Bush Going For Broke With Troop Surge

60 Minutes Exclusive: President Has Made Up His Mind And Takes Full Responsibility

(CBS) 
Thursday morning, leaving the White House, Mr. Bush started a campaign to sell the country on the new plan. Just 12 hours after his address to the nation, his strategy was already being savaged on Capitol Hill and in the media. He had wagered the war and his presidency on his personal ability to sell the troop build-up. Pelley joined the president on board his helicopter, Marine One, a scene the public almost never sees.

The overnight polls were showing his primetime address to the nation hadn’t convinced many people that sending more troops was the answer.

"This was a hard decision. But once I make up my mind I know it’s important for me to explain it as clearly as I can. And, just gave it my best shot and I’m going to go down to Fort Benning today to continue explaining the decision I made, in this case to men and women who wear the uniform,” Bush tells Pelley. “I owe it to the troops to explain my decision and to thank them and to thank their families. It’s an extraordinary country to have men and women volunteer in the face of danger."

Mr. Bush, realizing he had never had a TV camera on board Marine One, urged 60 Minutes to catch the Washington Monument going by. He had been reading a book on the history of the city and pointed out landmarks on Pennsylvania Avenue. He told Pelley he is reading another book, a historical parallel to Iraq about France’s long, losing fight against insurgents in Algeria; Henry Kissinger had recommended it. In minutes, Marine One reached Andrews Air Force Base and Air Force One.

At Fort Benning, the president would be able to count on a friendly audience. But even among Americans in uniform there’s growing frustration. A poll, three weeks ago in the respected Military Times newspapers, showed, for the first time more troops disapprove than approve of the way he’s handling Iraq.

Pelley mentioned to Mr. Bush that thousands of those troops have served two, three and even four tours already and if he would impose a limit.

"You know, Scott, it is…we’re fortunate that people are willing to continue to serve. I’ve talked to some wives in there whose husbands have been over there for their second time. I said, ‘How you doin’?’ ‘I’m doing fine, my husband understands what we’re doing.’ The military is motivated," Bush says.

"In Vietnam as you know, you served 365 and you were done," Pelley remarks.

"This is a different situation. This is a volunteer army. In Vietnam, it was, ‘We’re going to draft you and you’re going to go for a year.’ This is a military where people understand there may be additional deployments," Bush says.

Next during the visit to Fort Benning came something Mr. Bush told 60 Minutes was the hardest part of his presidency: facing families whose loved ones were killed after he sent them into battle. Over the years he has met with about 400 families.

After two hours in a meeting, he seemed a different man.

"How was all that?" Pelley asks.

"You know, I … it’s hard for the family members to recount, relive their love in front of the president. And yet, once you get beyond the initial meeting, it’s amazing how strong the folks are and want to just let me know a lot of things. What their son or husband was like. They want me to know generally how much they understood the cause and how proud they were to serve our country," Bush says.

"What are stories you heard today?" Pelley asks.

"You know, one mom says ‘My son was 6’5", good-looking guy,’ showed me the picture. ‘He was in a Humvee and an IED hit and he was so big, his body shielded four other troops from death.’ I said ‘Well, did you get to meet the other four?’ And she said ‘They’re like my family now.’ You know, a lot of them say ‘Mr. President, don’t let my son die in vain,’" Bush says.

The president told Pelley he reads the casualty report every morning and personally signs every letter to the families of Americans killed in action.

After a last pass by the troops in Fort Benning, he headed back to the White House and would meet 60 Minutes again the next morning at Camp David.

[martialslaw]

President Bush does not care about our soldiers. If he did we would be getting out of Iraq, just like Great Britain is.

[jblemel]

Thank you Mr. Pelley for the complete and thorough interview that you did with Mr. Bush. Your questions were relevant, and they were the questions that the American public wanted and needed answers to. In addition, your passion was evident. You are clearly a master at your craft. Thanks again for the interview, and one last thing. Did Mr. Bush curse you out when the cameras and microphones were indeed turned off? I am sure that he did not want another mic incident.

Only in America could a C student become president. Let me clarify, if you are African-American and a C student, you cannot become the CEO of a Fortune 500 company. But, if you are White, you can become president.

Go Obama! Keep hope alive!!!!!

Blessings,
Janice Bishop LeMelle

[badgersouth1]

I was born in 1943. All three of my mother's brothers, my uncles, served in WWII. One of was killed in the Battle of the Bulge and is buried in Belgium. WWII was a necessary and just war.

I opposed the Viet Nam War from the get go because I knew it was totally unnecessary and unwinable -- as the French well knew from prior experience.

I opposed the Iraq War from the get go because I knew it was totally unnecessary and unwinable -- as the British well knew from prior experience.

If you favor waging war then you *** well better have a plan to pay for it. Don't put the burden on future generations because you are afraid to ask the current generation to pay the price.

It's totally insane and irresponsible to wage war and at the same time reduce taxes. No President in our history has ever done that before the Bush-Cheney Regime came along.

[martialslaw]

Here's a look at what politicians advocating more troops really think of veterans they disable:

http://www.brlsi.org/proceed04/P162.jpg

[ajm5kgm]

becky_wwjd
You sound like an very stupid person. It is a shame that you home school your children and you don't know how to spell. You also keep them stupid by not letting them interact with the world except to watch "our great president"

[j-whitman]

Bush fortot about our Troops in Afaganistan - More Troops Needed

The prospect of a troop increase in Afghanistan, at the same time Bush is ordering 21,500 more troops into Iraq, raises new questions about the military's ability to sustain its war-fighting on two major fronts. There now are about 24,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan, which Lt. Gen. Karl Eikenberry, the senior American commander here, said is the highest since the war began in October 2001.

[j-whitman]

Bush wants Iraq to appoligize ??? -- Someone get a net, quick.

[cat22listo]

Note to Scott Pelley and all mainstream media:

"PELLEY: The Democrat leadership says, "We wanna support the troops who are on the ground. We just wanna redline the extra 20,000.""

Hey Scott. And the rest of you so-called liberal MSM journo butt-heads listen up too: It's a sign of disrespect to call the Democratic party, its leadership and members the 'Democrat Leadership', the 'Democrat Party' etc. It's the 'DemocratIC leadership' and 'the DemocratIC Party to you, pal. That's a perjorative used by the Republicans. It's as bad as calling Republicans 'Repugs'.

The Democratic Party is now the majority in Congress, won fair and square by election. Show some respect. Do not be intimidated by an Administration representing a shrinking minority in all respects, from representation in Congress to failed policy in Iraq and Afghanistan. Fox News no longer calls the shots, no matter how loud they complain.

"PELLEY: Do you believe as commander-in-chief you have the authority to put the troops in there no matter what the Congress wants to do?

BUSH: In this situation, I do, yeah. Now, I fully understand they could try to stop me from doing it. But I made my decision, and we're going forward."


Now if that doesn't sound like Bush thumbing his nose at the constitution and the American people and provoking a constitutional crisis, I don't know what would. Solid grounds for impeachment, if you ask me.

[j-whitman]

b48151,,,,, Our troops deserve real working plans,, Not lies,,, Or do you think they do ??

[j-whitman]

b481,,,, No, You don't get it -- Lying isn't a good American or patriotic vitrue.

[j-whitman]

This is what Bush called Iraq'a plan ??
Just another jackass lie to our nation & troops.

[j-whitman]

Houser,,, I beleive Cheney would also go down as a result of impeachment investigations on Bush -- Let's bring it on. It's for restoration of our government back to the people.

[houser123]

To all of those proposing impeachment, please notice the obvious, Cheney would be our president unless he could be impeached as well. If for some reason this did happen, Cheney would appoint a VP that could takeover and grant full an unconditional pardons to both Bush and Cheney. Impeachmnet is not what we need. Oversight, due diligence and huge gonads is what is aclled for at this time. I realize that congress is limited in what they can do to stop this complete imbecile from starting WWIII but they must do whatever it takes to stop his efforts to invade Iran or Syria. If you were impressed with Bush's 60 minutes interview I would ask that you take a competency hearing test.

[kdf_worf]

b48151, when you've either (1) lost someone in this war for oil, (2) had your leg maimed in something that is complete and total BS, (3) saw someone you knew turned into roadkill before your eyes, or (4) are part of the millitary complex as a NATIONAL GUARDIST, in a war because of some joker's ego stroke, then you can call someone defeatist....otherwise, do me a favor;

Join the millitary, if you support herr bush, or keep you neonazi ideals to yourself!

[inmom4]

For some reason Bush still doesn't get it. He needs to listen to the American people and the Iraqis, we don't want to be there and they don't want us there. He should be worrying more about what is going on in the USA instead of over there. BRING OUR SOLDIERS HOME!!!

[kdf_worf]

As I read some of the responses to what was obviously a heated interview, I can only say that to those who have a brain and question the right or wrong of this action, and of bushe's answers, well, it's nice to see that there are those who still have a brain to think with, and are not buying the lies and ignorance that bush is spewing. For the others who are supportive and complementary of bush, and support the war in all of it's bloody glory, I have two words.

Zieg Hiel.

[kdf_worf]

I find it somewhat laughable that bush goes on Primetime with 60 Minutes to give the public his viepoints of what has become a VietNam for future generations.....although I couldn't stomach the entire interview (make no mistake; I've completely lost respect for the present administration and think that it's no diffrent than either the old Soviet Union under Stalin or the Nazi republic before it went to war), the part that I DID see showed a man that doesn't belong in the Presidency, but needs to be Impeached at the earliest convient time by Ms. Pelosi and Congress......I don't know what planet this guy lives on, but to dismiss the Iran Review Board's findings, the Generals of his own army (before they were "retired" (read:replaced)), and to generally dismiss the viewpoints of the Ameican public itself over a war that is nothing if not for Oil and bushe's ego, is the mark of a complete and total madman.

I sincerely will pray that Congress starts the impeachment process, for the sake of the country.

[kdf_worf]

I find it somewhat laughable that bush goes on Primetime with 60 Minutes to give the public his viepoints of what has become a VietNam for future generations.....although I couldn't stomach the entire interview (make no mistake; I've completely lost respect for the present administration and think that it's no diffrent than either the old Soviet Union under Stalin or the Nazi republic before it went to war), the part that I DID see showed a man that doesn't belong in the Presidency, but needs to be Impeached at the earliest convient time by Ms. Pelosi and Congress......I don't know what planet this guy lives on, but to dismiss the Iran Review Board's findings, the Generals of his own army (before they were "retired" (read:replaced)), and to generally dismiss the viewpoints of the Ameican public itself over a war that is nothing if not for Oil and bushe's ego, is the mark of a complete and total madman.

I sincerely will pray that Congress starts the impeachment process, for the sake of the country.

[samthetvcat]

"I would respectfully disagree. President Mubarak in Egypt has actually slackened his authoritarian ways...the same is true of Yemen and several other states in the region. Even Col. Quadafi in Libya has been implementing reforms...Even the ever reactionary Saudis are now under a new prince who has made, for that nation, significant changes...The facts, reported by a variety of sources, don't seem to support your argument on the backward slide of fledgling democracies in the region. Even Iran, though it elected a nut, still has begun to build real democracy..."
Posted by ourtomorrows at 01:00 AM : Jan 16, 2007

Citations please - just from a quick scan of some human rights non-profits, here are the democracy/press freedom/anti-corruption ranks for some of the countries you mentioned as well as some others to put it the figures into context... (http://www.worldaudit.org/democracy.htm)

Sweden - 4/2/5
USA - 15/11/17
Egypt - 98/92/57
Yemen - 135/132/96
LIBYA (your model for Arabic democracy) - 147 (out of 150 countries!!!!!)/146/90
Saudi Arabia - 119/130/157
Iraq - 130/118/143
Iran - 138/138/90

So in conclusion, yes Iraq could stand to 'improve' like it's 'model' neighbors. But if Saudi Arabia and Egypt are the models of democracy for the middle east, then why did they give rise to the 9/11 terrorists? I'm thinking this 'model' of democracy isn't really one we ought to be looking to for hope...

[j-whitman]

Above all Bush still doesn't understand the people, here in America or Iraq.... Good night, tomorrow's another day for discussion with more developments.. Right now the soverign nation of Iraq is opposing Bush's "Surge",,, which he calle Iraq's plan - Another lie to our nation & our troops.