Bush Begins 5-Day Push to Defend Iraq War

[Jon8503]

CRAWFORD, Texas - With anti-war protesters continuing their vigil outside President Bush's ranch, the commander in chief began a five-day push Saturday to tell Americans why he thinks U.S. troops must continue the fight in Iraq.

In his weekly radio address, Bush argued that the war in Iraq will keep Americans safe for generations to come. He'll try to drive that point home with speeches in upcoming days in Utah and Idaho.

"Our troops know that they're fighting in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere to protect their fellow Americans from a savage enemy," the president said in the recorded broadcast.

"They know that if we do not confront these evil men abroad, we will have to face them one day in our own cities and streets, and they know that the safety and security of every American is at stake in this war, and they know we will prevail."

Bush is making a sell to a skeptical public. According to recent polls, a majority of Americans do not approve of his handling of the war.

Dozens of the disillusioned remain outside his ranch as their inspiration, grieved mother Cindy Sheehan, left to tend to her hospitalized mother in her home state of California. Sheehan started the protests by traveling to Crawford to ask Bush why her soldier son, Casey, had to die in what she calls a senseless war.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050820/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush

[mourningdove92]

1. So in other words,

If Cindy and company were not "getting" to him, he wouldn't have to run around and try to "resell" his war.

Score big for Cindy.

[Zenlitened]

2. Brazen lies, as usual.

And now he's fleeing Crawford, with his little tail between his legs.

:rofl:

[Lasher]

3. This will change a lot of minds

Just like his Social Security privatization propaganda tour did.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

4. What's the noble cause?

That's the question we need to ask. If he says keeping terrorism out of the US, ask why he's cut back on providing funds to beef up security to our nuclear plants, ports, highways, mass transit, etc, etc. Also why is it noble to allow terrorists to kill people "over there"? Any terrorist act anywhere hurts us all.

[fishnfla]

21. 'we will have to fight them in our cities and streets" WTF?

So much for the Dept of Homeland Security.

[dbeach]

5. DEFENDING his war

whens the next tax break for billionaires?

no shame for the reptoid in chief

[Renew Deal]

6. This will go nowhere, like everything he does.

He's an abject failure.

[seabeyond]

7. bushco's needed those 6 days in hiding to gather repugs, get

them all in order and walking the same line, and formulate their show they want to put on for the american people, and now......bush is ready to step out and challenge anti war movement

let it fail

[julialnyc]

19. plus they need to organize

wrapping themselves around 9/11................. they've decided 9/11 is the road that leads them furthest from Cindy.

[babylonsister]

8. Someone needs to remind him

that, because of his assholedness, we are substantially LESS safe because, by his actions, he's created a lot more terraists. What a
-wad!

[Kadie]

9. and the picture they are running with the article.

* is always grinning when he is talking about war, so I guess they picked the right photo

[julialnyc]

10. from link... camp casey give him hell for 5 days! don't let him use 9/11

We need a strategy to win in Iraq or an exit strategy to leave," former Sen. Max Cleland of Georgia said in the Democratic radio address. "The present course will lead us to disaster. More of the same just means more precious blood spilled in the desert."

Cleland, who noted that he lost three limbs serving in Vietnam, ticked off numbers indicating this war's toll — nearly 2,000 service members killed, more than 15,000 wounded and some soldiers returning for their third tour in Iraq. "Iraq is still not secure and we don't have the forces there to make it secure," he said.

Dozens of the disillusioned remain outside his ranch as their inspiration, grieved mother Cindy Sheehan, left to tend to her hospitalized mother in her home state of California. Sheehan started the protests by traveling to Crawford to ask Bush why her soldier son, Casey, had to die in what she calls a senseless war.

Although he didn't mention him specifically, Bush spoke of the soldiers who have died. "We offer their families our heartfelt condolences and prayers," he said.

"Now we must finish the task that our troops have given their lives for and honor their sacrifice by completing their mission," he said. "We can be confident in the ultimate triumph of our cause, because we know that freedom is the future of every nation and that the side of freedom is the side of victory."

The protesters at "Camp Casey" can claim some victory for forcing Bush to talk so extensively about the military deaths when he'd rather focus on indictors of progress in Iraq. The campers' call to bring the troops home now dominated news coverage out of Crawford this week while Bush stayed on his ranch with no public events.

Next week, the president will regain some of the spotlight with scheduled speeches to the Veterans of Foreign Wars on Monday and a National Guard group on Wednesday.

As he has before when he has been challenged, Bush invoked the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in his radio address.

"On that day, we learned that vast oceans and friendly neighbors no longer protect us from those who wish to harm our people," he said. "And since that day, we have taken the fight to the enemy."

In the Democratic address, Cleland also brought up the Sept. 11 attacks — to remind Americans that al-Qaida terror group leader Osama bin Laden has yet to be captured.

The president has been able to rally Americans behind him before by reminding them of the horror of Sept. 11, most pivotally in last year's close election.

He used the radio address to make the case again that Iraq is a critical part of the war against terrorists.

"We're spreading the hope of freedom across the broader Middle East," Bush said. "By advancing the cause of liberty in a troubled region, we are bringing security to our own citizens and laying the foundations of peace for our children and grandchildren.

[SalmonChantedEvening]

11. Dozens?

Can anyone give me more accurate numbers?

Isn't it more like 2-3 hundred? And growing?

[julialnyc]

14. right????

and I read about the caravans of Bush supporters that showed up today in the MSM!

[SalmonChantedEvening]

15. It fits the narrative they wish to present.

If they reported the correct numbers, which is probably 100 Cindy supporters to every 10 freeptards, it would show a true demographic of who is behind who in this.

Cant have that now can we? ;)

[uppityperson]

18. Many many dozens, isn't semantics fun? nt

[niallmac]

12. The reason we are fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan

is bekuz all the terrists are there you blockheads. When we kill all the insurgints and well, all the Ayrabs in general then we don't have to worry about terrists bekuz I'm pretty sure evrybody else really likes us. Well, i dont think about is too much bekuz i have a life to live and anyway if you want to really know about all the intrikasies of it all then ask Condi or Dick. Don't ask Powelly, I not sure about Powelly any more.
Anyway, just keep shopping, Walmart is a great store ya know. You could win $10,000 at Walmart in their "Find a Made in America" item contest. No ones won yet keep playin.
Im wurkin on thet Inteligent design rite now with Fristy (bastard) I luv intelgint desine cuz its so much easier to understand than scince. Scince is bull. Try to make me understan
stem cells. Just try. Its impossible. See?

[uppityperson]

13. Jon, I love that you have a biking guy by this article

I know it is your avatar, but it looks really funny in conjunction with this article.

[Jon8503]

17. Dam, never thought of that. You need to take note however, I

am not running into anyone or wrecking my bike.

Thanks, good catch.

[Hubert Flottz]

16. "his weekly radio address"

The ten people who listen to that every week will be glad the killing will go on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on andon and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on andon and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on until Halliburton reaches it's goal and the country belongs to Dick Cheney 100%...

[CitrusLib]

20. Well that's very telling.

It's nice to see him on the defense for once. If you have to make a push to defend something, it must signal you're not getting the support you expect. Fuck you, Bush and the horse you road in on.

[julialnyc]

22. you're so right...... this is one of the first times he's been kept on the

defensive (lord knows he should have been on the defensive many times before, but even the MSM isn't letting up on this one)

[CitrusLib]

23. Dig your avatar.

I met him twice in NH during the primaries. Veeeeeerrrrry impressive man. I would LOVE to chat with him and his family over coffee.