Arab Times: Bush reaches a turning point in approach to Iraq

[huckleberry]

WASHINGTON, (KUNA): Five experts interviewed by KUNA at week’s end agreed that the Bush administration has reached a turning point in its approach to Iraq, marked not only by a willingness to grant a greater UN role in the devastated country, but also because it has become politically necessary that Congress have a greater hand in shaping Iraq policy - since Congress controls the purse strings. All five analysts predicted that Congress will approve President George W. Bush’s surprise request for $60 billion to $70 billion to fund the occupation and rebuilding of Iraq next year. But all five also agreed that the price for that approval will be that Congress will demand more answers - and play a much larger role - in US policy on Iraq.

snip


... Also, Ullman said, the Hutton inquiry in Britain has shown that the Iraqi threat was exaggerated, ‘and that is going to come back and haunt the president (Bush).’ David Mack, vice president of the Middle East Institute, said members of Congress were unpleasantly surprised and angry over Bush’s request for $60 billion to $70 billion for Iraq reconstruction after they returned from their summer recess.

While Bush might be able to ignore Democratic criticism, Bush’s fellow Republicans also heard from constituents who said they need money for education, health care and tax cuts, ‘and what you are doing in Iraq is going to make those things impossible,’ Mack said. ‘This is what gives the administration a serious domestic problem,’ he added. ...

snip

Americans also were told that the war could be funded with Iraqi oil, he said. ‘The American public does not have a taste for empire, and they would not even be interested in years and years and years of a very low casualty occupation, and they are certainly not interested in what this one looks like, ‘ Mack said. Unless Bush makes ‘a really drastic mid-course correction in his strategy toward Iraq,’ it will be ‘a very, very big negative for the president in the upcoming election,’ Mack predicted.

more at
http://www.arabtimesonline.com/arabtimes/world/Viewdet.asp?ID=1049&cat=b

[bandy]

1. this kind of brings clarity

to tomorrow nights speech. Sounds like he will be appeasing Congree more then anything (not that he will). Probably has nothing more to say then we need more money. Where it will come from is beyond me.

[Gin]

2. Heard a Democratic Senator on CNN say he expects the number to 80Billion..

stand by..

[lanlady]

3. that "really drastic mid-course correction"

Mack mentions is not going to happen. At least, there's no sign of it. Bush would have to sack a lot of people, beginning with the nos. 1, 2, and 3 at the Dept of Defense. Condi would also have to go.

Unless there's a clean sweep there will be no progress on Iraq.

[kclown]

4. Don't rule it out

Some signs (Rummy's trip and canceled address to troops) point
that way.