Bush Cites Churchill in Defending Iraq War

[Khephra]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Casting himself and British Prime Minister Tony Blair as the spiritual heirs of Winston Churchill, President Bush defended their decision to go to war against Iraq, despite the unraveling of U.S. and British claims relating to Iraq's banned weapons.

Bush called the Iraq war pivotal to his vision of a democratic transformation in the Middle East and compared it with the challenges Churchill faced in World War II and the early stages of the Cold War.

"In some ways, our current struggles or challenges are similar to those Churchill knew," Bush said in a speech at a Library of Congress exhibit honoring Britain's famous war-time prime minister.

"We are the heirs of the tradition of liberty, defenders of the freedom, the conscience and the dignity of every person."

more.................

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=4286634

[LosinIt]

1. I think I may be ill.

The only similarity between Bush and Churchill would be a penchant for the bottle.

[izzie]

16. Gee I am with you on this.

On one of my English sites they were talking about Bush and Blair for the peace prize. Now that is funny.Bush the man of peace. I can see it now, he will take the prize in his Gandhi out fit.

[dusty64]

19. Delusions of grandeur!

This asshole is clinical.

[indepat]

22. Wonder how history will view GWB's record on liberty, freedom, and

conscience?

[rjbcar27]

2. What a crock of SHIT!

I'm offended by that. How he can mention Churchill in the same breath as his Iraq offensive is beyond comprehension.

Twat.

[leftchick]

6. I imagine the British press will ....

take on that fraud of a comparison quite nicely. Lord knows the murican press won't. They wait with baited breath for these gems from rove..... :puke:

[Aidoneus]

11. I know that Churchill fans tend to ignore his pre-WWII career..

some aspects of Churchill's career before WWII warrants the comparison, including the occupations of Iraq. This is obviously not what "W" had intended, and I say this not with any intent of flattering either Bush or Churchill.

[BiggJawn]

17. Yes, like the oh, perhaps, the Lusitania "LIHOP"?

I was just thinking that, too.

"Blood, Sweat, and Tears" and "This was Britain's Finest Hour" notwithstanding, his performance as First Sea Lord in WWI would have done Krystol and the PNAC bunch proud.

[Art_from_Ark]

24. He's confusing Churchill with that other WWII leader,

the guy with the funny moustache

[pinniped]

3. My first reaction, give me a break!

Where do these idiots come from?

First pres. POS thinks he's Kennedy now he's the spiritual heir of Churchill?

Jerk has delusions that he will go down as one of the greatest presidents of all time, meanwhile back on Earth his fake-ass presidency is going down like a smoldering shipwreck.

History will remember this POS as the worst of them all who STOLE the election and ran this country into the ground.

[JoFerret]

35. The spiritual heir that the electorate

tossed out on his ear in 1945.

[Rebel_with_a_cause]

4. Correct historic era

wrong "leader" cited.

[LosinIt]

5. Good one

and welcome to DU.

[ComerPerro]

8. LOL

We all know who Smirk models himself after, and it sure as hell isn't Churchill...

[radfringe]

7. he's compared himself to Kennedy, FDR, Lincoln,

and other presidents... wonder why he keeps skipping over Herbert HOOVER?

[ComerPerro]

9. Because its such an obvious comparison

He knows we have already made that comparison ourselves.

[Aidoneus]

10. with respect to the occupation of Iraq, there are some similarities

to the best of my knowledge (there are some claims to the contrary), Bush's crusader army has yet to drop any chemical gasses on Iraqis like Churchill did when he was involved in the previous imperialist occupation of the Mideast, but give it time..

[lastknowngood]

12. Yea and soon he will compare himself to God

n/t

[Spentastic]

13. He's right you know

Churchill fucked the Kurds over too.

[GoBlue]

14. PIFFLE

eom

[Snappy]

15. Sad and Pathetic

“George W. Bush is a dullard lacking any moral constraints in his pursuit of gain, loyal to no principle save the comfort of the very rich, unburdened by any thoughtful consideration of the national interest, and a man who, on those occasions when he actually does make a correct decision, does so almost by accident."

Jonathan Chait of the New Republic

I read that the Kurds actually captured Saddam and were not awarded the reward money. True?

The Kurds have been knocked down and screwed over by a few countries. I suspect that the Neo Fascist will screw them over again soon.

[T_i_B]

18. Is it me...

...or can I see Churchill turning in his grave at that comment?

"History has been kind to Winston Churchill, as it usually is to those who help save the world," said Mr Bush

Does Bush secretly think Churchill is over-rated or something? Does Bush secretly prefer other world leaders of the time or am I just a tad suspicious? I'm sorry but that remark just set a few alarm bells ringing with me.

[gulliver]

20. Russert should ask Bush to elaborate...

... on the challenges and struggles Churchill knew.

[lebkuchen]

21. a cerebral malfunction?

We Americans see that in our own leaders, frequently.

[truthisfreedom]

23. bush poops self while attempting to raise effigy of hitler, all the while

revealing his family's shady beginnings.

[Just Me]

25. Part of the neocon propaganda program,...

,...I saw them using this comparison early on. Of course, it is total BS, painting themselves as having the patent on fortune-telling of a genocide as did Churchill. Just another complete mischaracterization of their dishonorable motivations. This elite group are such horrible betrayers of the American people and American values. I want them charged, tried and convicted!!!!

[ewagner]

26. This has Karen Hughes written all over it.

In her praise for Bush there is no such thing as hyperbole. You can tell when she is writing the speeches because the themes become grander, the images more heroic. There are TWO certifiable lunatics running around the WH.

[Briar]

27. Looks like

that bust of Churchill which Bliar gave him has gone right to his head.

[yellowcanine]

28. Somebody needs to teach Bush some history

Churchhill was prime minister of a country that suffered the greatest sustained aerial attack on its capitol city in the history of the world up to that time. To compare the Battle of Britain to the threat posed by Saddam is just laughable.

[ewagner]

31. Wasn't Bush a History Major at Yale?

You would think he would know the differences between him and Churchill.

[vanityfair]

29. What hubris! eom

.

[tabasco]

30. The idiot freepers will lap it up.

To compare Iraq with the Axis in WWII is stupid. Our illegitimate war in Iraq bears no resemblance to WWII. Bush is a stupid little man who should be punished for his crimes. He is certainly the worst President this Nation ever had to endure.

[ninkasi]

32. Scary...

the little twit is a megalomaniac. It's so humiliating, to think the non-elected president is a real nut case.

[myomy]

33. * wouldn’t be allowed to light Churchill’s cigar.

Wonder what the Brits think of this comparison?

[JoFerret]

34. Gassing the Kurds?

Did he perhaps mention how Churchill referred to and treated the peoples of Iraq and how he sent the British army to gas the Kurds?

[Lisa]

36. Churchill on people who mangle the language ...

"the only thing I would whip them for is not knowing English. I would whip them hard for that".


Somehow I don't think Sir Winston would be impressed with Dubya.

[peekaloo]

37. Ha! His finest happy hour!

what a douchebag!