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 ...
I hear someone knocking on Mookie Sadrs door...
May God bless and keep her and comfort you and your family.
Why didn't this happen before the elections?
KILL PEOPLE AND BREAK THINGS, please.
YES!!!!
LOL...funny on many levels
What a miracle, the networks are showing a speech by President Bush!
I always find the most "clean" and reliable sound for all speeches on CSPAN.
Fox was late...not the POTUS.
5 brigades to Baghdad!
Howdy pal...
I'm here now!
I wonder if the explanation President Bush gave of the potential consequences of letting this violence continue was simple enough for the "Cut-and-Run Crowd" to understand?
Green Zone chow halls are going to be CROWDED. ;-)
ok...I've got to quit getting depressed....I haven't heard anything about kicking ass yet...
Same here, except it was Katie.
I don't know..perhaps because events didn't work out that way, ya think?
here are seven different levels you have to think through before you can fire your weapon - and that's under battlefield conditions.
"Our military can't fire their weapons on the enemy. We virtually can only return fire when we see someone shooting at us, and that may be too late. That's not how you fight a war." .
"Change of strategy? People have to realize that the Iraqis, on any side after thousands of years of violence, only respect the guy with the biggest gun," Danny was saying.
"Wouldn't it be nice if we really went into Sadr City and cleaned it out. Then those guys in there would be saying to themselves, 'These guys mean business.'
"Trouble is a lot of our guys can't really give it everything they got even though they want to because they're worried about ending up in Leavenworth.
"You have to let the military do their job."
Are you listening, President Bush?
USE OUR HIGH TECH INDUSTRY AND OUR HEROIC YOUTH, AND TAKE OFF THE GLOVES.
You're right --- thanks!
Or like my husband is fond of saying, WARHEADS ON FOREHEADS!
We don't need a "kick ass" speech. The terrorists are not worthy of that.
A measured clearly stated statemnt of why and how is what we need. That is exactly what Bush is doing.
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It's a new year and new folks are in charge in this week's Political Tidbits.
First, I wrote the speech that Bush SHOULD be giving tonight. I'm sure mine is better than his.
So Cindy Sheehan is giving the DEMS a hard time, heh.
Also, Joe Biden's crazy comments, the Kerry's weird Christmas card and an update on presidential candidate pretty boy, John Edwards.
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