Posted on 03/12/2006 3:19:37 PM PST by West Coast Conservative
The Bush administration will not pull American troops out of Iraq until victory is won, despite the growing number of Democrats urging a withdrawal, presidential adviser Karl Rove said Saturday.
Abandoning Iraq now would signal to U.S. allies that America can't be trusted, Rove said.
"Tyrants in the Middle East would laugh at our failed resolve," he said. "To retreat before victory would be a reckless act."
Rove was the featured speaker at a Republican fundraiser at Bowling Green State University hosted by Rep. Paul Gillmor, a Republican from northwest Ohio.
Rove, who is Bush's top political adviser, said he came to Ohio to thank volunteers and local politicians who helped Bush win the state that put him back in the White House two years ago.
"You all had something to do with keeping me employed," Rove said.
Ohio will be crucial again to Republicans in the 2008 presidential election.
No Republican has won the presidency without carrying the state, which gave President Bush the White House in 2004, and only two Democrats have won without it in the past 100 years.
A key issue to this year's midterm elections will be campaigning against Democrats who voted against the Patriot Act, Rove said.
Recent attempts by extremists to start civil war in Iraq by blowing up a sacred mosque have not succeeded because political and religious leaders in the country eased tensions by calling for calm, Rove said.
"Why? Because they know Americans stand with them," Rove said. "As long as America stands with them, Iraqi people will reject al-Qaida's attempt to start civil war."
Only 39 percent of Americans support the way Bush has handled Iraq, according to the latest AP-Ipsos poll. Nearly four out of five Americans, including 70 percent of Republicans, believe civil war will break out in Iraq, the poll showed.
Rove did not mention several contentious issues surrounding the White House, including the political storm that forced the reversal of a deal allowing a Dubai company to take over operations at six U.S. ports.
Rove did defend the administration's anti-terrorism efforts and defended its warrantless eavesdropping program.
"President Bush believes that if al-Qaida is calling someone inside the United States, we should know who they are calling and what they are saying," he said.
These are people who want to be taken seriously on security matters. Its not happening for them.
Its a shame that in our two-party system we aren't blessed with two parties who both value national security. In a better world than this one, the presidential debates would be about which party would more aggressively defend the country, which one would more aggressively hunt down our enemies, which party would more aggressively police our borders.
Instead we have one party prepared to wage war (without sealing the borders) and the other who won't do either.
If you care about national security, its a one-party system. There is only one choice. If you expect national security to include border security, the field of choices is a little thinner.
Wow, VERY well put, marron! Spot on.
Imagine what we could accomplish if we were all on the same page and the Dems cared about America's success instead of wringing their hands, just waiting for a failure.
Actually, it wouldn't be nearly as bad if all they were doing was waiting for a failure. Instead, they are actively attempting to make failure a done deal.
I like that DemoRATs logo :)
If the RATS cared about our success and being on the same page, we probably WOULD be pulling some of our troops home by now. That's the irony.
If the countries of the free world would rally behind America even half as much as they criticize us.....al Qaeda would already be destroyed.
But to the article, GOOD for Rove for articulating the Commander in Chief's position............and GOOD for him for thanking Ohioans...............because we SAVED the WORLD in 2004! :)
Heh! That you did Ohio, that you did...
My vote was one of many that helped put Ohio over the top!
Well, after viewing the new TV show on cbs called "The Unit" I figure many Dims will now develop some accurate knowledge of the importance of our Military....about time..
Rove is baiting them...lets see if they take it
Too bad the RINO's won't allow the "white flag" ad to be run again.
Too bad the RINO's allow the likes of
hanoi kerry and cut and run murtha to
attack our troops.
At least we know Rove, Rumsfeld, and Sam Johnson Viet Nam Vet are not RINO's.
Rumsfeld slams war statements by Murtha
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1580950/posts
GOP Congressman and Former POW Rips John Murtha
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1576009/posts
Rove Credits Swiftvets With 'Energizing' Bush Vote (Thank You Karl Rove!)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1345603/posts
Swiftvets BTTT!
Despite?
That's the word I'd use if the Democrats were the majority.
Nice democRAT logo! ;-D
LOL. Two great graphics. heheh.
Karl Rove would make a good candidate for President or maybe Vice-president, don't you think ?
GO BGSU!!!!!!! GO OHIO!!!!!!!!
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