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I am reserving my comments to keep them separate from the opening post.
“Where mistakes have been made, the responsibility rests with me,” the president said.
By Michael Abramowitz
and Robin Wright
Washington Post Staff Writers
President Bush appealed directly to the
American people last night to support a renewed
campaign to pacify Iraq, calling for an
additional 21,500 U.S. troops to help the beleaguered
Iraqi government regain control
of Baghdad while warning that he would not
support an “open-ended” U.S. commitment.
In a widely anticipated nationally televised
address, Bush stood in the library of
the White House and soberly said he had
pursued a flawed strategy and acknowledged
for the first time that he had not sent
enough troops to provide security for Iraqi
civilians. He described the situation in Iraq
as “unacceptable” to the American people
and to himself.
“Our troops in Iraq have fought bravely.
They have done everything we have asked
them to do,” he said in the 20-minute speech.
“Where mistakes have been made, the responsibility
rests with me.”
At a time when polls show most Americans
to be sharply critical of U.S. involvement
in Iraq and his party has lost control of
Congress, the speech was a chance for the
president to change course and convince a
skeptical public that the future of Iraq is still
worth fighting for. The speech was originally
scheduled for before Christmas but kept getting
delayed even as its major component —
a “surge” in U.S. forces — was leaked out
and was attacked by members of both parties
and questioned by his own generals.
Bush signaled last night that he is essentially
choosing to deepen U.S. involvement
in Iraq, calculating that improved tac-
U.S. Army Sgt. Michael Gavin trains an Iraqi police cadet in Anbar province. Bush’s plan is meant to speed up training of Iraq’s security forces.
I am reserving my comments to keep them separate from the opening post.
“Where mistakes have been made, the responsibility rests with me,” the president said.
By Michael Abramowitz
and Robin Wright
Washington Post Staff Writers
President Bush appealed directly to the
American people last night to support a renewed
campaign to pacify Iraq, calling for an
additional 21,500 U.S. troops to help the beleaguered
Iraqi government regain control
of Baghdad while warning that he would not
support an “open-ended” U.S. commitment.
In a widely anticipated nationally televised
address, Bush stood in the library of
the White House and soberly said he had
pursued a flawed strategy and acknowledged
for the first time that he had not sent
enough troops to provide security for Iraqi
civilians. He described the situation in Iraq
as “unacceptable” to the American people
and to himself.
“Our troops in Iraq have fought bravely.
They have done everything we have asked
them to do,” he said in the 20-minute speech.
“Where mistakes have been made, the responsibility
rests with me.”
At a time when polls show most Americans
to be sharply critical of U.S. involvement
in Iraq and his party has lost control of
Congress, the speech was a chance for the
president to change course and convince a
skeptical public that the future of Iraq is still
worth fighting for. The speech was originally
scheduled for before Christmas but kept getting
delayed even as its major component —
a “surge” in U.S. forces — was leaked out
and was attacked by members of both parties
and questioned by his own generals.
Bush signaled last night that he is essentially
choosing to deepen U.S. involvement
in Iraq, calculating that improved tac-
U.S. Army Sgt. Michael Gavin trains an Iraqi police cadet in Anbar province. Bush’s plan is meant to speed up training of Iraq’s security forces.
Last edited by Kmarion (2007-01-11 00:13:53)
Xbone Stormsurgezz