Posted on 08/11/2004 4:28:09 PM PDT by demlosers
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (Reuters) - President Bush on Wednesday attacked John Kerry's pledge to bring large numbers of troops home from Iraq within a year, saying it would embolden the Iraqi insurgency and jeopardize the mission.
For a second day in a row, Bush sought to undercut Kerry's war-leadership credentials, accusing the Democratic presidential candidate of sending mixed signals over Iraq.
"We all want the mission to be completed as quickly as possible, but we want the mission to be complete," Bush told an "Ask President Bush" event here.
"The mission is not going to be completed as quickly as possible if the enemy thinks we're going to removing a substantial number of troops in six months," he said.
Kerry said on Monday that reducing U.S. troops in Iraq by next August was an "appropriate goal," and that if he wins, he would seek to pull out a large number of troops within six months of taking office next January.
The Massachusetts senator and decorated Vietnam veteran said he believes he could do a better job than Bush of enlisting the help of countries in Iraq, which would ease the burden for U.S. troops.
Bush has said the U.S. military would remain in Iraq as long as needed to ensure stability and as long as their presence is requested by the Iraqi government.
Kerry campaign spokesman Phil Singer accused Bush of distorting the senator's words. Kerry stressed that achieving the goal of fewer U.S. troops would depend on international assistance and greater stability in Iraq, Singer said.
Bush's criticism on troop levels came a day after the president accused Kerry of "switching positions" on the need for war in Iraq.
"MIXED SIGNALS"
Echoing that theme on Wednesday, Bush said: "I know what I'm doing when it comes to winning this war. And I'm not going be sending mixed signals."
The New Mexico event was held at a Eclipse Aviation, a company that designs executive jets. The setting was intended to highlight Bush's attempt to pitch his economic agenda as "pro-entrepreneur."
But the Iraq issue loomed large.
From the audience, a mother with a son in the Marine Corps bound for Iraq asked Bush to pray for her son.
"You're going to be nervous and I know you are. And you should be," Bush said as he sought to assure the woman of the importance of her son's contribution.
With Bush as he headed West as part of a five-day campaign tour was Sen. John McCain of Arizona, a onetime rival. Bush treated McCain to a tour earlier in the day of his Crawford, Texas, ranch and on the stump he eagerly touted the Arizonan's support.
McCain, known as a maverick, is popular with many swing voters.
Bush lost New Mexico to Democrat Al Gore by only 366 votes in 2000. The contest is tight once again, with Kerry leading 49 percent to 48 percent in a recent Zogby poll.
Bush later flew to Arizona, also a battleground state.
He was to visit Nevada on Thursday, two days after Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry lambasted him there over the 2002 decision to use the state's Yucca Mountain as a burial site for radioactive refuse from nuclear power plants and weapons.
White House spokesman Scott McClellan defended the Yucca Mountain decision as based on "science, not politics" and said the administration was taking care to put in place safety measures.
(Additional reporting by Steve Holland)
This is absolutely true.
I am glad Bush is coming right out and pointing it out.
Kerry is doing, what he did before during his anti-war days: giving aid and comfort to the enemy.
A quote from an excellent article posted by FireTrack:
"Retired Maj. Gen. George S. Patton III, who had commanded combat troops in Vietnam, said that, medals or no medals, by the nature of his wartime protests Kerry gave "aid and comfort to the enemy" in the style of Ramsey Clark and Jane Fonda. "Mr. Kerry probably caused some of my guys to get killed," Patton said, even as he self-deprecatingly acknowledged shortcomings of his own as a commander. "And I don't like that. There is no soap ever invented that can wash that blood off his hands."
Responding to controversy over his remarks, Patton wrote in the Worcester Evening Gazette, "The dissent against our efforts in that unhappy war, as exemplified by Mr. Kerry, and of course others, made the soldier's duties even more difficult. ... These incidents caused our opponent, already highly motivated, to fight harder against us and our Vietnamese allies. Hence the comment made by me which included the provision of 'aid and comfort to the enemy' by Mr. Kerry."
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1189686/posts
bttt
Based on what I have read about Kerry, I'm convinced that he will do anything or say anything to further his cause without regard to damages to America.
Thats exactly right. Bush needs to tell it like is and Kerry should be ashamed of himself saying this stuff while the country is at war. He is doing nothing but emboldening the terrorists. This guy has serious issues and needs to be put in his place fast before he gets our guys killed.
Every day America sees that the Swiftboat Veterans for Truth are telling the truth.
Kerry will get hundreds of Americans killed, in Iraq and here, in America!
"The mission is not going to be completed as quickly as possible if the enemy thinks we're going to removing a substantial number of troops in six months," he said.
Tell it like it is W and if they don't like it, tough crap.
CBS news at the top of the hour reported Bush saying, "Never give your war plan to the enemy." Kerry has now telegraphed his war plan for Iraq (we're leaving) and Iran (we're going to call your bluff and give you nuclear material). I wonder what he's going to tell North Korea?
CBS news at the top of the hour reported Bush saying, "Never give your war plan to the enemy." Kerry has now telegraphed his war plan for Iraq (we're leaving) and Iran (we're going to call your bluff and give you nuclear material). I wonder what he's going to tell North Korea?
THIS IS AMAZING!
Let the press try to spin this!
C'mon now. You're distorting Kerry's words.
Kerry clearly said he will be sending additional troops to Iraq while at the same time bringing troops home.
There now. Get it!!
So stop distorting the facts.
Sheez! Some people just don't understand English.
(psyche)
President Bush hasn't "accused" the Democrat presidential candidate of anything....he's simply restated Miss Kerry's multiple positions.
LOLOL, I should post my 'there's a spy among us' to go with that one!!
Just that Kerry in his 'bunny suit' in the middle of all those Burkas looks like a spy!
<< Kerry will get hundreds of Americans killed, in Iraq and here, in America! >>
Kerry is with and of the enemy -- has always been so -- and could care less about adding more dead and maimed Americans to the the many thousands already on his hands -- and the millions of Cambodians and Vietnamese.
Take a good look at Kerry while you have the chance. [And, come to that the entire modern "DemocRAT" pack]
He [And it] will soon be swirled down history's drain -- and meanwhile it is not often that one gets to gaze upon pure and unadulterated evil.
swirled down historys drain.
will the water rotate the waste clockwise or counter clockwise? im guessing counter clockwise because the pos will be hiding out below the equaitor probably down there with one of his forgien leaders in venizualia that supports him.
<< will the water rotate the waste clockwise or counter clockwise >>
Yep.
Nothing like a good hanging to put the fear of the Republic back into the hearts of the narsarsistic oligarchy we've allowed to fester in Washington.
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