Bush Defends Surge, Terror War Tactics

President Says Strategy To Fight Terrorism "Cannot Be Limited To Law Enforcement"

(AP)  President Bush, nearing the end of two terms dominated by war, said Wednesday his decision to increase U.S. troop levels in Iraq early last year brought security to a now resurgent nation and he criticized those who said his plan was flawed.

Although he didn't mention his detractors by name, Bush's comments about Iraq were a slap at Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama and a boost to Sen. John McCain, the Republican candidate.

"The commander in chief must always listen to the commanders, and not the latest opinion polls," Bush said during a speech to the annual convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

"America's future leaders must remember that the war on terror will be won on the offense. And that's where our military must stay," Bush said. Obama and McCain are sharply divided about the war in Iraq. Obama opposed it and says he will bring American forces home; McCain was a strong supporter of the war and the surge, and he opposes a quick pullout.

Bush also prodded Russia to honor its commitment to leave pro-Western Georgia, a small, former Soviet republic that has come "under siege" from its larger neighbor.

Bush said it can no longer be "business as usual" with Russia due to its aggression. He said the breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia are part of Georgia and that Washington will work with allies to insure Georgia's independence and territorial integrity.

Obama, addressing the VFW on Tuesday, reaffirmed his early opposition to the U.S. invasion of Iraq. He said the surge of troops has not led to the political reconciliation needed to ensure the country will remain secure once all U.S. troops are gone.

McCain, in an appearance before the same group on Monday, repeated his support for the president's January 2007 decision to add 30,000 U.S. troops in Iraq. The increase is credited with reducing violence in Iraq, and the additional troops have already returned home.

McCain criticized Obama for not only opposing the surge but trying to block the funding that would have allowed the increase.

Bush flew to Orlando from his ranch in Crawford, Texas. Later in the day the president was visiting New Orleans and Gulfport, Miss., to talk about ongoing recovery efforts from Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Bush told the VFW this would be his final appearance before a veterans group as commander in chief. His remarks were preceded by a video slide show highlighting the role of the military and its veterans.

"You live by a code and you fight for a cause and I'm honored to be your commander in chief," Bush said in the slide show.

VFW National President George Lisicki introduced Bush to an enthusiastic crowd in the Orlando Convention Center. Veterans organizations have pushed aggressively for expanded benefits for veterans and have not always seen eye-to-eye with the Bush administration.

But Lisicki said there's one thing they all agree on: "Our nation does not go to war to lose."

Bush ticked off a long list of accomplishments for veterans during his two terms in office. The annual budget for the Veterans Affairs Department is $94 billion, an amount he said is nearly double for veterans when he took office.

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have produced a larger number of veterans in need of specialized care from traumatic injuries caused by roadside bombs and other terror weapons.

Bush's speech highlighted themes that McCain has been using to argue that he is better qualified to be commander in chief than Obama.

In his remarks, Bush said the war on terror "cannot be won, however if we treat terrorism primarily as a matter of law enforcement. Law enforcement is an essential part of our strategy but our strategy cannot be limited to law enforcement alone."

Bush said the U.S. prosecuted people responsible the first bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993 "but eight years later al Qaeda terrorists came back to finish the job."

Obama in June said the government can crack down on terrorists "within the constraints of our Constitution." He mentioned the indefinite detention of Guantanamo Bay detainees, contrasting their treatment with the prosecution of the 1993 World Trade Center bombings.

[terrapin78]

There is nothing that I can say I agree with when it comes to Bu$h/Cheney/Rice etc.

They speak with forked tongue. Nothing means what they say. It is all obfuscation, spin and lies.

[jmurrieta1]

Mr. Bush said the U.S. prosecuted people responsible the first bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993 "but eight years later al Qaeda terrorists came back to finish the job."


"It''s true I was told a month beforehand that airplanes would be used by terrorists to strike at the World Trade Center, but I was too busy chopping brush on my Texas ranch to take much notice" Mr. Bush said. "That''s *** chemise will overrun you if you don''t keep at it."

"However, when the attacks happened, I immediately got on board Air Force One and had them fly me around far away from any dangerous areas. That''s how I stayed out of danger during the Vietnam war--I flew all around Texas and Alabama in a National Guard biplane. It worked out just fine for me. And we had Dik hiding in Cheyenne Mountain, just in case somebody wanted to fly a plane into him."

[jackmayoff2]

WHY IS THIS STILL AMERICAS PRESIDENT?

[questionnews]

President Says Strategy To Fight Terrorism "Cannot Be Limited To Law Enforcement"

That''s right! What are the boy scouts doing these days? Get them out there! Earn the new "Snuf The Terrorist Badge" It''s worth two swinning badges.

[jerr11]

The Liar-in-Chief speaks again.

935 Lies - 4142 Dead Americans because of those lies.

As Reverend Harry Powell said, "A liar is an abomination to the Lord."

George W Bush is an abomination to the Lord!

George W Bush - Son of Satan.

Damned for all time!

[joe_transit]

The Weapons of Mass Destruction resides in the White House.

[deacon20081]

Oil Friends?
Bush & Saudi Arabia, Dubai and EXXON
Cheney & Halliburton, Exxon, BP, Shell
Rice & CHEVRON

All of them Oil Maggots and liars.

[jmurrieta1]

Every time I see that smirking chimp''s face I want to puke.

The ******* Bushit is too stupid to even realize what a disaster he''s been for America.

His puppet masters must be congratulating themselves on picking such a winner.

[jackmayoff2]

MONKEY SEE, MONKEY DO - RUSSIA INVADING GEORGIA

[jackmayoff2]

BUSH WILL GO DOWN IN HISTORY FOR THE WORST PRESIDENT EVER!!

[omega39-2009]

Bush Defends Terror War Tactics
President Says Strategy To Fight Terrorism "Cannot Be Limited To Law Enforcement"

He''s right, how will we fill the pockets of Haliburton and Northrop Grumman if this war is fought as a law enforcement issue.

[walt1944-2009]

The Great Emperor Bush II has defended his actions on the suppsed "war on Terrrrrrrrrror" stating that the government must use all the weapons it has and the rule of law does not apply.

This sort of remark is what every neocon Fascist Nazi Republican out there wants to hear! Its also the kind of remark that a dictator like Hitler or Stalin would use to impose total control over EVERYTHING, and end the rule of law EVERYWHERE!

However, as the Nazis felt in Germany 70 years ago, the Great Emperor Bush II and the neocon Fascist Nazis of the US(SA) feel they are ABOVE the law, and answerable to NO ONE, least of all the people of their own country or the world.

In the end, most of the Nazis who felt that way ended up in military courts in Nuremburg answering for being ABOVE THE LAW and in most cases, hanging for it!!!!

I suspect history will repeat itself, only it will be the neocon politicans of today who will be standing before a world court trying to defend why they thought they were ABOVE THE LAW!!!

SIG HEIL, BUSH!!!!!
sig heil, 5 POINTS AHEAD (how disgusting!), McCain!!!!

[louiville2]

BUSH WILL GO DOWN IN HISTORY FOR THE WORST PRESIDENT EVER!!


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Posted by JackMayoff2

FYI, That''s what they said about Truman.

[jackmayoff2]

BUSH WILL GO DOWN IN HISTORY FOR THE WORST PRESIDENT EVER!!


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Posted by JackMayoff2

FYI, That''''s what they said about Truman.

Posted by louiville2

ARE YOU FvCKEN OK? YOU MUST BE IN THAT MENTAL RECESSION MCCAINS ADVISER WAS TALKING ABOUT!!

[jackmayoff2]

gop_forever - PEOPLE WHO VOTED FOR BUSH SHOULD BE DEPORTED TO IRAQ!!

[bigwhtpony]

pa-pa-pa-pa-Putin lied and pa-pa-pa-pa-people died!
I''m protesting the illegal war going on against Georgia. Which one of you bedwetting libs wants to take a stand on principal?

[louiville2]

JackMayoff2- AHAHAHAH you must be suffering from republican pen-is envy ahahahah!

[bigwhtpony]

JackMayoff2,

And nosepicking liberals like you should be deported to France. I think you''ve been spanking your monkey a bit too much....it''s affecting your brains (what little you have.)

[jackmayoff2]

louiville2- GO EAT A D1CK!

[bigwhtpony]

Carter is firmly entrenched in #1
Posted by gunfighter51 at 02:37 PM : Aug 20, 2008

That''s a FACT! But he''ll be a featured socialist speaker at the DNC''s love fest.

[jackmayoff2]

bigwhtpony - VOTING FOR THE WORST PRESIDENT IN HISTORY, DONT YOU FEEL INCREDIBLY STUPID?

[louiville2]

JackMayoff2 are you offering to JackMayoff2 me?

[jackmayoff2]

louiville2 - SORRY A NOT A TOE-TAPPING RIGHTWING NUT JOB EXTREMIST

[jackmayoff2]

louiville2 - SORRY IM NOT A TOE-TAPPING RIGHTWING NUT JOB EXTREMIST

[louiville2]

SORRY A NOT A TOE-TAPPING RIGHTWING NUT JOB EXTREMIST


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Posted by JackMayoff2

AHAHAH why waste your time toe tapping right? you just go for it ahahahaha

[jackmayoff2]

DEFENDING BUSH? - WOW THATS GREAT! - NOW VOTE FOR MCCAIN

[jackmayoff2]

WHY DO YOU DEFEND THE WORST PRESIDENT EVER IN U.S. HISTORY?

[ahrats]

Gee Bush takes credit for something it took 6 years to do. Everyone except his political adviors said we need more troops to control Iraq, not until his cronies had to quit was it done. Now even Iraq wants our troops out on a specific time table but McCain say no the troops are to stay till the U.S says they should leave, just following Bush

[louiville2]

I''d rather vote for Mccain then Oblaima. You know us "Typical White People, or should I say gun toting neocon typical white people. You know the type like something Obama brushes off his massive shoulders as an annoyance. The guy who has very little in accomplishments to show except for two books he wrote, not about poverty or hunger or the socio-economic ill of this country, but about himself. Kind of like Audacity of hope = My struggle (Mien Kampf) from another narcissistic individual. He threw his grandmother under the bus just think what he will do to us.

[bigwhtpony]

bigwhtpony - VOTING FOR THE WORST PRESIDENT IN HISTORY, DONT YOU FEEL INCREDIBLY STUPID?

Nope...just profoundly disappointed. But at least I never voted for Carter. Whoever voted for Carter needs to go to the nearest tattoo parlor and have a BIG "L" put on their forehead. You, perhaps?

[whyafghan]

HELLO - OBAMA - "The commander in chief must always listen to the commanders, and not the latest opinion polls" - I DO NOT THINK HE UNDERSTANDS THAT CONCEPT.

[navyvet77]

BUSH WILL GO DOWN IN HISTORY FOR THE WORST PRESIDENT EVER!!

Posted by JackMayoff2 at 02:17 PM : Aug 20, 2008

------------------------------------------------------

History will see a bigger picture of Presidant Bush, most of that I am sure you will refuse to see and put Bush right up there with Lincoln.

[mbcsmith]

OBVIOUSLY, the Commander-in-Chief should also ignore the request of the country he chose to invade (in this case Iraq,) when they ask him to come up with a timetable for leaving, even though he said repeatedly that "if the Iraqis ask us to leave, we''''ll leave."



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Posted by raflin1 at 03:04 PM : Aug 20, 2008



Hey LIB, please point to exactly where and when the Iraqi''s asked the U.S. military to leave.

[jackmayoff2]

bigwhtpony - OLD F@RTS LIKE YOU AND MCCAIN ARE NOT GOOD FOR AMERICA!!

[bigwhtpony]

History will see a bigger picture of Presidant Bush, most of that I am sure you will refuse to see and put Bush right up there with Lincoln. Posted by NAVYVET77 at 03:06 PM : Aug 20, 2008

You got that right. THey''ve already been taught that Reagan had nothing to do with bringing down the Soviet Union. Can you believe that?

BTW, I was in the navy under Reagan. USS Callahan, DDG994. Nice talking to ya! :)

[mbcsmith]

NOBAMA WRONG ON THE SURGE

NOBAMA WRONG ON OIL

NOBAMA WRONG ON TAXES

NOBAMA WRONG FOR AMERICA!

[jackmayoff2]

History will see a bigger picture of Presidant Bush, most of that I am sure you will refuse to see and put Bush right up there with Lincoln.

Posted by NAVYVET77

WOW COMPARING LINCOLN TO BUSH, YOU ARE FvCKING NUTS!

[bigwhtpony]

JackMayoff2,

Have you been a nosepicking assclown all your life or is it something you learned in reform school? Oooo, better hurry.....you''ll miss your afternoon soaps!

[bigwhtpony]

WOW COMPARING LINCOLN TO BUSH, YOU ARE FvCKING NUTS!
Posted by JackMayoff2 at 03:11 PM : Aug 20, 2008

When Ubama speaks off the cuff, he makes Bush sound like Lincoln! LOL

[jackmayoff2]

bigwhtpony- HOW MANY MORE YEARS DO YOU HAVE LEFT TO LIVE? 1 OR 2

[jackmayoff2]

bigwhtpony - TWO WORDS - REST HOME - YOU AND MCCAIN BELONG

[jackmayoff2]

NEXT YOUR GOING TO SAY NIXON WAS THE BEST

[kazoodan]

NOBAMA WRONG ON THE SURGE

NOBAMA WRONG ON OIL

NOBAMA WRONG ON TAXES

NOBAMA WRONG FOR AMERICA!

Posted by mbcsmith at 03:09 PM : Aug 20, 2008

MCCAIN WRONG ON THE SURGE

MCCAIN WRONG ON OIL

MCCAIN WRONG ON TAXES

MCCAIN WRONG FOR AMERICA!

See how easy it is to challenge an opinion that has no substance?

[jackmayoff2]

NAVYVET77- HEY DID YOU LIKE BEING ON A BOAT WITH A BUNCH OF GUYS, I GET IT THATS WHY YOUR A REPUBLICAN- TOE-TAPPING WEIRD-O

[broadwayphi]

Posted by mbcsmith

I don''t know anyone named "Nobama." He sounds awful.

By the way, there is a presidential candidate who is not senile and not in the pocket of NAFTA and Big Oil. A guy with a tax plan to help the middle class and a health care plan that will help all of us.

His name is Barack Obama.

I''m voting for him. You should, too!

Have a nice day.

My friend.

[whyafghan]

Whoever said Lincoln was a good President?

[midvale3]

History will see a bigger picture of Presidant Bush, most of that I am sure you will refuse to see and put Bush right up there with Lincoln.



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Posted by NAVYVET77 at 03:06 PM : Aug 20, 2008

Gee thanks, I just spit my tea all over the screen on that bit of wisdom.

[jackmayoff2]

HEY DEFEND BUSH ALL YOU WANT BUT DONT COMPARE HIM TO LINCOLN, THAT IS GOING TO FAR...

[kazoodan]

NAVYVET77- HEY DID YOU LIKE BEING ON A BOAT WITH A BUNCH OF GUYS, I GET IT THATS WHY YOUR A REPUBLICAN- TOE-TAPPING WEIRD-O

Posted by JackMayoff2 at 03:20 PM : Aug 20, 2008

Hey Jeff, I''m a liberal Democrat, but that''s out of bounds. My dad was in the navy (USS PUEBLO AGER2).
A POW in N. Korea.

[midvale3]

MBCSMith.....

BAGHDAD %uFFFD Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki raised the possibility that his country won''t sign a status of forces agreement with the United States and will ask U.S. troops to go home when their U.N. mandate to be in Iraq expires at the end of the year.

Maliki made the comment after weeks of complaints from Shiite Muslim lawmakers that U.S. proposals that would govern a continued troop pres