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Many Democrats have called on Bush to present a plan to end the war and an estimate of when U.S. forces can start to be withdrawn based on conditions on the ground.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
Until the Iraqi government forces are ready to take complete charge, it would be defeatist to leave. Yes, there probably will be violence in Iraq after we leave. There was before we went there.
Why should we facilitate the return of Saddam's sympathizers to control of the nation? That's exactly what we'd be doing if we left now.
It wouldn't be "facilitating the return", it would be leaving. We put our troops in Kuwait, you think a Baathist is going to take over and start flipping us the finger? No way. He'd be a dead man. And I'd take a secular Baathist strongman who was neutral on America before an Islamist theocracy. Wouldn't you?
The terrorists in Iraq, are foreign nationals and Hussein's old crew. Why are you interested in facilitating their rise to power. I'm interested.
MSM and Dems hopped on Murtha like high speed rail to paradise. The unfortunate thing for them is that a.) Murtha is not just another liberal, and b.) the train stopped at Timbuktu.
Yeah, yeah, yeah...
Saddam was a tyrannical thug.
It's why I supported his removal regardless of 9/11.
Papa Bush should've finished him at the end of Gulf I.
Klintoon should've finished him for even daring to look at the no-fly zone.
Bush II should've dropped a grenade down that "spider hole" he was hiding in instead of wasting time and money to put him on trial.
Yes, I know all that.
Newsflash: We won, Saddam lost.
Mission accomplished.
Let's hang the SOB and bring our troops home.
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.
Yeah, terrorism has occured in Iraq ever since the Chaldeans, Assyrians and Persians began feuding over Babylonia. Probably before that even. You're right, let's keep pretending that Murtha wasn't talking about the Iraqi insurgency after Saddam's military was defeated/surrendered.
What did you expect to happen when we took Saddam out. Did you expect us to leave two months later? You're ignoring the obvious. A complete new government and military had to be established. Guy, if you can't get a grip on this, I'm going to have to quit responding. You haven't supported your premise, you just continue to make silly comments about periferal issues.
Behold the words of The Prophet: Have we just hit the tar baby?
Buchanan has had his head firmly implanted for 15 years on matters of the Middle-East.
ahh yes Willie, dropping your "Bush II" blasts like the good troll you are.....
Is that the ONLY thing you damned leftists can come up with? hurdy hurdy hur Bush II (hehe I'm soooo original!!)/sarcasm
"Mankind will be forever doomed to destruction, if we continue to ask for the truth but then... refuse to listen."
I don't know why you would state that he doesn't intend to bring them home now. Please review this post and it's links.
Where do you get the idea that he wants them moved, not removed? He said it's time to bring them home, and our military can do no more. Take him at his word. I do.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1525596/posts?page=23#23
If what you state is Murtha's take on the subject, then he needs to get better speech writers and update his web page.
The troops are the problem? Come on, you don't believe that.
When he starts talking about the Iraqis not wanting us there, that's pure poppycock. The government is getting a lot of participation and support from the Iraqi citizen. It has asked us to stay. If the citizens didn't want that, the leadership would ask us to start pulling out. They haven't.
If the Iraqis didn't want us there, the re-up figures would be almost non-existant. That's not the case. People are signing up for the third time. Do you seriously think they would do so if they thought the Iraqis hated them being there?
The comment on us killing more Iraqis is not reasoned IMO. Think about it. The terrorists seek to reinstall Saddam's henchmen in power. Do you really think the Iraqis want that? Hell no, the vast majority of Iraqis don't. When terrorists commit car bombings, who is blamed? The US? No way! The terrorists are blamed. Nobody but the brutal killers and their friends want them returned to power. When the US takes out terrorists, Iraqis breathe easier.
There is some truth in the idea that we can't tell them appart. That doesn't mean we should turn Iraq over to the bad guys. Tens of millions of people would be affected negatively if we did.
This is the same as indirectly calling Murtha a coward.
But so what. Big deal.
Your response requires no answer. You are lost!!! Just go along as you are. You'll have a rude awakening down the road. Get real!!!
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