Bush: Successful Iraq 'surge' is the best chance to bring the troops home
The Associated Press reports that President Bush, in response to criticism over a poor progress report on the Iraqi government, stood behind his order of 20,000 additional troops, saying that it is still possible to carry out the "mission" in Iraq. "The best way to start bringing these good men and women home," says Bush, "is to make sure the surge succeeds."
While the Iraqi government is failing in issues such as distributing oil revenues between the Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds, and administering elections, Bush touts the better marks it received in areas including the funding of reconstruction and providing its own soldiers. Said Bush in his weekly radio address, "Our strategy is built on the premise that progress on security will pave the way for political progress." He adds, "This report shows that conditions can change, progress can be made, and the fight in Iraq can be won."
Brandon Friedman, having served in Afghanistan and Iraq with the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division, counters in the Democratic response. "The fact is, the Iraq war has kept us from devoting assets we need to fight terrorists worldwide - as evidenced by the fact that Osama bin Laden is still on the loose and al-Qaida has been able to rebuild."
Adds Friedman, "We need an effective offensive strategy that takes the fight to our real enemies abroad. And the best way to do that is to get our troops out of the middle of this civil war in Iraq."
Notably, Senate Republicans John Warner and Richard Lugar have broken with Bush, proposing that a troop pullout plan be submitted by October 16 of this year.
#
The entire AP article can be read HERE.
|
