Bush Sets Target for Transition In Iraq

Washington Post ^ | 15 March 2006 | Peter Baker

[Aussie Dasher]

President Bush vowed for the first time yesterday to turn over most of Iraq to newly trained Iraqi troops by the end of this year, setting a specific benchmark as he kicked off a fresh drive to reassure Americans alarmed by the recent burst of sectarian violence.

Bush, who until now has resisted concrete timelines as the Iraq war dragged on longer than he expected, outlined the target in the first of a series of speeches intended to lay out his strategy for victory. While acknowledging grim developments on the ground, Bush declared "real progress" in standing up Iraqi forces capable of defending their nation.

"As more capable Iraqi police and soldiers come on line, they will assume responsibility for more territory with the goal of having the Iraqis control more territory than the coalition by the end of 2006," he said in a speech to the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

[Aussie Dasher]

Light at the end of the tunnel!

[Southack]

This is a major slap in the face to Al Qaeda.

We're saying that Iraq is becoming stable enough for us to begin our transition out.

[stylin19a]

um...how did they extrapolate "set targets" out of what President Bush said ?

[Denver Ditdat]

Dumpacraps and their enablers will be spinning this as the "Vietnamization" of Iraq, and praying for a rerun of Saigon.

[trubluolyguy]

Finally.


Thank you Mr. President, good job.


Troops, AWESOME JOB!

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Too bad the RINO's won't allow the "white flag" ad to be run again on TV

Pass this "white flag" ad around on the internet

http://www.gop.com/Media/120905.wmv

---

Now is the time for all good men and women
to come to the aid of our country
and show support for our service men and women.

You do not have to be in DC to show support for the Troops.

Visit your local military base today and at least once a week.

Or a military or veteran hospital.

If you can't do that then send an e-mail or package
to our troops for morale support.

Proud Patriots -
Sending care packages,
e-mails, and snail mail
to US Military worldwide.

http://www.proudpatriots.org

We need coast to coast support for the troops, now, more than ever.

[spinestein]

[...Bush, who until now has resisted concrete timelines as the Iraq war dragged on longer than he expected...]




So Bush says before the war started:

--This will be a different type of war than America has ever seen.

--This war will last years and continue past his presidency.

--This war will not have the clearly defined victories over standing armies that usually take place in war.

--Victory will be defined by the citizens gaining their freedom and establishing a stable democracy.


And after three years, the Iraqi dictator is overthrown and put on trial, his armies no longer exist, the citizens have elected their own government and new constitution, and the handful of "insurgents" can do nothing to stop this ongoing process except kill one or two innocent people at a time, guaranteeing that they will only enrage the average Iraqi citizen more and more as time goes on.

And the media can only cry "quagmire!"

What a bunch of turds.

[bnelson44]

Actually, they are already spinning it as cutting and running.

[Reagan Man]

>>>>Bush vowed not to retreat in the face of violence .... "I make this promise to .... all the families of the fallen heroes," he said. "We will not let your loved ones' dying be in vain. We will finish what we started in Iraq. We will complete the mission."

The mission must be completed and the US elections in November better not play a factor in any troop withdrawl. Besides, long term military basis are required in both Iraq and Afghanistan. A full pullout isn't in America's best interests. The WOT is far from over.

[Loyal Buckeye]

Turning over does not necessarily equate with withdrawal.

[speedy]

as the Iraq war dragged on longer than he expected

Where does this come from? This is not true as far as I know. I don't ever recall Bush saying something like the war will be over by the end of 2004.

[Chode]

and the RATS take another one in the...

[EGPWS]

Well placed statement spinestein!

You are an odd one, ONLY in your impressive memory and your savvy in conveying it! : )

How quickly most others forget.....

[manwiththehands]

The light at the end of the tunnel is the headlight of an oncoming train.

President Bush said he was never going to give a timetable. He just did.

Now the terrorists, insurgents and civil warmongers in Iraq will just hang back for a year.

This is major league stupid on Bush's behalf.

I think he's paying too much attention to his poll numbers.

[LibertarianInExile]

I got that out of this too. That the country is turned over to Iraqis doesn't mean a single American soldier leaves. It just means that Americans don't handle the streets, Iraqis do.

[xzins]

The President is freeing up troops for the liberation of IRAN from the Ayatollahs and terrorists.

Make no mistake. That situation will be ripe in about a year and a half.

[jveritas]

Not at all. He did not set any table for withdrawal, all what he said that they hope that by the end of this year Iraqi troops are going to handle more territories than non Iraqi coalition troops. Stop your silly knee jerk reaction.

[jveritas]

Not at all. He did not set any table for withdrawal, all what he said that they hope that by the end of this year Iraqi troops are going to handle more territories than non Iraqi coalition troops. Stop your silly knee jerk reaction.

[RockinRight]

What about this civil war the MSM keeps telling us about?