Rumsfeld says US ready for war in Iraq without Great Britain

AFP via Babelfish translation ^ | March 11, 2003

[RummyChick]

someone saying radio is reporting that bush has extended deadline to end of march

FNC says we were considering it

[ClancyJ]

I am getting glimmers that Bush too is waffling. Seems I heard on the news of a local unit that had been called up but there was now a delay. May not have heard correctly.

Maybe we will start seeing talk of other critical needs in the world - N. Korea, Iran. The exact determination of direction is to be reviewed. Which means - hey, wait a minute. Looks like I will take the fall for the whole world on any action here. Not a chance of being re-elected. Guess will have to shelve this little spat for the time being while we study the other areas posing a more imminent threat.

Don't mean to be pessimistic but if we were talking of a party here and all the potential attendees starting wanting to put it off, have conditions on what is involved, delay it - we would see the writing on the wall and realize that this party was a non-starter. War does not compare to a party - but the signs are the signs.

[Consort]

Was this engineered to give Blair an out without losing face?

[RummyChick]

this waiting is going to harm our troops

they have to deal with chemical suits to protect them..what is that going to be like in the heat?


fnc saying walls are being torn down on kuwait border

[ProudArmyWife]

I know what you mean. My husband came down on orders for the middle east in January. He still hasnt left yet, but they have taken away their cars, packed everything in their rooms. So they sit there and think and think and think.

[jerseygirl]

I agree with you. Another delay of 10 days will not provide the support Blair wants/(needs). In fact, IMO it will make the situation even worse politically, but even more important than that, militarily. Unless we are waiting on Turkey, I can envision a delay only hurting our troops.

[Cap Huff]

That makes a difference. Nine plus veto could be a go. I just would not trust France not to veto and then throw a wrnech in the works at the end.

[jerseygirl]

IMO, forget the 17th, 27th, April, whatever. A decision needs to be made now.

[MNlurker]

I have been preaching patience to myself on the resolution issue, but even I am starting to think this is getting ridiculous.

I am merely an average citizen who tries to stay as informed as possible and cannot claim to know what's best compared to our president and war staff.

But sooner or later as the saying goes around here "SH!T OR GET OFF THE POT."

I trust W.'s LEADERSHIP, but this continuous delay for cover for our UN allies doesn't show me much of that quality.

I guess I'll just stay frusturated.

[PhiKapMom]

I am with you! I think this delay is wrong!

[carton253]

Do not blame this on Tony Blair... He has fought tooth and nail...was the 1st to stand beside us after 9/11... He is still fighting and clawing to stand with us now. His position was a non-starter in the Parliament when he began, and he's come so far all on his courage and grit.

Tony Blair deserves better than this from us.

He risked his political career to fight this war on terror... and this is what he gets... scorn!

[Truth29]

Regarding the Drudge Report, you might check for a problem with your ISP. I have not had any problem with frequent visits to the DR today.

[Keith]

This is actually quite smart. If the resolution had passed, it would have prevented action until March 17th, right?

Now the resolution will say March 27, and France will veto, but we should get 8 to nine votes. So we will have the majority, and France will have to veto, and we start the bombing within minutes of the vetoed vote. Which should be Thursday or Friday, a few days EARLIER than if the previous resolution had passed.

So why are Freepers complaining? Seems like pretty good strategery to me...

[piasa]

The past week maybe, but not the past 3 or 4. The 101st has just been settling in place, not sure if all of it is there even now.

[Cap Huff]

I said something similar in post 28, but I'd stop short of calling it smart. It is a big risk, but it might work.

[RummyChick]

time in suits limited? Yeah, when they get sprayed with sarin gas or anthrax or whatever Saddam has cooked up how is that time limit going to work?

This is a screwed up situation and I am getting royally pissed because it is jeopardising the troops in so many different ways.

[Truth29]

Good thought, but the vote probably won't happen that way. The 6 undecided members of the SC have asked for an additional 45 days. If they don't get their request granted, most of them will probably vote against the US.

[piasa]

There was also a launch yesterday of a military satellite. We may have been waiting to get that bird up there, too. And the test of the MOAB today, although I suspect that was already tested a week ago since folks up that way described something much more impressive than today's blast.