighting the Sandinista terrorists in Nicaragua.

It was a huge, canned photo-op for the campaign, so they put the "... better off... " line at the end of his speech, intending to capture loud applause for that clause. I soo-ooo finished the speech for him that the crowd remained silent for a while, then the applause was rather muted. It totally bombed the whole preparation, repainting a barn and all, just for the mock-up occasion.

No doubt, I've been on the "keep out" and "dirty dog Dem" lists since.

[Mz Pip]

23. Well, maybe some of them are...

like the 2 million of them who had the resources to leave the country. They are probably better off.

I am soo sick of this man and his blithering nonsense.

Mz Pip
:dem:

[L. Coyote]

24. kick