Posted on 12/07/2006 6:56:01 PM PST by blam
Bush and Blair refuse to move over Iraq
By Toby Harnden
Last Updated: 2:13am GMT 08/12/2006
A defiant and at times prickly President George W Bush stood alongside Tony Blair yesterday and rejected key elements of a major report on the war in Iraq, while vowing: "We will help a young democracy prevail."
President George W Bush stood alongside Tony Blair yesterday and rejected key elements of a major report on the war in Iraq
Mr Bush insisted on the need to be "flexible and realistic" and to change troop levels only on the advice of military commanders, who have made it clear that they do not want forces to be drawn down yet.
He repeatedly spoke of the importance of a Pentagon review yet to be completed and said the findings of Iraq Study Group, had not expected all its recommendations to be accepted. Instead, he "would pay close attention and would seriously consider every recommendation".
Both men spoke of the need for a "new way forward" in Iraq but remained adamant that their decision to topple Saddam Hussein and attempt to establish democracy would be vindicated by history.
"It's a noble mission, and it's the right mission," said Mr Blair. "And it's important for our world that it succeeds."
Mr Bush stressed his determination to achieve "victory" in Iraq while Mr Blair highlighted the necessity of the Middle East enjoying "freedom and democracy".
The two leaders were holding White House talks the day after the release of the devastatingly blunt report that described the situation in Iraq as "grave and deteriorating", called for a major Middle East peace initiative and said that US combat troops should leave Iraq within 15 months.
Mr Blair announced he would travel to the Middle East "soon" to attempt to hasten a deal between Israel and the Palestinians, a central aspiration of the study group, led by James Baker, US secretary of state under Mr Bush's father. Mr Blair said that the people of the Middle East were now facing a choice between democracy and dictatorship.
"This is not a view that we hold – I hold – because of idealism alone, it is because I also believe that the only realistic path to security is by ensuring the spread of liberty," he said.
Tony Blair: ‘The only path to security is by ensuring the spread of liberty’
"The issue for me is not a question of being unwilling to sit down with people or not, but the basis upon which we discuss on Iraq has got to be clear."
Downing Street officials emphasised that Britain already had diplomatic relations with both countries and would not hesitate to talk to them about Iraq.
Mr Bush bristled at suggestions that he was burying his head in the sand and ignoring the damning assessment – which Mr Blair described as "not really in dispute" – of his Iraq policy delivered by Mr Baker and his colleagues.
He revised his description of the situation as merely "unsettling" when challenged by reporters.
"It's bad in Iraq. That help?" he shot back fiercely. "You want frankness? I thought we would succeed quicker than we did. And I am disappointed by the pace of success."
Although he described the report as "very important", he said that the mere fact of his having read it signified this.
"Some reports are issued and just gather dust, and the truth of the matter is a lot of reports in Washington are never read by anybody.
"To show you how important this one is, I read it and our guest read it. The prime minister read a report prepared by a commission. And this is important."
Speaking on the 65th anniversary of the Pearl Harbour attack, Mr Bush said that any attempt to retreat from Iraq would haunt generations of Americans to come.
"In that war, our nation stood firm. And there were difficult moments during that war, yet the leaders of our two nations never lost faith in the capacity to prevail. We will stand firm again in this first war of the 21st century."
The liberal media is having a big let down again.
God bless him, and continue to give him the strength that it will take to fight the enemy abroad, and the enemy within.
I think 10 but go to this site for more info.
Get your barf bag first.
http://www.usip.org/isg/members.html
It's like getting the town council of Nuevo Laredo, Mexico to build the next space shuttle.
The anti-war rhetoric is a sop to the moonbats.
Amen to that.
The Iraq Study Group Report is on life support. Quick, MSM to the rescue!
Exactly. They are very angry because they are not part of making history now.
Everything the democrats do is a lie. The only reason they voted for the war in the first place is so they could stand on top of the bodies and campaign.
Just the problem, when they ought to be kicking ass big time. The US military is a killing machine and I think we should be about it.
Quick quiz: Who would you trust with your country - Blair and Bush, or the folks in the Iraq Study Group?
Thank You for that Post - I've been sort of depressed the last couple of days - The Freepers posting the replies make me feel much encouraged on this issue. The President and Blair have encouraged me today.
Now that we know the Democrats and the old Gulf War 1 has-beens really do not have a clue, GWB can retool, regroup and reform the Middle East.
We are just in the beginning stages of the Islamic Fascist World War. Obviously it is not a Cold War. Eventually the enemy should become well known and should become well defined.
We should however expect the moonbats to draw up articles of impeachment if GWB does not follow the Bakers Dozen plan. At the very least the Dimwits and Surrender Now crowd will use the fact that the recommendations were ignored or not implemented fully as their campaign platform in 2008.
It is very possible that the democrats will impeach the President because he is not going to follow the surrender term in the Iraq Study Group. However the President is ready for them, they will be defeated.
The Diabolical Duo. I love this!
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