[LordOpie]

Changleen...

WASHINGTON, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President George W. Bush said Wednesday that he would not be rushed into making a "difficult decision" on a new policy on Iraq, saying he would present his plan after "a long deliberation."

Bush said he was listening to a lot of advice to develop a strategy to succeed in Iraq, and he would deliver his plan after "a long deliberation, after steady deliberation."

The White House initially suggested that Bush would present his new Iraq strategy before Christmas, but the speech had been delayed until early next year.

"I'm not going to be rushed into making a difficult decision," the president told reporters after a meeting at the Pentagon with Vice President Dick Cheney, outgoing Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Joint Chiefs of Staff Peter Pace and other military leaders.

He said he wanted the incoming defense secretary, Robert Gates, who was scheduled to be sworn in next Monday, to help develop the new policy. "I also want the new Secretary of Defense to have time to evaluate the situation, so he can provide serious and deliberate advice to me," he said.

Bush said they talked about a new way forward in Iraq, and to help the Iraqi government confront and defeat the enemies.

"I am listening to a lot of advice to develop a strategy to help you succeed," he said.

The United States was committed to a "strategic goal of a free Iraq that is democratic, that can govern itself, defend itself and sustain itself and be a strong ally in this war against radicals and extremists," he said.

Bush said he rejected ideas that would lead to defeat, such as "leaving before the job is done" and "not helping this government take the necessary and hard steps to be able to do its job."

He admitted that the military could not achieve the goal in Iraq alone, and to succeed in Iraq, an effective political strategy was needed.

Earlier this week, Bush went to the State Department, met with outside experts on Iraq, talked with Iraqi officials and held discussions with U.S. filed commanders, to prepare for his new strategy on Iraq.

So is he admitting that he didn't have a plan or that his first one failed?

And it's funny that he won't be rushed into making a decision on how and when to pull out of Iraq, but he was ok with rushing in?

<insert something about fools rushing in...>


dhracist, you have several questions asked in various threads* that you haven't answered, failure to address them means you have no answer and that you suck at life

* like you claimed the kids in NY were criminals or your bizarre Ward Churchill claim.

 

[ohio]

How does the press let him get away with saying absolutely nothing every time he opens his mouth?

 

[LordOpie]

How does the press let him get away with saying absolutely nothing every time he opens his mouth?

I believe he has threatened to expel reporters from press conferences if they challenge him too much.

Hence the scandals behind his scripted 'impromtu' interviews and planting 'reporters' to lob softballs.

 

[Changleen]

Changleen...

So is he admitting that he didn't have a plan or that his first one failed?

I think it is clear he currently has no plan even if he chooses not to actually come out and say it.

I also think it is kind of pathetic that he cannot listen to the study group in the first place. It seems like he is basically talking to the same people they already talked to with the hope of getting an answer he likes better. Great. In the mean time more Americans and Iraqis die while he dithers.

Similarly whilst it is obvious that the original 'plan' (which as I understand basically ran along the lines of 1) Invade 2) Capture Saddam 3) Receive glorious accolades 4) Turn Iraq into 51st state) has utterly failed, he'll never admit that, he'll spin it as 'a change of direction' or something. Everyone with their own brain can see the truth though, can't they?

As my technology teacher used to say: Perfect planning prevents pathetic performance. In this case the 'planning' was clearly done by people who were less interested in reality than their own agenda. Rummy has a history of lies and BS - see the cold war era for many great examples.

The other way you might look at this is that f*cking up Iraq like this was the plan, the neo-cons knew what would happen (despite their public stance) and Bush was simply 'used' to make this happen. Once the region descends into chaos it gives the US more of an excuse to simply to taker over. Bush's current dithering is simply allowing the sectarian rivalries in Iraq more time to get really out of hand. I hope that isn't right though.

And it's funny that he won't be rushed into making a decision on how and when to pull out of Iraq, but he was ok with rushing in?

<insert something about fools rushing in...>

Well, I think that the 'planning' that was done by the neo-cons before the fact was obviously crap, but they did have 'planning' of sorts. The fact that Bush was unable to realise the 'plan' he was presented with was a farce is a pretty damning indictment of him, and I guess could be seen as equivalent or worse of just running in.

 

[Changleen]

How does the press let him get away with saying absolutely nothing every time he opens his mouth?

This really pisses me off too.

 

[MMike]

As said above, he's going to keep asking the question until someone gives him the answer he wants.

 

[narlus]

How does the press let him get away with saying absolutely nothing every time he opens his mouth?

N8's mentor at work.

 

[Silver]

How does the press let him get away with saying absolutely nothing every time he opens his mouth?

Gay hookers instead of actual reporters?

I'm sorry, that was a cheap shot. It was only once...