WASHINGTON, July 31, 2008
Bush Beams Over Progress In Iraq
Lauds Security Gains With Insurgents "On The Run"; Troop Deployments Reduced To 12 Months From 15
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President Bush makes a statement on Iraq, July 31, 2008, on the Colonnade of the White House in Washington, before leaving to spend the weekend in Kennebunkport, Maine. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
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Interactive Iraq: 5 Years At War Five years after the U.S.-led invasion, the war wears on.
Standing outside the Oval Office of the White House, Mr. Bush also announced that effective Thursday, the duration of troop tours in Iraq will be cut from 15 months to 12 months.
Mr. Bush said this reduction "will relieve the burden on our forces and it will make life easier for our wonderful military families."
The president's updated report on Iraq was delivered on short notice to the White House press corps. It came with the war in its sixth year and violence on the ground substantially decreased in recent weeks.
He said that commanding Gen. David Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker, however, "caution that the progress is still reversible, and they report that there now appears to be a degree of durability to the gains that we have made."
"We are now in our third consecutive month with reduced violence levels holding steady," Mr. Bush said.
Looking ahead to the next recommendation on troop levels from U.S. military leaders, Mr. Bush said he expects "further reductions in our combat forces, as conditions permit."
"The progress in Iraq has allowed us to continue our policy of return on success," he said. "We have now brought home all five of the combat brigades and the three Marine units that were sent to Iraq as part of the surge. The last of these surge brigades returned home this month."
Some 147,000 troops remain on the ground in Iraq.
Mr. Bush said the United States and Iraq also are pressing forward with talks on an agreement that would set the terms for any future U.S. presence and noted that Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki recently had a productive visit with other foreign leaders.
"We are also making progress in the discussion with Prime Minister Maliki's government on a strategic framework agreement. This agreement will serve as the foundation for America's presence in Iraq once the U.N. resolution authorizing the multinational forces expires on Dec. 31," the president said. "We remain a nation at war. Al Qaeda is on the run in Iraq, but the terrorists remain dangerous and they are determined to strike our country and our allies again."
The White House had hoped that it would have completed by Thursday the long-term agreement with al-Maliki's government. But negotiations with Baghdad have been difficult and have spawned many disputes, including the question of setting timelines for troop withdrawals. The best hope now seems to be only a stopgap agreement by the end of the year.
© MMVIII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Best-selling author Mitch Albom on his first nonfiction work since "Tuesdays with Morrie."
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See all 220 CommentsSo, the walking war crime is happy that his illegal invasion is, after six years, and more wasted money than Vietnam, finally reducing geployments to one year?
I suppose that he is also happy about the 4,100 US soldiers, and upwards of one million innocent dead Iraqis.
The only thing he should be truly happy about is that he is not in Den Haag right now, on trial for crimes against humanity.
And I personally hope that even that happiness is short lived...
Posted by harp1963 at 02:51 AM : Aug 01, 2008
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YES! It''s the Bush family. And with the family wealth and connections they have as part of the Illuminati,
leave it to the younger Bush to kill off part of the world in keeping with the master plan of the Illuminati! The point is: the world''s a tough place, he doesn''t need to take actions that result in others deaths, that''s going to happen anyway! HE just doesn''t get it because of the lack of intellectual curiosity!
Posted by kesac4650 at 12:37 AM : Aug 01, 2008
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He''s gotta get the job first, mister! But, if he does, and he decides to end it by withdrawing, it''s not a surrender! The point is: he shouldn''t be in the position to have to make that decision in the first place! That he is, is the fault of George Bush who trumped up this phony war, that''s gotten so many killed, and cost so much treasure!
If Obama were to surrender, it would STILL fall on the head of Bush for taking us there, not getting the job done on his term, and passing this off on Obama!
All this malarkey about the surge working is just to make it appear that the war was turned over to Obama in good shape; so when the payoffs to the militiamen stop, and the fighting begins again, and everything falls apart, and Obama pulls us out, Bush can then turn around and cowardly point the finger of blame at Obama and say, he lost the war!
Posted by emelder at 12:01 AM : Aug 01, 2008
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I think you know the answer to that yourself! NO!
He''s kept ONE promise in 7 1/2 years, broken all the rest, and helped damage America and other parts of the world!
Posted by kenhamlett at 10:19 PM : Jul 31, 2008
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You pretty much described this administration! Very few people are surprised anymore by anything he does!
The one thing that isn''t fake---that''s VERY real---is the damage he''s done to America and the world!
Posted by BeBoldin09 at 11:05 PM : Jul 31, 2008
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If you can show me where the h3ll in the bible it talks about George Bush making another covert attempt to declare ''mission accomplished'' in Iraq on the last day in July, 2008---fine, otherwise, how about ceasing the theological discussion and getting on topic?!
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/01/09/60minutes/main592330.shtml
-Old Testament commandment to the ancient Israelites, not a commandent to Christians (but you already knew that)
Read it sometime instead of just spouting off about other religions.
Posted by downtowner97 at 09:51 PM : Jul 31, 2008
-Try reading it yourself, and seeing the Love of God. You might want to read it, all of it, including the New Testament, which you''ve conveniently ignored.
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Posted by downtowner97 at 10:07 PM : Jul 31, 2008
The USA is predominantly Christian dummy and we have more freedoms and liberties than any other country on the planet.
Yep. Those Muslims all need to be wiped out for being so violent! Kill ''em all. Even the babies, since they''ll just grow up to be violent Muslims.
I''m so glad we live in a country where fascism can''t survive the length of a presidency. The vast majority of people in this country want peace in spite of the Christians.
To read about the true history of Islam and it''''s evil origins, and how Muhammed was the furthest thing from a "prophet" of God, please go here:
http://bibleprobe.com/muhammad.
htm
Not lately , but getting the republicans out of the white house WOULD help...
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