Posted on 06/16/2004 11:27:24 AM PDT by Pikamax
Bush Seeks to Boost Morale of U.S. Troops in Iraq Wed Jun 16, 2004 01:55 PM ET
By Caren Bohan MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (Reuters) - President Bush sought on Wednesday to rally U.S. troops in Iraq who face extended tours and mounting casualties by telling them "our country has needed that sacrifice."
Appearing in the election battleground state of Florida -- home to many military families -- Bush also tried to reassure the soldiers that the mission in Iraq was yielding progress despite the persistent violence.
"We're bringing back a 5,000 year-old civilization to life," Bush said. Located in Tampa, MacDill Air Force Base is home to the U.S. Central Command as well as the special operations command and the 6th Mobility Air Wing. The address was fed by satellite to soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Bush has been criticized by his presidential campaign rival, Democratic Sen. John Kerry, for stretching U.S. troops too thinly and for the extended troop deployments that many soldiers have faced.
Bush said he realized the soldiers' task was "not easy."
"Your days are hot. Your mission is hard. Many of you have faced long deployments, sometimes longer than you expected," he said. "You are sacrificing greatly for our country and our country has needed that sacrifice."
Bush spoke from a stage in a hangar at the base in sweltering heat. In the backdrop was desert camouflage netting and a large sign bearing the twin seals of Central Command.
With two weeks to go until the handover of sovereignty in Iraq, Bush warned that the violence there may worsen. Indeed, as he spoke, the country was grappling with the murder of a senior Iraqi oil executive and the blowing up of pipelines which has cut oil exports needed to finance reconstruction.
In his speech, Bush said the Iraq mission would make America safer by bringing democracy to a key country in the Middle East. The war's original justification was to stop Iraq deploying weapons of mass destruction. None have been found.
He also told U.S. soldiers that as the handover of sovereignty nears, they will be able to start transferring more responsibilities to Iraqi forces, an assessment that is more optimistic than some of his previous comments about the readiness of Iraqi troops.
"As Iraq gains self-governance it is essential that Iraq gain the means of self-defense," he said, citing an international effort to train Iraqi security forces and their commanders.
He touted the efforts of Iraqi forces in capturing insurgents and said Iraqi police were being "greeted warmly" by their fellow citizens.
Bush had acknowledged in a speech on May 24 that the early performance of Iraq soldiers "fell short," with some refusing to fight.
More recently, he has cited concerns about security in discussing the timing of when custody of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein might be handed over to the new interim Iraqi government.
After the speech at the base, Bush attended a briefing with Central Command and the Special Operations Command. He also met privately with 11 families who have lost members in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Military families and veterans are a key voting bloc whose support Bush and Kerry are courting in the run-up to the Nov. 2 election.
Florida, home to many veterans, was the site of the contested 2000 election, which Bush won over Democrat Al Gore only after the intervention of the U.S. Supreme Court.
Polls show a tight race in the state this year as well.
"mounting casualties" - Could a cumulative count ever go down? Idiots.
It's always fun to spot the bias in Reuters' news articles.
"Florida, home to many veterans, was the site of the contested 2000 election, which Bush won over Democrat Al Gore only after the intervention of the U.S. Supreme Court."
**rolling eyes**
Um, excuse me, but didn't W win over, and over, and over, and over again with the recounts?... Someone needs to remind them....
Note to reporter: There is a difference between Journalism and Plagarism. If you do your own investigation, rather than parroting the Democratic talking points, you will find that ousting a regime that harbors and supports terrorists was the original justification for the war. Dismantling WMD was a coda to attempt to get the spineless French to go along.
Shalom.
Not to mention that WMD evidence galore has been found: equipment, programs, policies, scientists, and yes - even some small amounts of the weapons themselves. And illegal delivery systems to boot.
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