Yahoo: Bush Takes Fresh Shot at Iraq War Critics

[bkcc]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051114/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_asia

Um...right. Would someone like to explain to me how repeating the same old tired line about how criticism hurts troop morale is a "fresh shot"?

And another thing: Can anyone tell me just how often the troops are able to sit around and read/watch what's in the US press? I'm being serious when I ask this. Are there any vets out there who can tell me just how much of an impact criticism of the war has on the troops?

[TheCowsCameHome]

1. I can't believe they wouldn't rather be home than over there.

No matter what those staged interviews try to accomplish.

[Tamarin]

2. Stale rhetoric is now a fresh shot, apparently.

[ShrewdLiberal]

10. Yeah, he's on the ropes ready to drop like a brick

He's no Ali. He's going down.

[kahleefornia]

3. he's getting very defensive lately

Have you noticed? He never used to acknowledge any criticism at all. Now he feels he has to make speeches and statements all the time.

[Oceansaway]

4. i think hes ready to 'melt-down'....

[Freedomfried]

5. The troops read what's in the Stars and Stripes

at least before the internet thats where we got all our news overseas.

[Burma Jones]

6. Was it his money shot?

Is he spent?

[NanceGreggs]

7. If I may?

I can't imagine anything more demoralizing to the troops than having insufficient body and vehicle armour, being embroiled in a war that was inefficiently planned and where there is no exit strategy in place, a war where they are kept fighting even after their enlistment period has expired, not to mention the fact that it is being proven, beyond doubt and on an ever-growing basis, that this war was based on misleading information, cherry-picked intelligence and out-and-out lies.

I do not deign to speak for the troops, but were I a soldier in Iraq right now, I would be EXTREMELY ENCOURAGED that the people back home were looking into these issues and, hopefully, discussing them with a view to keeping me safe while on duty, and bringing me home sooner rather than later.

George.W.Bush = Worst.President.Ever.

[tulsakatz]

8. I've heard that Vets think that........

........dissent empowers the enemy by the fact that the public is not 100% behind the effort. Of course, these comments also seem to come from conservatives too so I don't really believe it.

In a democratic society, there will ALWAYS be people who don't believe in what you are doing (no matter what that may be)!

[Freedomfried]

9. Predicted dissent and protest should always be added to the equation for

the total planning package for the successful outcome of a war.
If the reasoning and purpose for a declared war are not sufficient for public support of same, than this should be brought up in planning as a serious of a detriment to the operation as any other element.

Just as serious as a logistics, the weather or support from other countries.

[Freedomfried]

11. So he can't blame the dissenters, he thought Americans were

stupid enough to buy into his total bullshit rationale.


They blew it for themselves, now they want to blame us,


FUCK THEM!

[Ian David]

12. From Rapid Response Network

RAPID RESPONSE: Monday 11/14/05

Rapid Response Network
[e-mail]

----------------------------
ISSUE
----------------------------

Bush Takes Fresh Shot at Iraq War Critics
By TERENCE HUNT, AP White House Correspondent
11/14/05
http://tinyurl.com/eyv83

FROM THE ARTICLE: "Reasonable people can disagree
about the conduct of the war, but it is irresponsible
for Democrats to now claim that we misled them and the
American people," Bush said in his prepared remarks.

** THOUGHTS **

For one thing, if you read the article Pres Bush and
even National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley are
quoted fairly routinely about the Iraq pre-invasion
intel and also about the Asia trip. Administration
quotes make up roughly 1/3 of the article, certainly
nearly the entire beginning.

Where is the other side's chance to respond? Sen John
Kerry has a quote from a news conference added in. But
where is the proof that Senators were misled?

AP Reporter Terence Hunt may want to read...
So you want details about who lied
JAMES BRUNER
GUEST COLUMNIST, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
November 14, 2005
http://tinyurl.com/9q7gv

or this...
Al-Libi’s Tall Tales
A CIA document obtained by NEWSWEEK provides further
evidence that the U.S. intelligence community had
serious doubts about information from a high-level
Qaeda detainee before the Iraq war.
By Michael Isikoff and Mark Hosenball
Newsweek
Updated: 1:31 p.m. ET Nov. 10, 2005
http://tinyurl.com/c35ba

or this...
Niger forgeries: The Italian connection
Did Italian spooks collude with American neocons to
trump up evidence for war?
By Samuel Loewenberg
Salon.com
http://tinyurl.com/amsef

or pretty much anything here...
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/


** ACTION **

Call the AP to ask why the actual details on why
elected officials feel they were lied to was excluded
from the piece about Pres Bush defending himself.

Ask for White House correspondent Terence Hunt or his
supervisor. The number for the AP 1-212-621-1500. The
general email is <[e-mail]>. PLEASE BE POLITE!
Point out that you think some information was missing.

++ The danger in a wire service like the AP not
including such details is that local media outlets
pick up and run these stories nearly simultaneously.
If facts are missing or incorrect information is
reported, those media outlets won't know right away
and the bad info could be presented to the public as
news...

You may also want to consider writing letters the
editor to media outlets where this or similar stories
appear. Please detail some of the exaggerations that
were used in the lead-up to the invasion. You may find
a list of media carrying this story or a similar one
here:
http://tinyurl.com/7vk7o



----------------------------
ISSUE
----------------------------

Torture's Terrible Toll
Abusive interrogation tactics produce bad intel, and
undermine the values we hold dear. Why we must, as a
nation, do better.
By Sen. John McCain
Newsweek
Nov. 21, 2005 issue
http://tinyurl.com/deawk

** THOUGHTS **

Pres Bush recently said "We do not torture" which is
sadly laughable given the photos from Abu Ghraib,
actual FBI reports from Gitmo, and VP Cheney's actual
lobbying to defeat McCain's anti-torture bill on
Capitol Hill.

Where's your stand on torture? Is it unAmerican?

** ACTION **

Put your opinion into the mix by writing your local
paper. Progressives and sensible conservatives alike
have been calling for an end to torture practices.



----------------------------
ISSUE
----------------------------

Documents Reveal Alito's Abortion View
By JESSE J. HOLLAND, Associated Press Writer
11/14/2005
http://tinyurl.com/b2rop

** THOUGHTS **

Is the Supreme Court the ultimate arbiter of justice
for all of America or only a certain chosen few (ie,
those who voted for a given president)?

Roe v Wade was decided on the basis of a right to
privacy: that women have the right to medical privacy
on the decisions they make with their doctors.

Should we as a nation throw away our history on the
whim of rabid right-wingers?

** ACTION **

What do you think of these new details about Nominee
Alito? Write your local news organizations.


----------------------------
OF INTEREST
----------------------------

This isn't the real America
By Jimmy Carter
Op-Ed, LA Times
November 14, 2005

** FROM THE COLUMN **

IN RECENT YEARS, I have become increasingly concerned
by a host of radical government policies that now
threaten many basic principles espoused by all
previous administrations, Democratic and Republican.

These include the rudimentary American commitment to
peace, economic and social justice, civil liberties,
our environment and human rights.

Also endangered are our historic commitments to
providing citizens with truthful information, treating
dissenting voices and beliefs with respect, state and
local autonomy and fiscal responsibility.

** ACTION **

What are your thoughts? [e-mail]

You may also want to ask your local paper to request
permission to run this column if you like it.



----------------------------
FYI
----------------------------

**
Morning-after pill fight pits science vs. policy
By Mike Dorning
Washington Bureau, Chicago Tribune
Published November 14, 2005
http://tinyurl.com/cv6fp

++ What's next? Viagra is "unnatural" therefore it
must be opposed...? Where does this slippery slope
lead?


**
President's ratings hit new low in poll
By Susan Page, USA TODAY
11/14/2005
http://tinyurl.com/7g6p3

++ Is Pres Bush weak because of his unpopularity?



____________________________________________
Rapid Response is All-Volunteer! Support your RR team!

Tell your friends about us and let 'em know where to
sign up:
http://www.rapidresponsenetwork.org

Become a volunteer
http://www.rapidresponsenetwork.org/volunteer.shtml
or donate
http://www.rapidresponsenetwork.org/donate.shtml

____________________________________________
Rapid Response Network (RR) is a group of volunteers
dedicated to advancing the principles of balance and
truthfulness in the media. RR is currently filing for
501c4 status as a non-profit organization.

To contact us: [e-mail]
To unsubscribe (NOTE NEW ADDRESS), send an email to:
[e-mail]
____________________________________________

To contact your elected representatives:
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/home/
*
League of Women Voters Media email database:
http://www.capwiz.com/lwv/dbq/media/
*
TV news addresses: http://digbig.com/4bqmq
*
Addresses for major U.S. daily publications/wire
services/weekly publications: http://digbig.com/4cqge
*
Major publication addresses by state:
http://digbig.com/4bwxw

[Jason Lapointe]

13. 5 more died today

what a waste and for what ?

How much longer will it continue ?



From montreal