Bush: No 'Graceful Exit' From Iraq

Al-Maliki Says Iraqi Forces Will Be 'Fully Ready' By June, But Bush Rejects Talk Of A Timetable

(CBS/AP)  But their meeting — their third in person since al-Maliki took office last spring — delivered little in the way of specifics, or new ideas for turning the tide in a war that has now raged three years and almost nine months, longer than U.S. involvement in World War II.

The get-together got off to a rocky start when al-Maliki abruptly pulled out of a planned meeting Wednesday with Mr. Bush and summit host King Abdullah II of Jordan.

But al-Maliki has since said he did not mean to snub President Bush, and CBS News senior White House correspondent Bill Plante said it was "all smiles, no tension" when the two leaders met on Thursday. "The president went out of his way to express confidence in al-Maliki," said Plante.

The two leaders seemed to regain their footing Thursday as they shared a platform at a joint news conference.

"He's a strong leader who wants a free and democratic Iraq to succeed," Mr. Bush said. "No question it's a violent society right now. He knows that better than anybody. He was explaining to me that occasionally the house in which he lives gets shelled by terrorists who are trying to frighten him," Mr. Bush said.

Al-Maliki thanked Mr. Bush for his support.

One issue of discord was sounded: U.S. concern over al-Maliki's links to a heavily armed Shiite militia blamed for much of the country's sectarian violence and its leader, anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.

At their news conference, Mr. Bush sidestepped a question about al-Sadr and deferred to al-Maliki.

"My coalition is not with only one entity," the Iraqi leader said. "Mr. al-Sadr and Sadrists (his political organization) are just one component."

Lawmakers and cabinet ministers loyal to al-Sadr are boycotting Iraq's parliament and government to protest al-Maliki's meeting with Mr. Bush. During the joint news conference, al-Maliki called for an end to the boycott.

According to a senior al-Maliki aide, Mr. Bush and Rice earlier Thursday pressed the Iraqi prime minister to do more to disband the militia loyal to al-Sadr and other such independent military units. "It is not a big problem, and we will find a solution for it," al-Maliki told Mr. Bush, according to the al-Maliki aide, who spoke anonymously because of the sensitive nature of the information.

"Now, as I've been saying, the whole goal here is to transfer responsibility to the Iraqis and to give them enough capability to take those responsibilities," Rice told Couric. "Obviously, as those responsibilities are transferred, as the capability improves, then American forces will be less in evidence and less needed. That's a natural outcome."

A senior U.S. administration official who was present at Thursday's breakfast between the full U.S. and Iraqi delegations said there was a discussion of al-Sadr and the role of unsanctioned militias in Iraqi violence.

It was clear that al-Maliki recognizes this as a challenge his government must overcome, said the official.

On another sticking point, the subject of Iranian influence in Iraq, Mr. Bush reiterated his opposition to overtures to Iran to help with stabilizing the country. In addition to Iran's nuclear ambitions, "I believe the Iranians fear democracy," Mr. Bush said.

But al-Maliki said he wanted to work with Iraq's neighbors, suggesting he wasn't opposed to closer ties with countries such as Iran and Syria.

After the news conference Mr. Bush immediately left for Washington, arriving at mid-afternoon from a four-day trip that also had taken him to the Baltic nations of Estonia and Latvia, where he attended a NATO summit.

The president will spend the next couple of weeks weighing not only the recommendations of the Baker/Hamilton commission, but two internal reviews as well, Axelrod reports.

[antoniof123]

That should give them enough time to get an army filled with killers and wipe out the sunni's then George and his buddies can reap the oil profits. In fact just ask them to leave before the bloodletting begins.

[patriotic9]

As tax payers we reserve the right to know the truth about a war financed by our tax moeny.Watch
www.memri.org
Then go to Islamist website monitor projects
Then go to Islamist website monitor#17
Then decide how should we deal with BUSH,CHENEY,LIMBAUGH,O'RIELLY,etc who have got our soldiers trapped in an unplanned unconventional warfare.Remember,it's not only Bush or Cheney's fault,people like Limbaugh and O'rielly who sold this war for making money from Republican govt are as guilty as govt in the deaths and destructions of our men and women in uniforms.If Bill O'rielly had right to insult President Bill Clinton for his affair with Monica Lewinsky,we as U.S Citizens also have right to ask Bill O'reilly about the sexual harassment charges against him by a female at work and to ask him that if he was not guilty,why he gave that woman ten million dollars to keep her mouth shut,specially when he preaches about moral values all the times just like those preists who preach people about HOMOSEXUALITY as a SIN and then SEXUALLY MOLEST and SODOMIZE those young little boys in the churches who call them father.Same thing about Limbaugh(the XANAX addict).These people are CATHOLIC PREISTS of the MEDIA.They are the most shamefull creature on the face of earth.

[tj1504]

STAY THE COURSE!!!!!!!!!!!!

"It should take more to make peace than to prevent war. The sword once drawn, full justice must be done. 'Indemnification for the past and security for the future,' should be painted on our banners." --Thomas Jefferson to Robert Wright, 1812. ME 13:184

[kcstan11]

What a joke ... 2 MORONS trying to solve Iraq. Al Maliki has the backbone of a jellyfish and the brains of an ameba but Bush says the he is his man. The only thing that duMbya has been consistant about for 6 years is his INCOMPETENCE so another "STAY THE COURSE" plan was definately expected.

Maliki says that he will have control of the Iraqi forces by next June ... BULL. I will bet that in 7 months, nothing will change, except that things will be a lot worst than they are today.

Turning over the Iraqi forces has been part of the plan for many years. I have no clue why it took a summit in Jordan to make that announcement.

Bush is back in the U. S. Now after a grualling 20 minute summit with Maliki, it's time for DUMBYA to take an extended vacation in Crawford TX., maybe he should take that vacation in the streets of Baghdad.

[firststate]

frankly6
Your post was almost as brief as Bush's attention span, but so very accurate.

I can go to bed now that I've heard the ideal critique of the day's Bushism.

[firststate]

Has anyone else noticed that the numbers of Iraqi army who are trained varies daily and by the individual telling which lie? I've read official numbers approaching 400,000 down to fearless leader's latest 119,000. If all the others were killed off there's a problem with their training. If they are just signing up for the training so they can advance in the militias when they leave the army, that's a problem, too. If Duhbaya doing the counting?

I recall that pottery barn rules apply with Iraq and we damned sure broke it. If the free and independently elected government of Iraq wants us out, aren't we legally obligated to accede to their wishes and morally obligated to get our guys the f### out before Iraq can change its mind?

Fearless leader and company should have actually learned, that democratic elections don't guarantee America-friendly governments. Iran should have been a clue. Maybe we intended to go to Iran, but Bush was playing with his geography globe and found Iraq before Iran and he, in all his wisdom, went about changing the last letter on everything from "n" to "q" to prevent an obvious and humiliating mistake. He might have been too steadfast (stubborn) to accept correction then, too. Could he really be as thick as he seems? He would be funny if only his screwups weren%u2019t fatal for so many. Who would have ever thought they would hear that 41 was the bright one?

[frankly6]

NO GRACEFUL EXIT FROM IRAQ? No kidding?

That's like saying there's no graceful way to exit a building that you've set on fire and is falling down around you.

[mh4cbs1]

ganjaman22

Go fight in Bagdad to help Bush and Cheney get their Oil. Go die for their PNAC NeoCon Empire. Maybe you can prove you are a tough guy and kill a bunch of civillians. You are a sick one, un-American to the core.

If you cared about America you would want Bush and Cheny tossed in JAIL.

[mh4cbs1]

Will someone please put Bush and Cheney

IN JAIL

Where they belong!

These NeoCon imperialists LIED us into this horrific, needless War of Choice. Making us LESS safe, letting Osama walk free, killing hundreds of thousands, costing Hundreds of Billions of OUR money (while Haliburton and defense industry make huge profits). This is SICK.

WAKE UP! There are real, honest to goodness WAR CRIMINALs in the White House.

[tj1504]

"It should take more to make peace than to prevent war. The sword once drawn, full justice must be done. 'Indemnification for the past and security for the future,' should be painted on our banners." --Thomas Jefferson to Robert Wright, 1812. ME 13:184

[ganjaman22]

STAY TEH COURSE!111

[ganjaman22]

Yea Yea, it's a tough situation to be in, but you're a fool if you think having a bunch of liberal ******* in power would have caused things to turn out any better. We should send Pelosi and Hillary in to 'shrew' the insurgents into submission.

You left wing c.u.n.t.s are betting against your own country. You'd rather we fight this war on our own soil 10 years from now, we need to finish the job. So how about a little support you *** Defeatocrats.

Bush is doing the job that the Dems would never have the guts to do, somebody has to chase down them Al-Quada types... *In Bush voice* We'll get that Al Zarquai fella' AND his dubbya-emm-deees. HE HE HE.

Serioulsly, you losers probably jack off to Keith Olberman's spew everynight right before watching 9/11 conspiricy videos on You-Tube. Get some balls, sTAY TEH COURSE, WMDS11!!111

[book54552134]

Dubya may well be better off to begin, within a few months, a calm, orderly, & measured withdrawal to stretch over a year or so rather than to wait & stay the course for 2 more years while allowing the civil war to deteriorate further with US forces continuing to be caught in the middle of this quagmire. It would be disastrous for both the US & Iraq for him to wait until he leaves office & then pass to his successor a forced decision of having to withdraw from Iraq quickly in a chaotic, disorderly, Vietnam-style withdrawal soon after the new president takes over. Of course, Dubya will do what's best for Dubya.

[fascistusa]

I almost forgot...

PROPOGANDA.

Our "news" is pure PROPOGANDA.

By the way.. Bin Laden is DEAD. DEAD. DEAD.

WAKE UP!!!!

[fascistusa]

WAKE UP!!!

America is FASCIST!!!

WE ARE NO LONGER A DEMOCRACY!!!

Fascism 101 -
ENDLESS WAR
CORPORATIONS/ THE RICH RULE
CHURCH SUPPORTS THE STATE

[j-whitman]

You guy's remember Jimmy Carter?? He's the guy who got peace between Isreal & Egypt.. He's another one Bush ignores.

[j-whitman]

I see Jimmy Carter is on his way to see what's up with Bush's lies & promises of helping Katrina victems...

[j-whitman]

Bush's daughter's can go there also,, They aren't wanted in Argentina the country who took in Nazi's.

[j-whitman]

How about this for a viable option? -- Move Bush & Cheney's offices to Bagdad

[frankly6]

It's a CIVIL WAR! (dictionary definition: a war between political factions or regions within the same country)

It's time we stop giving the Bush administration a free pass on this one. The only reason they won't call it a CIVIL WAR is that they know that means it's over, it's lost and we don't belong there.

Of course there's no graceful exit from Iraq. Just like there's no graceful exit from a building that you've set on fire and is now falling down around you.

Bush was told that this is exactly what would happen before he got us into it. Now were stuck in what is probably the biggest debacle in US history. Now the American people will have to pay for his arrogance and stupidity for many years to come.