US News
Bush blasts Democrats over Iraq funding
Apr 3, 2007, 18:42 GMT
President George W Bush EPA/BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI - POOL
Washington - US President George W Bush on Tuesday accused congressional Democrats of being 'irresponsible' for attaching withdrawal dates to spending measures for the war in Iraq and said he plans to quickly veto the legislation.
'Democrat leaders in Congress seem more interested in fighting political battles in Washington than providing our troops what they need to fight the battles in Iraq,' Bush said at a White House press conference that took place while lawmakers were on spring recess.
The Senate passed a spending bill calling on Bush to remove US troops from Iraq by April 2008, while the House set a September 2008 deadline. Bush said he opposes 'setting an arbitrary deadline' for a withdrawal and warned that money could soon begin running out.
'If Democrat leaders in Congress are bent on making a political statement, then they need to send me this unacceptable bill as quickly as possible when they come back,' Bush said. 'I'll veto it and then Congress can get down to the business of funding our troops without strings and without delay.'
Since taking control of Congress following the November elections, the Democrats have sought to assert control over the conflict in Iraq by threatening to withhold funding and pressuring Bush to begin gradual reductions of US troops.
Bush instead ordered an increase of more than 21,000 US soldiers to Iraq and has urged lawmakers and the public to give his plan a chance to turn around the unpopular war.
'The reinforcements we've sent to Baghdad are having an impact. They're making a difference,' Bush said. 'And as more of those reinforcements arrive in the months ahead, their impact will continue to grow.'
Bush addressed comments by a former aide who in an interview with The New York Times said he had lost faith in the president and argued that US troops should be removed from Iraq.
'If the American public says they're done with something, our leaders have to understand what they want. They're saying, 'Get out of Iraq',' said Matthew Dowd, a key strategist in Bush's 2004 re- election campaign.
Dowd raised concerns about Bush's style of governing and admitted part of his feeling about Iraq are connected to his son's deployment there.
Bush said he understands that Dowd and others are worried about the conflict in Iraq. 'Matthew's case, as I understand it, is obviously intensified because his son is deployable,' Bush said.
'But I also hope that people will take a sober look at the consequences of failure in Iraq,' he added.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-AgenturCOMMENT
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Older Talkback
page: 1
Now I've heard everything. And to think it's even in the Consititution!
Talk about a failure in Iraq.......it was a 'failure' to be there in the first place. Two wrongs don't make a right.......we need to get those troops out of there - now!! If W wants to do something in Iraq, tell the private sector to go over and rebuild if they want to, but don't risk anymore lives of the troops. More troops and more money will not change anything - period!!
W says that more troops are making a difference - then why are more troops and Iraqis getting slaughtered all the time??
''But I also hope that people will take a sober look at the consequences of failure in Iraq,' he added.'
Mr. Bush should have said the same thing to HIMSELF before he started this unecessary, unrelated to 9/11, hyped-up, over-sold, fear mongering mess in 2003!!!!
They never will. If the dems want them to leave, why not just leave now? Why not have the debate and bring up a vote? Spare the dead of 2007/8?
Because they know that 60% of the American public still want a success in Iraq. By doing that, they would be admitting defeat and it would show in 08.
So, instead of standing up, they are willing to play the same game that got us there, voting for it, before voting against it.
SP4, you really do need to get your information from someone other than Rush Limbaugh ... your endless repetition of his false spin makes you look like a complete fool.
First off, more than 60% of US citizens want us OUT of Iraq ... that's the reality. (you make it sound as if they want us there ... more distortions from you) And please, tell us the name of anyone who HAS SAID they want defeat. (not someone who's words you twist, in your false assumptions of what they say ... I mean they're ACTUAL WORDS.)
Second, I'm so tired of uninformed people like you doing the 'Karl Rove Sit-N-Spin' with Kerry's quote. If you had taken the time to learn the FULL quote of what Kerry said you'd know he essentially said 'I voted for it before I voted against it, BECAUSE IT DIDN'T INCLUDE ANY WAY TO GAURANTEE THAT THE MONEY WOULD BE PROPERLY SPENT FOR RECONSTRUCTION IN IRAQ' (in other words... it didn't gaurantee that it wouldn't be taken by corrupt individuals ... which is EXACTLY what happened ... google the lost billions in Iraq!)
You talk about standing up ... when all you do is LAY DOWN for this fool of a president.
SP4 ? Is that 'Spokesman 4 Bush'.
I reckon he gets paid.
I completely agree with everything 'As usual SP4 doesn't know what he is talking about'! And I am in total agreement with anyone who recognizes Rush Limbaugh for the egotistical, motor-mouth that he is!!
I am totally anti-bush,cheney,neocon war mongers and I am against this illegal war.
I was pleased to see the Dems do well in your last election but they dont seem to us in the rest of the world to be doing enough to stop the war. They could have Bush Cheney and the rest of their croanies in jail by now if they wanted.
My biggest fear is that they are just taking it easy so the presidential election
will be a walkover without having to win on their own merrit.
If this is the case and they will let another eighteen months of this slaughter go on to win an election, then I'm afraid that they are as bad as Bush.
Please Democrats show some balls and impeach this chimp and his demonic little side kick.
Oh yeah, HONEST!
Think of Bush like Lyndon Johnson. The dems want to back out, but won't just come out and say it. They want this to go away without LOOKING like THEY did it!
Too bad, too, because they would either benefit greatly, or get hurt, greatly. Why do that when the slimy thing is safer.
If you want to know how men dissent on a war, go study Senator Hatfield(R). You stand up...and this is the part where you bitches need to listen..AT THE BEGINING, and speak out.
He's just not the type to vote for it before he voted against it.
re: your comment ... 'you bitches need to listen..AT THE BEGINING, and speak out.'
We did speak out BEFORE we ever went into Iraq!!!
It was your Bush buddies, in their militaristic arrogance who DIDN'T listen.
And it was idiots LIKE YOU who called us 'traitors' for saying we had no justification for starting this damned war with Iraq.
Yeah buddy, you talk about listening. Maybe one day you'll hear your own words, but I doubt it.
I support the troops l00% - just not the battle they were sent in to.
Granted, as so many people mention, they are in the service by choice, but they probably thought they would be called to defend our country, and as far as the guards, they thought they would be called to disasters. NOT sent to a country under false pretences to be caught in the middle of a civil/ religious 'war'!!! The permanent injuries these service men and women have suffered is heartbreaking not to mention the families suffering the loss of a loved one. This has got to stop!!!
Then, they voted FOR it, before they voted against it.
Pick a side.
The Iranian crisis proves that consistent responses and real action by all parties toward a common end can produce real results. A pity the world community couldn't see the value of this in Iraq. Once the Americans leave, they will wish that they had.
Are you that damned slow SP4?
Are you that unable to read and comprehend?
Nobody can be that stupid ... You're playin, right?
Read my posts ... I think it's pretty clear I picked a side long before your dangerous, imbicile Bush of a president started this unnecessary, unjustified, destabilizing war out of his fear that they 'might have something, that they may use someday, maybe if they have them' (and of course they didn't have them).
Idiots like you have supported this war out of fear.
Scared little boy that you are.
I have the perfect answer - send 'W' to Iraq and let him be president there!!
page: 1
hankApr 3rd, 2007 - 19:11:22
common practice for a mad man
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