I freed millions from barbarism, says President with no regrets

Guardian.co.uk ^ | 6/15/08 | Ned Temko

[Dawnsblood]

The real 'options on the table' that should worry Europe and the world lay elsewhere - in the likelihood of moves by Iran's Arab neighbours to develop nuclear weapons of their own. He said the 'time is now' for the outside world to put in place 'diplomacy with consequences' to bring Iran's uranium-enrichment activities to an end, not least because he believed that a new group of European leaders had 'gone beyond the Iraq period' and were engaged with the US in multilateral efforts on a range of other issues.

In London, however, Iraq inevitably will be back on the agenda. Today will begin for the President and the First Lady, Laura Bush, when they meet the Queen and Prince Philip at Windsor Castle, and will end with dinner with the Browns. But tomorrow - after breakfast with an international Middle East envoy named Tony Blair - he will have formal Downing Street talks with the Prime Minister and discuss the delicate issue of a 'timetable' for British troop withdrawals from Iraq.

Asked in the Rome interview about popular opposition in Britain to the war and his presidency, he replied: 'Do I care? Only to the extent that it affects people's view of the citizens I represent. Do I care about my personal standing? Not really.'

He remained, he said, convinced that Iraq, and the world, was a better place without Saddam Hussein. And he said that while 'Presidents don't get to do re-dos' on issues such as Saddam's lack of weapons of mass destruction, there was one lesson from the run-up to the Iraq war that he felt was hugely relevant to the standoff in Iran.

[bvw]

Well, how do you feel about Tim Russert, or Scooter Libby, or Dan Rather?

[Just A Nobody]

Wonderful post! Thank you! I stand with the half dozen wounded warriors who told me the other night how much they love their Commander-in-Chief.

[Just A Nobody]

Bravo!

[Skooz]

Thanks!