Sunday 24th of November 2024
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doping the in-patient .....

from our ABC …..

Bush dissatisfied with 'Iraq situation', urges patience

By Washington correspondent Kim Landers

‘The US President George W Bush has expressed concern about the increased bloodshed in Iraq which has left 93 American soldiers dead so far this month.

His latest comments come with his party facing a struggle to retain control over Congress amid widespread voter dissatisfaction at his handling of the Iraq war.

President Bush says Americans cannot let their dissatisfaction with Iraq turn into disillusionment about the war.

"I know many Americans are not satisfied with the situation in Iraq, I'm not satisfied either," he said.

But he says the Coalition is winning and that the US must persist because the Iraq war is essential to America's security.

The President is also defending the handling of the war, saying tactics are being changed constantly to keep up with the enemy.

"We should not expect a simple solution, the fact that the fighting is tough does not mean our efforts in Iraq are not worth it," he said.

But he has sidestepped a question about whether the United States plans to operate permanent military bases in Iraq, saying that is a decision for the Government in Baghdad, and it is not in a position to be thinking about that yet. 

President Bush is calling Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki the "right man" to lead the country, but is also emphasising that the US will push him to make tough decisions.

"And we will not put more pressure on the Iraqi Government than it can bear," he said.

Nevertheless he is also warning that America's patience is not unlimited.

Cheney in denial

From CBS

Cheney Links Iraq Violence, U.S. Elections
Vice President Says Attacks Abroad Are Timed To Influence Midterm Votes

"It's my belief that they're very sensitive of the fact that we've got an election scheduled and they can get on the websites like anybody else."
Vice President Dick Cheney

(AP) Vice President Dick Cheney [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/10/30/politics/main2138005.shtml|said Monday] the increase of violence in Iraq is linked with efforts to influence the outcome of next week's elections, in which Republicans are struggling to keep control of Congress.
"It's my belief that they're very sensitive of the fact that we've got an election scheduled and they can get on the websites like anybody else," Cheney said. He said al Qaeda and other elements were trying to "break the will of the American people" because "they think we don't have the stomach for the fight long term."
Asked if the attacks were timed to influence the U.S. elections, Cheney said, "That's my belief."
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Gus: We're in trouble If that's what the Vice-P truly believes... All the time there is another excuse about the ON-GOING violence, etc... Mr Cheney you can fool us... that's okay, we're guilable. But do not try to fool yourself. You are more clever than most, yet why do you utter crap at every opportunity?... See, why don't you make the perfect exit decision now to let the Iraqi forces you've trained take "complete" control of that country, then your armies can go and guard the oil wells so you can pump in peace? Would that be to obvious a rape? Other than this clever move, all you and your little Bushit are going to dish us is more of the same "stay the course" concoction under a different name like a "360 degree direction change" without proper peace solution in sight... And please don't blame the internet for spreading that the US has an election coming on or that it help connect terrorist networks... Please, even if it did it is not the primal aspect behind the insurgency, only a means if so a very small means... Er... There are things you're not telling us, isn't there?

More or less in denial

From our ABC

US force in Iraq swells to 150,000
With the US death toll in Iraq passing 100 this month and mid-term elections just days away, the Pentagon says the US force in Iraq has grown to 150,000 troops, the biggest it has been since January.

A Pentagon spokesman attributed the growth to overlapping unit rotations, but it came amid surging violence that so far this month has claimed the lives of 103 US troops and many more Iraqis.

"Several units are transitioning out as several are transitioning in," said Lieutenant Colonel Mark Ballesteros, who said that as of Monday the number of US troops in Iraq was 150,000.

A Pentagon official, who asked not to be named, said the US Army's 4th Infantry Division was near the end of its year-long rotation.

US commanders in the past have timed the overlap of troop rotations to increase the US military presence during Iraqi elections and other critical milestones in the political process.

The increase this time follows the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which US military officials anticipated would bring higher levels of violence, and comes just ahead of the November 7 congressional elections in the United States.

Pentagon officials, echoing Vice President Dick Cheney, have expressed concern in recent days that Al Qaeda is trying to step up the violence in Iraq to influence the outcome of the US vote.

'News to me'
Eric Ruff, the Pentagon press secretary, said he did not know why US troops levels were climbing.

"This is news to me," Mr Ruff told reporters.

"Talk to MNF-I (Multi-National Forces-Iraq). That's General Casey's decision."

The increase is noteworthy because US troop strength in Iraq is only 10,000 under the all-time high of about 160,000 reported in January after the Iraqi elections.

It had fallen to as low as 127,000 in June when US commanders still believed they could make troop cuts this year.