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 ...
"Russert saying GOPers will cross over to defeat this new strategy."
Russert is still trying to get his story straight for Fitzgerald ;)
This was not the State of the Union!
I'm seeing that the MSM isn't carrying Durbin.
Durbin wrote this back in november when the president first announced this
BTW: DOES EVERYONE NOTICE HOW Wesly Clark is M.I.A. Hilary Clinton is M.I.A. Jimmy Carter is M.I.A.
Sam Brownback from KS just came out against the plan and he thinks he is running for President. Now I wish I had walked out of his speech to OK GOP banquet earlier this year when I didn't agree with him on national security.
I agree. A somber President made that statement, multiple times warning of difficulties ahead.
Yes and he has useful idiots like Brownback, Hagel, Snowe, that idiot from Pa. and Norm Coleman who think they can as well. Weak kneed bastards.
Missed it, had to get son from work, but I did tape it and will watch later.
Was it really a homerun??? Did he piss off alot of dems tonight?
Chris Matthews calling off the names of the GOP members who won't support the president.
I would also hate to be an al Qaeda dead ender in Anbar province right about now. Time's up.
Presser just ended .. said it's about time that the President tells the Iraqi PM to take a stand
Thank God...that helps.
The shorter the speech, the less likely Durbin breaks out in tears. Smart move.
That's weird. I just checked back on FNC and Brit is still on with no sign of Shep. I can't figure it out, freema.
Obama's on CCN
I thought it was a good speech.
It had me sold.
I was so fed up I was at the point of saying it is time to start withdrawing by summer, but this has convinced me.
It is clear Bush is not playing around...Iraq has got to present results or we are gone and they can clean up their own mess.
I like his plan.
The delivery was amazingly poor. Bush exuded demoralization to my mind. Bush is just too slow to react to events, IMO. Has Lincoln once said about a Union general, he has a case of the slows.
Recently it seems like he's been residing up Osama Obama's rectum....
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