***Operation Iraqi Freedom - Situation Room - Day 19

R: Ranting about people who seem to know what will happen. Slap! Slap!

Q: Congress voting against funding pentagon rebuilding effort

R: Slap! Debating war plan they haven't read. Now debating restructuring plan they don't know anything about.

Q: You were opposed to cong. vote taking away funding from recon of Iraq.
R: We'll see. Money will be spent in the way the Pres. thinks is appropriate.

Q:Who are govts giving comfort to Saddam?
R: Two things fit category. 1. Supplied arms to Saddam.
2. (Countries keeping UN from appearing united - slapping France, Germany, Russia and China) Tended to tell people in the country "don't surrender"

Q: About moving WMD. To another country? Is there any evidence that weapons have been moved to another country?
A: No evidence

Q: Friendly fire. Anyone being held accountable or reprimanded or removed?
M: Central command will go through an investigation. If it wasn't a mistake that might apply. I'm not aware of that in any of these cases.

Q: Prescedent with Canadian problem.
M: Every occurance is different.

Q: When to declare victory?
R: Tough question. Later rather than sooner. Concluding war over would be inappropriate and misleading without much work. Doesn't hinge on Saddam.Must find people who can tell us where the WMD are. Not likely and early declaration. It's not for me to decide. GWB and Tony and other countries involved.

3,661 posted on 04/07/2003 11:39:36 AM PDT by Poser

If you click on the number right HERE:

3657 posted on 04/07/2003 2:38 PM EDT by Mrs.Liberty

It will put the right address in the ADDRESS box in IE and it's easy to bookmark.

3,662 posted on 04/07/2003 11:39:45 AM PDT by Howlin ("I do believe this city is freakin' ours." -- Capt. Chris Carter of Watkinsville Ga)

Well I am sure we planted them. </sarcasm>

3,663 posted on 04/07/2003 11:39:48 AM PDT by Mrs.Liberty

That's the same guy who asked the question that was WRONG!

3,664 posted on 04/07/2003 11:40:45 AM PDT by Howlin ("I do believe this city is freakin' ours." -- Capt. Chris Carter of Watkinsville Ga)

Rumsfeld.... Gen Franks will be in charge of the stabilization of the government... ? ? will you wait for victory or start before the end of the war? Rumsfeld... the process has already began...

3,665 posted on 04/07/2003 11:41:11 AM PDT by Cate ((LET FREEDOM RING!!!!))

Q: Stablization process?
R: Franks will see to Stabilization. Garner will see to non-security issues.

Q: Will you wait for victory to start process.
R: It has already started.

Q: Started
R: If we answered this they would think we were kidding when we said this was the last question. (walks off with Meyers)

Phew. Press conference over.

3,666 posted on 04/07/2003 11:42:01 AM PDT by Poser

Hahahahahahaha! Did you see that look as he closed his portfolio? (laughter off camera)

3,667 posted on 04/07/2003 11:42:11 AM PDT by Carolina

To: SandyInSeattle

"...I think I'll go to lunch. Grrr!"...

Sandy, if I lived in Seattle, I'd have to hurl my lunch! :-))

Mustang sends from "Malpaso" News.

3,668 posted on 04/07/2003 11:42:20 AM PDT by Mustang (Evil Thrives When Good People Do Nothing!)

Pentagon briefing - Mon. Apr. 7:

SOD Donald Rumsfeld and Gen. Richard Myers:

"The cirlce is closing and their options are running out. As his regime collapses around him..peoplea re asking where is he? We may not no where he is but do know he is not running Iraq."

UK forces control much of Basrah..they are performing well. We believe the reign of Cehm Ali has come to an end...despite the dire predictions...coalition forces have come a long way...there is danger..ahead...I want to remember those who (have sacrificed their lives...name scrolled behind him..We are deeply grateful for their sacrifices...Our prayers go out to their families and loved ones...(visited and thanked our wounded yesterday...is keeping our missing and captive in his prayers..)..

Contrasting regime bad treatment of others...by contrast, coalition forces have demonstrated their respect for the Iraqi people...humanitarian aid, opened schools...

"As the coalition makes progress, the Iraqi people are losing their fear ..let me assure all Iraqi people that life without Saddam is NOT a distant dream...we share your aspirations of an Iraq that is free of tyranny...will help....you will be needed to help build an Iraq..that is whole and free...

Fisher houses...funded by the Fisher Foundation...house servicemen and women...(someone from this family was killed)..

Gen. Myers:

More than 150 have been wounded in battle...I met some of these brave Americans yesterday...amazed at their bravery and strength...(visited Walter Reed Hospital)..Tony and Ann Fisher died last weekend in plane crash..we will miss (them) very much)..

Over 350,000 coalition forces in region, secured BD Airp., most of roads in and out of BD, 2 palaces, all but couple of enemy tanks destroyed...delivering humanit. aid...Iraqi citizens helping locate WMD possible sites, and bad guy sites...Still much work to be done..

Flown over 1000 sorties, over 750 Tomahowsm 18,000 Precision guided muni. used since begin. of war..

Pics:

2 strikes on home of Chem. Ali...first missed, second didn't -

Harrier targeting a rocket launcher on bridge -

Questions:

Re. chem weapons discovery - R: (good lecture re. embedded reporters) "We have to recognize that almost all first reports we get turn out to be wrong...I don't know how many of these things we've seen...dozens, and dozens...we don't do that., we don't do first reports, we don't speculate..it can take days. The prudent thing to do in a case like this is to let (it play out).

GM: "I know we were talking about some FROGs , short ranged missiles moved up to NE, not sure about the south.. (re. the west.)..we've done several site explorations...really focused hard on delivery means..

R: "The Iraqi people are going to sort out what the Iraqi gov. is going to look like..we've been working w/ Kurd. groups in the n. ...we've trained some folks, Iraqis, and brought them in to assist...there are also 4 Shia groups involved in various ways...there are 6,8, 10 activities going on on the part of Iraqis...that's a good thing...we appreciate it...there's no question but there are some that are doing that (engaged in combat)...

R: "I don't know how good the commun. is between Basrah and BD is right now...(out in good part of the country)...

R: "I have been told that there is a hemoraging of these articles...the short answer is...the Pres. has asked us to put in place an activity...Jay Garner...is the person that is helping us...currently in Kuwait...soon into Iraq...people from Ag. dept, etc.,etc., involved...beginning the process of ...helping...what do you do w/ agric. in Iraq..America along w/ other coalition helpers...the thought is that a number of those ministries could be put into Iraqi hands...not the defense dept..but a number of others...I think it's pretty well agreed and been decided..

Re. POW's: R: "They have executed POWs, I don't think I said AMERICAN POWS, there may have well been...but I'm not announcing that...(asks to have it checked...I don't have the names of any that we know with certain knowledge...have been exec. by Iraqis...know they have exec. a lot over the years..(after verification R:)."Your question was inacurrate, I said that they have executed POWs, Did not say AMERICAN",..

Re. the "tipping point" R: "No, I didn't say "tipping point"...(missed a good rant...about happening to individuals) "It's unlikely to happen simultaneously across country...at some point the aggregation of all of those individ. ..(will rise up ..)..

GM: "The command and control of the RG is at the point now that the most they can do is sporadic attacks from very small units...our forces have been very successful in destroying RG...the SRG, and irreg...that's questionable..it doesn not appear coherent...)we might see them) become tougher adversaries..that's quite likely".

R: "We don't know what that attack was..it's a matter under investigation (Russian convoy - I think)..

Re. reconstruction, some guy named Achmen Rebib or something..are we endorsing his leadersip? R:"I have not opined on that subject. I have not said a word...The Iraqi people are going to make these decisions. The Untied Atates is NOT going to oppose a governement on Iraq (good rant re. people still under terror in Iraq - and metal "cookie molds..people taking about the war plan that have never read it..."We've ween people debating a war plan they've never read..to debating (reconstrution) Int he last analysis it's the Presidents (decision) and whatever the Congress puts forward w/ money....In the last analysis it doesn't matter what pocket's its in..it will be spent the way the President (wants.)...

Re. bad things countries did (check transcript for question): R: "There are two things that have happened that would fit that category...countries supplying Iraq w/ military capabilitie we wish they didn't ahve, hte second: our goal has been to not have a war..which is why the PRes. wpent months in the UN...issued ultimatum..during that period and evenerecently...I have felt that we would all be better off the sooner it ends...to the extent that there were people behaving in a way that said (Saddam had choices...made it more difficult for us)...

Re. FF incidents, have we reprimanded anyone GM: "CENTCOM is handling that. If they can determine that it was not a mistake...some other motivation..that would apply...I'm not aware of that...Every circumstance is different. They've got to go through the investigation..

Re. when will we declare victory? R: "That's a tough question. My guess is that it would be later rather than sooner...(first) it's a big country...the idea that you could conclude the kinetic aspects were over w/o doing (careful checking of whole country)...second, I don't think it would hinge on Saddam Hussein...(at that point when coalition forces can move around safely, people can resume lives, )...it takes a little bit of time...unlikely that there will be an early, declaration of that. It's not for me to decide. That would be up to the President and PM Blair...

R: "Gen. Franks is there to do the stabilization." (good rant here, I missed)..(process under Garner...has already started."

3,669 posted on 04/07/2003 11:42:21 AM PDT by Ragtime Cowgirl ("The regime in Iraq is now learning that we keep our word." - Pres. George W. Bush)

I want to give Torie Clarke a Medal for thinking up the embedded reporter idea.

I'm moving Helen out of my line of fire because she's so pathetic no one pays attention to her. I've replaced her with Campbell Brown.

3,670 posted on 04/07/2003 11:42:25 AM PDT by Fracas

I will go along with you on Campbell Brown. Blech!

3,671 posted on 04/07/2003 11:43:23 AM PDT by Miss Marple

Anything else to add to the list?

Benedict Arnett: Now reporting for NO-TV

Achmed The-Tool-Man Taylor--- AKA Achmed Villa:
Host of This Old Goat Barn---and his sidekick, Norm. These humble men started out as roof sweepers, graduated to carpenters and, before it was over, were smacking Pretty Boy and 3-BagCam Lady around on the roof of the Palestine Hotel.

Dr. Bob Alerts!

David Bloom, Rest in Peace.

I'll think of some more later.

3,672 posted on 04/07/2003 11:44:00 AM PDT by Timeout (...an angel still rides in the whirlwind and directs this storm--GWB inaugural address)

To: Anomaly in Illinois

Inert Chemical Ali? >>

Or Traces of Chemical Ali

3,673 posted on 04/07/2003 11:44:07 AM PDT by GeorgiaYankee (Note to SNL: Bring back John Lovitz to play Baghdad Bob!)

Who was Achmed Vila? I never got hold of that one.

3,674 posted on 04/07/2003 11:45:33 AM PDT by AppyPappy (Caesar si viveret, ad remum dareris.)

To: GeorgiaYankee

Chemical Ali - Reagent of Destruction.

3,675 posted on 04/07/2003 11:45:57 AM PDT by Consort

German foreign minister supports regime change in Iraq in clear turnaround

"The United Nations must remain in the driver's seat," Fischer's spokesman Walter Lindner said earlier.

3,676 posted on 04/07/2003 11:46:08 AM PDT by Mo1 (Can I ask the media stupid questions?)

She sets my teeth on edge. She's a female 'fake sweet' version of Chris Matthews. Rude and not nearly as smart as she wants us to think.

Did you think the reporters were running out of steam today? They seemed a little subdued...perhaps because there's no quagmire? Perhaps because we're in downtown Baghdad? Heh he heh.

3,677 posted on 04/07/2003 11:47:59 AM PDT by Fracas

3,678 posted on 04/07/2003 11:48:09 AM PDT by Sacajaweau (God Bless Our Troops!)

To: Timeout; Ragtime Cowgirl

Sky Anchor basically accused pentagon of propaganda regarding Myers showing the video of redirected missile. He said, "Take it with a grain of salt when a missile hit a house in a residential section that killed 14 members of a family."

Military analyst Will Owen said, "I doubt that the Pentagon staged this event."

ARGGGGGHHHHH!

news@sky.com

3,679 posted on 04/07/2003 11:48:26 AM PDT by Carolina

Farik Sinatra back on stage. He's a busy man tonight.

"Coommmmeeee ooonnnn AlllAAAAAhhhh. SssEEEEvvvvEEEEnnnn come Ellleeevvven. Baabbbyyyy nnEEEEEddss nnneewww SHHOOOEESSS! BOXCARS!"

3,680 posted on 04/07/2003 11:48:41 AM PDT by AppyPappy (Caesar si viveret, ad remum dareris.)

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