Posted on 01/13/2007 11:15:33 AM PST by West Coast Conservative
The president concedes that his decisions have led to more instability in Iraq. President Bush made the admission in an exclusive interview with Scott Pelley at Camp David yesterday (12), his first interview since addressing the nation about Iraq. It will be broadcast on 60 MINUTES Sunday, Jan. 14 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.
The president says the current sectarian violence in Iraq, is a destabilizing factor that "could lead to attacks here in America" and must be controlled. He defended his decision to invade Iraq in the same way, saying Saddam was competing with Iran to get a nuclear weapon and making the region unstable. But when pressed by Pelley, Bush concedes that conditions in Iraq are much worse now.
Pelley: But wasn't it your administration that created the instability in Iraq? Bush: "Our administration took care of a source of instability in Iraq. Envision a world in which Saddam Hussein was rushing for a nuclear weapon to compete against Iran... He was a significant source of instability. Pelley: It's much more unstable now, Mr. President. Bush: Well, no question, decisions have made things unstable.
"I think history is going to look back and see a lot of ways we could have done things better. No question about it," says Bush.
Toppling Saddam was not a mistake, however. "My decision to remove Saddam Hussein was the correct decision in my judgment. We didn't find the weapons we thought we would find or the weapons everybody thought he had. But he was a significant source of instability," Bush tells Pelley. "We liberated that country from a tyrant. I think the Iraqi people owe the American people a huge debt of gratitude and I believe most Iraqi's express that."
The execution of Saddam was mishandled, says the president, who saw only parts of it on the Internet because he didn't want to watch the dictator fall through the trap door. "I thought it was discouraging... It's important that that chapter of Iraqi history be closed. [But] They could have handled it a lot better."
Hmmm. Maybe it's me, but it seems he was saying Saddam was a source of instability and I don't see those where the words in the title came out of his mouth.
Oh crap! I do wish the president hadn't said this. He has NOTHING to apologize for. What I'd prefer he do is go after his accusers who have lied about all sorts of things and the administration has maintained radio silence.
How about 3000 dead Americans and deficit spending?
"I think the Iraqi people owe the American people a huge debt of gratitude and I believe most Iraqi's express that."
Doubtful. Most of them are medeval barbarians who are only interested in satiating their blood lusts.
Bush is right about Saddam as well as many mistakes being made. Those mistakes can be fixed and I believe will be now that the gloves are off as far as coddling Sadr and Al-Maliki.
Of course. The question isn't that deep.
That's because Saddam was given the perfect opportunity to get those things outta Dodge while we were screwing around with the UN in the months leading up to the war.
3,000 dead volunteer military men and women who believe in their mission and you're whining? THEY aren't whining about their mission and how hard it is, but armchair military wannabe freepers sure are.
There's never been a war fought with fewer casualties. Ever.
As far as the deficit, it's down substantially and if you'd educate yourself and listen to Wall Street analysts for just 5 minutes a day, you'd hear that most are entirely concerned about the deficit. Compared to GDP, it's at nearly historic lows.
Ignorance on parade...again.
Maybe the Iraq is more unstable. But the Kurds are probably happy. The Shias in and around Basra are probably happy.
The Shia and Sunnis in and around Bagdad are doing what they have always done, kill each other. Before Saddam had his army but even they did not wipe out Sadr City, although a few attempts were made.
The biggest change since Saddam was ousted is that the Media has more access to information inside Iraq and can report it as they see fit.
This is different than when CNN was in Bagdad and reported the news as Saddam saw fit.
Always "Darkest before the Dawn"!
Bush: Well, no question, decisions have made things unstable.
"I think history is going to look back and see a lot of ways we could have done things better. No question about it," says Bush.
sw
ahh.. ahem...
Do you really think President Bush should not apologize for the 3,000 Americans who died in Iraq and the deficit spending that occurred under his pen in the past 6 years?
Your point is taken. IMO one of the biggest mistakes Bush made was in insisting Islam is a religion of peace. Along with the US invasion force should have been 50,000 Christian missionaries. That's the way you change hearts and minds.
Why in the heck isn't the public reminded about the satellite video that Colin Powell showed the UN and the world with those convoys of trucks leaving known WMD sites in Iraq and headed to Syria?
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