America turns on Bush over Iraq

Three in five want troops out as President vows to stay

By Rupert Cornwell in Washington

 

 

25 June 2005

 

Beset by fading public support for the war and growing violence on the ground, President George Bush flatly rejected any timetable for troop withdrawal from Iraq, vowing the United States would stay until the insurgency was defeated and democracy had been established.

 

"This is a time of testing, a critical time," Mr Bush acknowledged yesterday after a meeting at the White House with Ibrahim al-Jaafari, the Iraqi Prime Minister. The insurgents "feel that if they can shake our will and affect our public opinion, we'll give up on the mission. But I'm not giving up the mission, we're doing the right thing". The President was speaking amid unprecedented challenges to his whole Iraq policy. A week of carnage in that country was capped by news that six marines were killed on Thursday in the former rebel stronghold of Fallujah, lifting the total American death toll in Iraq to a total of 1,730.

 

Several victims were believed to be female marines. The Pentagon said they died when a suicide car bomber exploded his vehicle as a US military convoy was passing. The attack is the 479th recorded car bombing since the handover of sovereignty on 28 June 2004. Even more serious is the ebbing support on the home front. Polls show a majority of Americans believe the March 2003 invasion to topple Saddam Hussein was a mistake. Some 60 per cent now favour a troop pullout, while Mr Bush's approval rating has tumbled to little more than 40 per cent, the lowest of any second-term president since Richard Nixon in the throes of Watergate.

 

Tense Congressional hearings moreover laid bare this week the growing divide between the sombre assessments of the situation from US commanders on the ground, and the resolutely optimistic picture painted by the civilian leadership - notably the recent assertion by Dick Cheney, the Vice-President, that the insurgency was "in its last throes". In a bid to rally public support, Mr Bush will deliver a televised address on Iraq when he visits the army base at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

 

Despite appearances, progress was being made, the President insisted. At every major step, from January's elections to the agreement to bring more Sunnis into the constitution-writing process, "the Iraqi people have met their strategic objectives". The way ahead would not be easy, and US and Iraqiforces were facing "a violent and ruthless enemy", Mr Bush said.

 

Mr Jaafari sounded equally determined, arguing against any withdrawal timetable for US troops. He spoke of "steady and substantial progress", adding that the constitution would be completed on scheduled and "there is a will in Iraq to succeed". For all the brave talk, however, the spectre of Vietnam is stirring. In terms of duration and casualties, the two conflicts are hardly comparable - the Vietnam war lasted a decade, and claimed 58,000 US lives, while fewer than 2,000 American troops have died in Iraq since the invasion two years ago.

 

But the similarities in the national mood are hard to ignore. The word "quagmire" has returned to the debate - Mr Bush even made a joking reference to it yesterday, when asked by a journalist about his declining popularity and political difficulties.

 

More serious is a decline in public support for the war, which proved fatal to the Vietnam enterprise three decades ago. Republicans and Democrats are complaining that the administration has no credible plan for victory, while General John Abizaid, the commander of US forces in Iraq, has voiced the military's alarm over the public mood.

 

Troops in Iraq were becoming aware of the decline in enthusiasm for the war at home, General Abizaid told a Congressional hearing, and the troops were asking him "whether or not they've got support from the American people". While confidence among soldiers in the field was high, "I've never seen the lack of confidence greater" among politicians in Washington.

 

Speaking of his native South Carolina, Senator Lindsay Graham told General Abizaid that "in the most patriotic state I can imagine, people are beginning to question ... I think we have a chronic problem on our hands." The blame lies mainly with the unrelenting tide of bad news. Grim images of Baghdad streets devastated by Thursday's car bombings dominated the main US papers yesterday. "They know the carnage they wreak will be on TV. They know it bothers Americans to see death. It bothers the Iraqis. It bothers me," Mr Bush said.

 

One year on

 

28 JUNE 2004

 

US hands sovereignty to interim government

 

1 JULY

 

Saddam Hussein, in court for the first time, declares himself president of Iraq

 

14 JULY

 

Lord Butler clears Tony Blair of any deliberate attempt to "mislead" the country before the war

 

28 JULY

 

68 people die when a suicide car bomb explodes outside a police recruiting centre in central Baquba

 

6 AUGUST

 

American forces say they killed at least 300 militia fighters during a two-day battle in the holy city of Najaf

 

12 AUGUST

 

US troops set up a cordon around Najaf's Imam Ali mosque and ancient cemetery as Mehdi Army vows to destroy the occupying forces

 

8 NOVEMBER

 

Thousands of American troops fight their way into rebel stronghold of Fallujah to start all-out assault

 

30 JANUARY 2005

 

Eight million Iraqis vote for a transitional national assembly. Shia United Iraqi Alliance wins majority of assembly seats

 

31 MARCH

 

US spy agencies were "dead wrong" in "almost all" their pre-war judgements about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, a commission appointed by President George Bush says

 

11 MAY

 

More than 60 people are killed when at least five explosions rock Baghdad, Tikrit and Hawija

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So where do you stand? Cut and run? Suck a Sunni's dick and hope one of the clerics that send him the car bombers will not send them here on Iraqi oil if a Sunni terrorist back regeime is installed?

 

What the fuck would you do? I will wait to hear what Bush says tuesday evening and see if America listens. If we cut and run then China will be next to test us.

I personally, do not think CUT AND RUN is an option.. this would, sorry to say, make us look defeated. But I do believe a PARTIAL MODERATE withdrawal in GOOD FAITH will show that the U.S. is NOT bully's.

 

They know the carnage they wreak will be on TV. They know it bothers Americans to see death. It bothers the Iraqis. It bothers me," Mr Bush said.

 

THIS isn't it at all, its the PRINCIPAL of war that make people disapprove of his job.

 

OF COURSE there is gonna be violence, its a fucking war, of course the media will be on it like a pack of dogs, but if AMERICANS can see no justification for the violence that is war, then there gonna be pissed at the guy who does see it... GWB.

 

And that's why he is losing support FAST, EVEN FROM REPUBLICANS...

 

I always said myself, I would probably vote Republican if it wasn't for the man who is currently representing them.

 

They say Chuck Hagel is a prime candidate for the 2008 election, if Republicans hope to gain ground, someone like HAGEL would be a good choice because he pushes a more CENTRIST agenda then he does conservative.

 

And right now, I think a CENTRIST AGENDA might pick the U.S. back up off its feet, even if the candidate declares himself Republican.

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I think America has a choice to suck Sunni's dick or suck China's dick.

 

If we don't do this right we will be fighting with China and if they win the American flag and America we know will be no more. They are getting ready!

I agree with you 100%.

 

 

China is slithering around right now while most Americans are preoccupied with being pissed off at Bush over Iraq.

 

Do I smell WWIII coming ??

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Do you think the insurgency will over run the newly installed government if we just cut. The sunni' are the majority and could even vote one of their own into office using a democratic election. What good does it do to dethrone Saddam if their are others just like him waiting to take control? We promised the Iraqi people that America would see this thing through and not leave the Iraqis who supported us to face the Saddam loyals. There are alot of Iraqi police and government officials who would be fucking dead meat if America pulls out.

Just because were in the age were we can keep a real time body count, some people want to cut and run? Fuck that!

It won

Oh, I'm sure, but who is with me when I say, a SLIGHT reduction in GOOD FAITH should happen.. Not a full blown withdrawl, just a PUSH to the Iraqi Army to handle themselves.

 

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Oh, I'm sure, but who is with me when I say, a SLIGHT reduction in GOOD FAITH should happen.. Not a full blown withdrawl, just a PUSH to the Iraqi Army to handle themselves.

 

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I'm with ya. If we were to slowly withdraw it would give the u.s. a chance to see how our withdrawl will effect Iraq. I'm assuming from their peoples long history that it will get ugly fast. I can imagine that we will then have to go back due to a humanitarian crisis, which would likely be blamed on us.

Well the way I see it, if we are FORCED to go back, then I think it would at least give AMERICANS more confidence about the entire mission... We would then know that we are in fact needed..

 

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I honestly from the heart hope Bush can make the point tomorrow evening. The withdraw of troops is a wish list that means the light is at the end of the tunel. The American election was a basis for more attacks on Americans as screaming Dean, Dennis K. with their departments of peace and Kerry with his wink and a blink assured if you just kill more soldiers congress will change support as they did in Vietnam...

 

Bush is damned if he does and damned if he don't. If he says there is light at the end of the tunnel the terrorist will double their bombings. If he shows resolve and says as long as it takes the liberals will say poor managed quagmire.

 

Bush needs to say we will send more soldiers if the generals say they need them and return some if the generals say they have too many. If you dissagree with the commanders on the ground then volunteer for their position or shut the fuck up! If you are an armchair warrior buy a video game, if you are a senator or congressman I will consider your negative opinion and swithch you and the fucking general and see how he supports your efforts.

 

Fucking liberals live in a dream world, if faced with reality offering a management position to have their will what the fuck would they do?

 

I say train the hell out of the Iraqi army and vote for a constitution and dare anyone to oppose the government. Once on line let the new government be brutal and offer overwhelming reward to those with information on those who oppose. Remove the US Army to the peaceful areas and let the national Army to kick ass and take names. Marshall Law brutal retaliation for those who will not offer help to the government. And, then reward for those who do help.

 

Rooting for the enemy will only create new enemies.

I actually support the war in Iraq... I think it was a good, and bold manuver that told our enemies that are lining up that we are serious as a bad case of aids... But I think an even shrewder move right now would be to set definate time table on the order of 12 months to pull all US millitary involvment out of Iraq... It would light a fire under thier asses to get shit going and would show that we are not the empiialists that everyone thinks we are...

AM NOT! AM NOT ! ! ! ! ! !

 

well, I do have the Cross of lorraine tatoo on my chest... but other than that Im not!