Posted on 01/10/2007 2:30:20 PM PST by STARWISE
Unswayed by anti-war passions, President Bush will send 21,500 additional U.S. troops to Iraq and build the American presence there toward its highest level to quell worsening bloodshed. The move puts Bush on a collision course with the new Democratic Congress and runs counter to advice from some senior generals.
Set to announce his decisions in a prime-time speech Wednesday night, Bush was to acknowledge making major mistakes in Iraq, primarily failing to deploy enough U.S. soldiers and demand more Iraqi troops and cooperation to confront the country's near-anarchy.
In advance of Bush's address, White House counselor Dan Bartlett said U.S. military operations have been "handcuffed by political interference by Iraqi leadership" — but now will proceed under rules allowing troops to confront Shiite militias as well as Sunni insurgents.
(snip)
The new Democratic leaders of Congress met with Bush and complained afterward that their opposition to a buildup had been ignored. "This is the third time we are going down this path. Two times this has not worked," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. "Why are they doing this now? That question remains."
Senate and House Democrats are arranging votes urging the president not to send more troops. While lacking the force of law, the measures would compel Republicans to go on record as either bucking the president or supporting an escalation.
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Carried live online by: C-span
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Sissy Chrissy just asked David Gregory why there are so many LEAKS about this speech tonight.
Gregory said he is "shocked"..and that it is so unusual for the White House to let so many LEAKS get out about a speech.
Now isn't this just the opposite of what we were told today...that the White House DOES release their speeches ahead of time to the press??
Sissy and David decided that the let the leaks out THIS time, to soften the blow to a public that is NOT GOING TO LIKE HIS MESSAGE.
BUMP
Simply a predetermined RESPONSE to an underestimated OUTCOME......
Thanks for this thread.
As always, thanks for the ping, Howlin.
Barnicle is on ranting about this being a "Republican War"...but, he is mostly angry with Hillary for NOT coming out against the war and Bush's new plan..
He said she may just be too into her campaign..LOL
Thad Cochran has come out FOR the Bush plan...so that is what 2 GOP Senators...McCain and Cochran??
Isn't that the truth. The evening news was nothing but, and President Bush is going to say........... I thought the same thing, why bother, we've already heard practically every word he will say.
And thanks Starwise for the Live Thread. Wish the President had access to it - he must wonder at times if people like ourselves are still out here. :o)
Any Presidential candidates stabbing the Pres in the back?
Not only must he mean it, he must have the will to succeed. And I agree, the jury is out.
Mitch McConnell also.
Bush was to acknowledge making major mistakes in Iraq,
I just heard this on Mark Levin. Please tell me it isn't so.
The Dems already tried that stunt
Brownback...IF the reports are correct. SInce the media seems mainly to be a deterrent to getting accurate information, their report that Brownback opposes this must be viewed with suspicion.
But let's go to the White House, to our correspondent there, Suzanne Malveaux, with a look ahead to what the president plans to tell the nation tonight -- Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, of course, President Bush has been preparing for this speech, going over, reading the TelePrompTer. This morning he reached out to Iraqi officials, Sunni, Kurd as well as Shiite, and also hosted the Democratic and Republican members of Congress here at the White House.
Democrats quite displeased with all this. They said they felt that they were a prop for a dress rehearsal. Essentially, we have heard and we've seen this situation before, a public relations campaign.
And the big question -- whether or not this is going to be another pep rally or really a successful policy?
Here's what we're expecting from the president, that first and foremost, he will acknowledge failure. He will talk about how the current strategy is not working, that mistakes were made, not enough U.S. or Iraqi forces.
He'll lay out the plan, therefore talking about this increase in troops -- more than 21,000 U.S. troops. That is five Army brigades, the first one leaving from Kuwait perhaps as recent as within a week or so, the others to follow in February and the following month; as well as 4,000 Marines to the Anbar Province. That is an al Qaeda stronghold.
Now, the cost of all of this -- you're not going to hear numbers from the president today, but we were told from a senior administration official $5.6 billion for the military operation. That, of course, being requested for this -- to the budget supplemental. And then a $1 billion jobs program to try to put the Iraqis back to work -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Suzanne, the Iraqi government of Nouri Al-Maliki, they really have to come through now in order to make this new Bush strategy work.
What are they saying? What are you hearing that the Iraqis have agreed to?
MALVEAUX: Well, what the Iraqis have agreed to is an increase in troops, three brigades. So you're talking about one going in in the beginning of February, two other brigades February 15th to join with U.S. forces, that they are now going to take the lead in Baghdad to, of course, try to secure the capital city.
We've also been told that the Iraqi prime minister, Nouri Al- Maliki, himself, has given reassurances to President Bush that the rules of engagement here with troops are going to change, that they are going to be open to travel any part of Iraq, including Sadr City, to go after those dangerous militia -- Wolf.
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0701/10/sitroom.01.html
Brownback
Regarding Brownback, this was another point Brit's panel made, that it didn't matter what the RATS thought of Bush's plan, he had to keep the Pubs on board and then they mentioned Brownback.
Please, won't you first listen to how the President explains it in his own words.??
I think he's going to say he didn't send in enough troops.
Thank you very much. As I read the names I wasn't surprised. I was disappointed to see Norm Coleman there though. I guess I didn't know him as well as I thought.
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