Rooney: What Are We Doing In Iraq?
The following is a weekly 60 Minutes commentary by CBS News correspondent Andy Rooney.
I'd like to talk to you about something you probably don't want to be talked to about.
Someone - and I guess it's President Bush - has to tell us what in the world we're doing in Iraq now. I don't think any of us know. We did the right thing getting rid of Saddam Hussein, but what are we doing there now?
The Pentagon never tells us anything. Usually reporters and cameramen let us know quite a bit but it's so dangerous for them in Baghdad now that even they can't show us much of what's going on.
So far almost 2,800 American soldiers have been killed in Iraq. I say "almost 2,800" because there is no exact number. It changes by six or eight every day. That's how many of our young men get killed? And for what? Just tell us, Mr. President. For what? It hasn't even been good for Iraq; it certainly hasn't been good for us. The whole world thinks less of us for what we're doing there.
This little war is costing us $2 billion a what? I forget, a day, a week, a minute? It's the kind of money I can't even imagine.
President Bush should stand up there in front of us on television and do the hardest thing of all for any president to do. Tell us the truth. He should just say "Americans, there's something I have to tell you. You trusted me to be your leader and I thought I was doing the right thing when we went into Iraq. Well, I hate to admit it but I was wrong. I'm sorry but we never should have gone in and now we should get out."
Well, I'm not holding my breath until President Bush says that because I've never heard him admit he was wrong about anything. It isn't something presidents do. I don't recall hearing Bill Clinton or Jimmy Carter admitting they were wrong either.
I was asked to keep this short tonight. Fortunately it's easier to be short when I'm serious. Funny takes longer.
By Andy Rooney