February 11, 2009 5:50 PM

Bush Delivers Somber Review Of Iraq

(CBS/AP)  President Bush said Wednesday that mounting U.S. casualties in Iraq are a "serious concern," but again refused to set a timetable for pulling out American troops.

"A fixed timetable for withdrawal, in my judgment, means defeat," he said.

In a somber, pre-election review of a long and brutal war, Mr. Bush conceded that the United States is taking heavy casualties and said, "I know many Americans are not satisfied with the situation in Iraq."

"I'm not satisfied either," he said at a speech and question and answer session at the White House 13 days before Nov. 7 congressional elections in which Republican control of the House of Representatives and the Senate is at stake.

"Americans have no intention of taking sides in a sectarian struggle or standing in the crossfire between rival factions," Mr. Bush said.

Several Democratic critics have said that is precisely what the administration is risking with an open-ended commitment of American forces, at a time that a year-old Iraqi government gropes for a compromise that can satisfy Sunni, Shiite and Kurdish political interests.

Mr. Bush gave Iraq's Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki a vote of confidence just hours after Mr. Maliki called his own news conference to reject timetables set on Tuesday for Iraqis to take over from U.S. troops, reports CBS News chief White House correspondent Jim Axelrod. Mr. Bush was cautiously supportive.

In Baghdad, the Iraqi leader took a hard slap at the United States for a raid by U.S. and Iraqi forces on the stronghold of a Shiite militia led by a radical anti-American cleric on whom Al-Maliki relies for political support. Al-Maliki said the raid "will not be repeated."

Al-Maliki also criticized the top U.S. military and diplomatic representatives in Iraq for saying his government needed to set a timetable to curb violence in the country. "I affirm that this government represents the will of the people and no one has the right to impose a timetable on it," he said.

It was just two weeks ago that the president had his last formal, solo White House news conference, and he's never had two of them this close together, reports CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller. But with the midterm elections less than two weeks off and control of Congress at stake, he wants his message to be heard.

In his opening moments at the podium in the East Room of the White House, Mr. Bush departed starkly from a practice of not talking about specific deaths in Iraq.

"There has been heavy fighting, many enemy fighters have been killed or captured and we've suffered casualties of our own," he said. "This month we've lost 93 American service members in Iraq, the most since October of 2005. During roughly the same period, more than 300 Iraqi security personnel have given their lives in battle. Iraqi civilians have suffered unspeakable violence at the hands of the terrorists, insurgents, illegal militias, armed groups and criminals."

He called these events "a serious concern to me, and a serious concern to the American people."



© 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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by stick130 October 27, 2006 6:51 AM EDT
I am more concerned than ever about another attack. After Bush invaded Iraq after 9/11 then later told a reporter televised, "Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11". If we were to be invaded by a Country and I lost my family, I would do anything I could to inflict punnishment upon the Country that ruined my life. Why would we expect any less from the Iraqi people. Bush has made us less safe by causing more people to hate the USA.
Reply to this comment
by bluestardad October 26, 2006 8:05 PM EDT
STEP BACK FROM FEAR!
We in America need to pull back from this Frenzy of Fear that has spellbound us since September 11, 2001. I am not saying to let down our guard or not be prudent with our Law enforcement, Intelligence agencies or Military as their constant job is to protect the American people and they do it well. Rationally speaking it is more likely that a person will be killed in a car accident on the way to get milk than killed by a Terrorist in America. Hispanics coming across our border for work are not the terrorist or the enemy. Unfair trade practices initiated by our government are the cause of our jobs leaving and the demise of the Middle Class in America not some Terrorist plot. Political Parties have been using fear in an attempt to maintain power in this country. Americans do the math you are more likely to do yourself bodily harm than to be harmed by a Terrorist. America is a Land of Opportunity and hopes where people live in Freedom. America is not a land were people will be governed by Fear.

Michael C. Boetjer
Captain U. S. Army
Double Blue Star Father
Reply to this comment
by usawatchman October 26, 2006 1:48 PM EDT
(Sorry people- here we go this is what I wanted to post)
bluestardad that is only a fraction of the real truth..

OUR GOVERNMENT and OUR COURTS are CORRUPT

The TROOPS are DYING IN-VAIN for a LIE

ALL of these people who think they are fighting for AMERICA
the AMERICAN WAY
for FREEDOM, and LIBERTY

it is a LIE

The TRUTH IS IT all comes down to the COURTS and
COURTS are CORRUPT

UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT
James B. Veasaw v. Cari M. Domingues,et al.
No: 05-1467

the U.S. SUPREME COURT COVERED UP GOVERNMENT CRIME
even when the CRIMES showed up
on paper in the COURT RECORD..!

I guess we have a DOUBLE STANDARD JUSTICE SYSTEM
you know
ONE for the GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES
(Bureaucrats / Politicians)
and
ONE FOR THE PEASANTS
(The People)..!


I can't even begin to list the names of
REPUBLICANS (CONSERVATIVE) TALK SHOW HOSTS
(They are ALL COMPLICIT- I spent years asking for their help)

THESE REPUBLICANS (CONSERVATIVE) TALK SHOW HOSTS
who helped this administration
who helped this administration court appointees
who helped these CRIMINALS COVER THESE CRIMES AGAINST ME.
Reply to this comment
by usawatchman October 26, 2006 1:44 PM EDT
(sorry posted wrong one)
bluestardad that is only a fraction of the real truth..

OUR GOVERNMENT and OUR COURTS are CORRUPT

The TROOPS are DYING IN-VAIN for a LIE

ALL of these people who think they are fighting for AMERICA
the AMERICAN WAY
for FREEDOM, and LIBERTY

it is a LIE

The TRUTH IS IT all comes down to the COURTS and
COURTS are CORRUPT

UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT
James B. Veasaw v. Cari M. Domingues,et al.
No: 05-1467

the U.S. SUPREME COURT COVERED UP GOVERNMENT CRIME
even when the CRIMES showed up
on paper in the COURT RECORD..!

I guess we have a DOUBLE STANDARD JUSTICE SYSTEM
you know
ONE for the GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES
(Bureaucrats / Politicians)
and
ONE FOR THE PEASANTS
(The People)..!



Reply to this comment
by usawatchman October 26, 2006 1:40 PM EDT
NOTHING HAS CHANGED
if OUR GOVERNMENT and OUR COURTS are CORRUPT

The TROOPS are DYING IN-VAIN for a LIE

ALL of these people who think they are fighting for AMERICA
the AMERICAN WAY
for FREEDOM, and LIBERTY

it is a LIE

The TRUTH IS IT all comes down to the COURTS and
COURTS are CORRUPT

UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT
James B. Veasaw v. Cari M. Domingues,et al.
No: 05-1467

the U.S. SUPREME COURT COVERED UP GOVERNMENT CRIME
even when the CRIMES showed up
on paper in the COURT RECORD..!

I guess we have a DOUBLE STANDARD JUSTICE SYSTEM
you know
ONE for the GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES
(Bureaucrats / Politicians)
and
ONE FOR THE PEASANTS (The People)..!

I can't even begin to list the names of
REPUBLICANS (CONSERVATIVE) TALK SHOW HOSTS
(They are ALL COMPLICIT- I spent years asking for their help)

THESE REPUBLICANS (CONSERVATIVE) TALK SHOW HOSTS
who helped this administration
who helped this administration court appointees
who helped these CRIMINALS COVER THESE CRIMES AGAINST ME.
Reply to this comment
by Coolcal5420032001 October 26, 2006 1:31 PM EDT
The word "retreat" is a strategy that can save lives and end the abortion that is going on in Iraqu. Retreat would help in accessing on what to do since plan one fail. In any theather that has taken place no matter how large or small steps backward helped in saving or winning. I wuold advise the president to have the troops to step back, not a withdrawal but a stragic move that could make everyone save face and put an end to this war.
Reply to this comment
by bluestardad October 26, 2006 1:10 PM EDT
My daughter who had a 1 year old baby son was stop loss with one week left in the West Virginia National Guard. Sent to Iraq for 18 months and had to engage with her weapon Iraqi youths (kids) throwing cinder blocks at her convoy air guards trying to knock down the air guards so Iraqi people could shoot up the convoy. You look into her eyes and see the innocents gone then tell me to support this war! You chicken hawk sack of ***!
Reply to this comment
by bluestardad October 26, 2006 1:03 PM EDT
Send your kids you pimp not mine they have already had three tours!
Reply to this comment
by alphaa10-2009 October 26, 2006 9:38 AM EDT
Welcome to Newspeak-- the real meaning of "timetable"

According to Chairman Bush, "timetable" means anything this Red Queen of a politician says it means, neither more nor less. It can mean holding in place, it also can changing and THEN holding any course variation at any time. If this is "holding", what does it mean to move?

Though Bush wasn't in the Navy, even he should be able to understand his concept of "stay the course" is wrong, not to mention flatly illogical. The outrage is Bush is fully aware of his deceit, and still believes he is not widely seen as the consumate opportunist he always has been.

The worrisome aspect of all this is dictatorship begins with petty deceit, proceeding directly to damning deceit and overt abuse of power. Bush made every link he could between Iraq and 911, and years later, abruptly protested he never specifically linked the two. Clearly, the low cunning of this Prevaricator-in-Chief endangers the very democracy he claims to defend.
Reply to this comment
by exusmcsgt October 26, 2006 6:15 AM EDT
peacemaker2k-

What cost do you feel is just for this boondoogle? Obviously $500 billion and 3,000 American dead are not enough for you.
Reply to this comment
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