Posted on 11/20/2005 8:26:47 AM PST by SmithL
BEIJING - U.S. President George W. Bush on Sunday all but apologized to a hawkish Democrat who the White House had called a liberal like American moviemaker Michael Moore for demanding an immediate U.S. pullout from Iraq.
Bush, dogged by questions about Iraq during a week-long Asia tour, tried to cool partisan tempers in Washington that flared over the withdrawal demand by Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. John Murtha (news, bio, voting record). One Republican had called Murtha a coward.
"Congressman Murtha is a fine man, a good man who served our country with honor and distinction as a Marine in Vietnam and as a U.S. congressman," Bush said.
He did not repeat the White House accusation that Murtha was from the extreme liberal wing of the Democratic Party like Moore, the "Fahrenheit 9/11" filmmaker who is a liberal celebrity loathed by American conservatives.
"I know that the decision to call for an immediate withdrawal of our troops by congressman Murtha was done in a careful and thoughtful way. I disagree with his position," Bush said.
Many Democrats have called on Bush to present a plan to end the war and an estimate of when U.S. forces can start to be withdrawn based on conditions on the ground. Only a few have called for a set timetable for withdrawal.
Murtha has said Iraq cannot be won militarily and the United States must withdraw to send a signal to Iraqis that they are "free from the United States occupation."
Murtha's opposition broadened a partisan divide in Washington and prompted the Republican-led House of Representatives to engineer a vote on Friday on a resolution to pull U.S. troops immediately from Iraq.
It was defeated nearly unanimously in what Democrats called a political stunt.
A CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll this week said 63 percent of Americans oppose Bush's handling of the Iraq war, and 52 percent say troops should be pulled out now or within 12 months.
Bush said a premature withdrawal would have "terrible consequences," but that he recognized Iraqis would like to defend their country on their own and he looked forward to that day.
"As the Iraqi security forces gain strength and experience we can lessen our troop presence in the country without losing our capability to effectively defeat the terrorists," Bush said.
"A reduced presence of coalition force would clearly demonstrate to the Iraqi people that we have no ambition to occupy their country. As I've often said we'll stay as long as necessary but not one day more," Bush said.
Bush, speaking to reporters after talks with Chinese leaders, said no one should question Murtha's patriotism and that it was his right to express his opinion.
"People should feel comfortable expressing their opinions about Iraq," he sai
That is your opinion. I disagree with you. As does every soldier with whom I have discussed this subject. As does President Bush.I am in good company I think. You have every right to disagree with me. As I do with you.
Of course not. Would you see a list of those who have done same though, you would find many on both sides of the aisle. I simply choose to draw a line at disagreeing with someone and besmirching their military record. I see it all too often here. I do not find it necessary.
If you call him selling out America "important" then we have a difference of opinion of what is important to Americans. Every time Bush goes on one of these trips, it costs us a fortune. He throws millions of dollars around like it grows on trees. He's pushing his global trade agenda, while giving OUR tax dollars to get countries to play along to the beat of his drum. IF America (as we once knew it). lasts to the end of his term, it will be a miracle. Welcome to the NWO!
You should have voted for Kerry. We'd have surrendered to the UN by now.
???
So who are you REALLY...
and what have you done with DoughtyOne????
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I'm not buying the careful and thoughtful thing, and I don't think the White House does either. I'd bet it's more a case of "Murtha, if you want any support from the DNC, financial or otherwise, during your next re-election bid, you're going to go out there and make this 'wrapped in an illusion' statement," and Murtha took the podium and sold his soul to the Devilcrats.
Willie, your production of fifteen stories that may involve guns at Walmarts (where tens of thousands of people are employed) is somewhat laughable when compared to 135,000 troops who are under constant threat of being shot the victim of mortar attack or bombed.
I'm sure you are aware of that.
Yes I am...
But if you're going to play stupid about what Murtha said about terrorism starting in 2003,
I can do the same thing about why our loyal and patriotic troops reinlist.
I don't like losing soldiers for a people who follow a religion that want to kill us. I used to think differently, but I've changed my mind. Let them fight for their own country. There is violence now, there will be when we are leaving, and there will be after we've left.
What bothered me is that Murtha shothis mouth off a month before the election in Iraq, trying to build on the momentum of the Senate vote. Time enough for debate when the election results are know and a permanent government is set up. It almost seems that Murtha was trying to prevent a good outcome of that election by alarming Iraqis. His timing is excretion-able
No, he is NOT a conservative Democrat. His voting record is moderate to liberal, depending on the issue, and he has been waffling on the isssue of Iraq for two years.
Obviously you don't know what Bush has been doing. You are too far behind and I don't have time to explain it to you. Bush is NO conservative. As far as Kerry goes, he's a traitor to America, and I would NEVER have voted for him because of it. I only voted for Bush because there was NO conservative running and I would NEVER vote for a traitor. That said, if Bush could run again, I'd NEVER vote for him! Go back to sleep. By the time you wake up, you will be in for a big shock!!
The democrats should pick up their wounded and leave the field. President Bush should not be doing this task for them.
Shows Weakness. Sorry....
What are your options then?
http://216.109.125.130/search/cache?p=murtha+iraq&toggle=1&ei=UTF-8&u=www.rollcall.com/pub/49_120/news/5469-1.html&w=murtha+iraq&d=WASTJY6CLwSO&icp=1&.intl=us
Murtha: Iraq ‘Unwinnable’
By Erin P. Billings and Emily Pierce
Roll Call Staff
May 6, 2004**May 6, 2004**May 6, 2004**May 6, 2004
Signaling a new, more aggressive line against the Bush administration’s policy on Iraq, Rep. John Murtha (Pa.), the House Democrats’ most visible defense hawk, will join Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) today to make public his previously private statements that the conflict is “unwinnable.”
Bush will continue to cut Democrat throats in fact, he just makes nice nice in front of the American people to make them feel more comfortable about everything.
It has never been just about Iraq. It is a regional war that finally had direct impact on us on 9/11. You don't like fighting bad Muslims In Irag. What about separating the sheep from the goats in our own country? Most of the Arabs in our country are actually Christians. What happens if they keep coming and majority of Arabs are Muslim?
Willie, I've given you a lot of slack on the 2003 comments. It's preposterous to state that terrorism in Iraq did not start until 2003. Saddam Hussein was killing his own people in massive numbers going way back. He was offering $20k per pop to the families of those who carried out terrorist attacks in Israel. Come on guy, you know this stuff.
Hussein was violating U.N. sanctions left and right and was firing on our aircraft which were enforcing no fly zones. Hussein had also voiced public support for actions taken against the U.S.
You're comments about terrorism in Iraq starting in 2003 are idiotic. It only became terrorism, because the perps were no longer a part of the government. Terrorism in Iraq started in 2003? Tell that to the victims of rapes, the Kurds, the men placed in wood chippers, and those piled up and burried in mass graves before we entered the nation.
I'd have to agree with your comments. It is strange that the call to pull out has been so pronounced just weeks before another election.
The Democrats have made extremely negative comments before each election. Even the participating Iraqis have more brains than our left. It seems they haven't even seen the photos of those purple fingers, waved gleefully to the western press.
It is a regional war, and that part of it is over. We got rid of Sadaam, they will have the 2nd election in December.
The Sunnis and Shias will fight each other no matter what, whether there is a democracy or not. Its been happening for centuries. It isn't terrorism, its a religious war. Our soldiers are in the crossfire.
Would you be for a mission which has as its aim making peace between muslim factions? Today, that's what were are trying to do.
This has nothing to do with more muslims coming to America. Except for the fact that, after the inevitable civil war comes, we will probably evacuate many here, like we did with the Iranians.
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