Iraq/Iran: Things looking up for Bush?

Shadow, Hamden, CT — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 14:14:12 GMT

When an absence of bad news is a rare exception, permanently low approval ratings are no surprise. Things can't look up with Iraq and Iran when one country's government relies on our military occupation, while the other is strengthened by it, and our treasury bleeds dry all the way as anti-American sentiment/terrorist recruitment increases around the world.

Iraq/Iran: Things looking up for Bush?

Bunny, Winston-Salem, NC — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 14:30:27 GMT

During this Thanksgiving week, pause a moment and give thanks for our President and the exceptional people he has working for this wonderful Country. No administration has ever had to endure the critical scrutiny of so many, the back handed commentary, the sheer hostility of a press intent on managing the news to create crisis. Yet they continue to serve us. Try to be a little grateful.... not one in a million of their critics could undertake the same burdens and manage so well.

Iraq/Iran: Things looking up for Bush?

mikeeg,abdn,wa — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 14:34:52 GMT

Whatever success or lack of success on iraq/iran no one thinks it was the right thing to do or that it was worth doing in terms of human lives wasted and the Billions of $$ it costs, bush will go down in history as the moron he is.

Iraq/Iran: Things looking up for Bush?

Kay Randolph, Eau Claire WI — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 14:36:01 GMT

The US is winning. Making the world safer for everyone.

Get used to it Democrats!! No one likes a loser.

Iraq/Iran: Things looking up for Bush?

bug — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 14:41:17 GMT

Bunny- So blissfull. What is it that comes along with bliss?

Iraq/Iran: Things looking up for Bush?

leon houston — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 15:04:48 GMT

the only real question is how can a republican continue to be a republican after 7 years of lies, corruption and 4000 dead American boys and girls. 3 more dead sunday morning by a suicide bomber but the media play it down.

middle class folks are suffering all over this country with 3.00 a gallon gas(two rich oilmen from texas in white house?) new tough bankrupcy laws that still let corporations file but make it nearly impossible for two income middle class who lost a house three years ago to a hurricane, veto middle class healthcare for children but continue to get free nationalized healthcare for him and his government buddies, and remember we had bin laden surrounded in tora bora until bush moved 75% of our forces to iraq(51st state?) he and his kind have preyed on the middle class for too long and I will only be thankful after his term is ended and his damage repaired.

oh yeah: republicans hate America and middle class children.

Iraq/Iran: Things looking up for Bush?

Jim, Atlanta — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 15:12:33 GMT

Bunny you are so right..

$3 trillion dollars added to the national debt, inflation adjusted wages lower than they were 7 years ago, the dollar at record lows, oil prices 4 times what they were when Bush took office and mired down for 4 1/2 years in a war that we didn't have to fight.

Magnificent job Dubya...I can't understand why people think you are incompetent.

Iraq/Iran: Things looking up for Bush?

R.Merrell — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 15:13:43 GMT

Bush's presidency has been a disaster of his own making. The buck stops with him although he's never understood that concept, preferring to continually blame others and shift responsibility for his actions and poor judgement. He's surrounded himself with narrow minded idealogues and psuedo patriots. He's drained the Treasury and hidden behind the veil of "executive priviledge". He's been nothing but devisive and partisan instead of realizing that he's supposed to be President of the entire United States. He's run the Justice(??) Department as if it was his own personal law firm and has nothing but contempt for the Constitution. The world is far more dangerous and the U.S. far less respected as a result of his tunnel vision and lack of statesmanship. No President has been so ill-prepared and so damaging to the to the country as G.W. Bush. His pitch that he's a "uniter" and a "compassionate conservative" has been nothing but empty rhetoric aimed directly at his right-wing conservative base. Jan 20, 2009 cannot come too soon.

Iraq/Iran: Things looking up for Bush?

Joe Einloth — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 15:15:25 GMT

Bunny, "No administration has ever had to endure the critical scrutiny of so many, the back handed commentary, the sheer hostility of a press intent on managing the news to create crisis." The hell you say! Bush couldn't stand up to the scrutiny of the Clinton years.

Iraq/Iran: Things looking up for Bush?

CitizenJ — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 15:30:41 GMT

"No administration has ever had to endure the critical scrutiny of so many, the back handed commentary, the sheer hostility of a press intent on managing the news to create crisis."

Bunny,

Don't you think that the scrutiny is there for a reason? Don't get me wrong, I am very thankful that he hasn't screwed things up worse than he already has for a couple months. But I will never give thanks for him. Never. His treachery goes much deeper than Iraq or Iran. He has turned this country against itself, making people choose between being labled as patriots for supporting his failed policy, or troop-haters for wanting to bring them home.

Of all his great failures, this is his greatest, because this mindset won't go away when our troops finally are home. It will last long after he is gone.

Iraq/Iran: Things looking up for Bush?

Class Warrior, D.C. — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 15:32:15 GMT

Buny, I'm being thankful this year that there's very little time for this horrible excuse of a president, who has lied so often, caused so much death and devastation and misery, to continue destroying America and its repuation.
JANUARY 20TH, 2009!!!

Iraq/Iran: Things looking up for Bush?

Class Warrior, D.C. — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 15:35:32 GMT

Don't forget that the Post also pointed out that, though things are quieter in Iraq, the useless and impotent government there has NOT made the changes and passed the laws the Surge and American blood and taxpayers' money was supposed to buy them. The Post also reported on how things are going to hell very quickly in Afghanistan, whre we SHOULD be concentrating our efforts, but for a horrifically incompetant president.

Iraq/Iran: Things looking up for Bush?

PJ — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 15:55:45 GMT

Geoge W. Bush has been a disaster as POTUS.

Iraq/Iran: Things looking up for Bush?

Curt, New Jersey — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 16:05:31 GMT

Bunney

“not one in a million of their critics could undertake the same burdens and manage so well.”

Not one in a million could screw up as much.

Iraq/Iran: Things looking up for Bush?

Curt, New Jersey — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 16:06:18 GMT

Bunney

“not one in a million of their critics could undertake the same burdens and manage so well.”

Not one in a million could screw up as much.

Iraq/Iran: Things looking up for Bush?

Terry, Disabled Vet, Des Moines, IA — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 16:07:27 GMT

While we think things may be going good, we have to remember that the Iraqi government has not done a damn thing. THE MILITARY CAN NOT REBUILD A COUNTRY POLITICALLY. TIME TO GET THE HELL OUT.

Iraq/Iran: Things looking up for Bush?

Lee in CA — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 16:07:42 GMT

Iraq/Iran: Things looking up for Bush?

felix Littleton CO — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 16:25:30 GMT

The fact that American troops can reduce violence in various places in Iraq is no big surprise. We have the best trained troops in the world.

The fact that various local militias are getting arms from us and chasing al-Qaeda out of their neighborhoods may change some numbers for the better for the time being but then what?

None of this changes the fact that there is absolutely no chance the Maliki "government" we are supposedly buying time for will ever actually become a functional, much less unifying government. There is no chance that a unifying leader will emerge from the chaos of independent militias,each with its own agenda. So none of this is taking Iraq anywhere we or the Iraqis need for Iraq to go.

It's a bloody holding pattern, sometimes more sometimes less bloody, that won't ever lead to a stable Iraq from which we can withdraw our troops absent anything in the way of a political breakthrough on a national level. There is no evidence of any such breakthrough.

And we don't have much more time to maintain our troop level in Iraq in any case. Most agree the military will be losing the capability to sustain itself under the present circumstances by spring. How many tours can we squeeze out of the same troops, with some already serving their 4th? Better numbers don't mean the we are doing anything in Iraq other running as hard as we can to stay in the same place,no closer to a stable, self governing Iraq in spite of any number of military successes. It never was a problem with a military solution in the first place.

And the militias fighting al-Qaeda aren't on our side or the side of the non-functional powerless(not counting graft) Iraqi government. Each faction, each militia is on its own side in the "the enemy of my enemy is my friend (for the time being)" world of an Iraq that has been becoming more fragmented every day since the institution of Bremer's utterly wrong headed policies. Arming the militias just adds to the fragmentation.

So, no, the "good" news isn't causing Americans to fall, one more time, for neocon nonsense about "victory" this time around. Maybe you CAN under-estimate the stupidity of the American public after all. Thus Bush's still pathetic approval rate. He's earned it.

Iraq/Iran: Things looking up for Bush?

John B, Des Moines, IA — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 17:28:19 GMT

Well said felix Littleton CO @ 11:25am. You said all the things I was thinking. Worst. President. Ever.

Iraq/Iran: Things looking up for Bush?

Doug, San Diego — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 19:03:27 GMT

This president's "legacy" will be the kind of legacy ascribed to Pol Pot, to Stalin, to Hitler. Death, destruction, and the degradation of their own people. Impeach now, don't let this mad cowboy and his corporate cronies drag us down further.

Iraq/Iran: Things looking up for Bush?

Gary schear, Bozeman Montana — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 21:08:48 GMT

Iraq/Iran: Things looking up for Bush?

Lee Holmes — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 21:36:22 GMT

If we are the ''least respected''nation,then why is it that the only ones who truly detest us,are other dictatorships,and repressive states who are not worthy of comment anyway?
Frances ties with the US are now closer than they have been since the end of WWII. It is actually considering rejoining NATO. Germany,Poland,Bulgaria,Hungary,Japan,Holland,Denmark,Norway,Italy,Ukraine,Romania,The Phillipines,Colombia,Peru,El Salvador,Costa Rica,Libya,Egypt,Jordan,South Africa,Great Britain,Sweden,Liberia,Taiwan,Vietnam,Cambodia,Thailand,Mongolia,Austria,comprise a substantial portion of the worlds nations,yet they have few problems with this nation. Indeed,even liberal journalists and Europhiles such as NEWSWEEKS Christopher Dickey,a virulant Bush critic,nevertheless see the ''end of anti-Americanism''.
Pass to Iraq,and what American liberals truly fear most of all is success in this nation. To actually depend upon continuing mayhem and death is a thing unseen in American politics even during Vietnam for all but the most leftwinged personage. Failure is not an option. It is the thing most sought. To their fury,Iraq is not obliging them. It is moving forward regardless of the purely political pettiness exhibited by the American liberal. It is building its roads and bridges,restored electricity to prewar levels,more water and sewage treatment,even garbage collection. Theater and plays,multi-denominational worship without reprisal,a week-by-week decrease in all deaths. More return of refugees,currency stabilization,[as a consequence of more oil being exported and fewer shutdowns as the result of pipeline attacks].More goods and services,and people actually starting to move around their nation. Not simply trapped inside of armed villes. Deals between Sunni and Shia continue to be cut with the resultant effect of ever less violence. One brigade has already been sent home,with another division by March. Yet the recipe for nascent success brings scorn from those who must have failure and death in order to salve their ideological conscience,the worst use of a human mind. To put it another way, somewhat more trivial,who among you would purchase a book that was headed:''How I Turned One Million In Real Estate Into Twenty-Five Dollars In Cash''? Not many I suspect. Yet this same sort of desire for failure is evident in those who want more dead Iraqis and US soldiers. Not fewer. Fortunately,it is they who will carve the destiny of a new Iraq. Not their bleating detractors.

Also see: Todays SLATE [Hitchens,Chris],www.slate.com

Iraq/Iran: Things looking up for Bush?

Freedom Fries Forever! — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 23:22:46 GMT

"If we are the ''least respected''nation,then why is it that the only ones who truly detest us,are other dictatorships,and repressive states who are not worthy of comment anyway?"

Nice try. The only part you got right is "other dictatorships."

Iraq/Iran: Things looking up for Bush?

Sam Mills, New Orleans LA — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 04:53:37 GMT

Bunny, Winston-Salem, NC -- I will give thanks this Thursday that US deaths are down. I will give thanks that judgement has been passed and this President will receive no bump in the polls for improving a bad situation that he should not have lead us into in the first place and I will give thanks and wish godspeed to the calendar to get us to 1/20/08 at which time my family and friends will feast and celebrate the passing of a dark time in our nation and the exit of a joke of a President from the national stage and his party with him.
Happy Holidays Bunny.
Gary schear, Bozeman Montana

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You know, I really get tired of people that hate this country, and here is fine example. Nothing anyone does to attempt and make the world a better place, and the US a safer place, is tolerated by anyone of of the left wing nuts. My thanks will be that when a Republican is elected yet again next November that we'll have a CIC that has the balls to keep this country safe, and not some left wing loon that will let our people be run over by some two-bit terrorist country.

Iraq/Iran: Things looking up for Bush?

Roth — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 06:15:29 GMT

When Stalin was getting his ass kicked back in the 40's he was screaming for Churchill and Roosevelt to open more fronts to get the pressure off his forces. They obliged, germany lost, and we got 40 years of cold war. Is this what the alquada, and the other rag heads are doing with the increased pressure in afganastan, iran, and packastan???

Iraq/Iran: Things looking up for Bush?

Lee Holmes — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 06:43:39 GMT

Freedom Fries: Which remain a force to be reckoned with in any event. Do ye wish more ICBMS or less of them? More genocide or less? Less humanity or more?
Get with it man. Hatred of a president is not enough.

Iraq/Iran: Things looking up for Bush?

Gary Schear, Bozeman Montana — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 14:10:51 GMT

Lee Holmes-Sustainability? Not so much.

Iraq/Iran: Things looking up for Bush?

Lee Holmes — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 20:44:21 GMT

Gary:Enough to see the writing on the wall in Iraq. Even the New York Times,that most liberal of American newspapers,can no longer deny what is occurring there and places its lead story today on the improvements taking place there on Pg.1. Things are happening. Observe the silence regarding Iran. No new sabrerattling coming from that nation.[and no ''invasion''talk either]. Pakistans Musharref releases hundreds of political dissidents,price per/bbl of oil is easing as a result of these positive to neutral developments,which are taking place irregardless of how people discern the war in Iraq and US policies in the larger Middle East.

Iraq/Iran: Things looking up for Bush?

kenn — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 17:09:35 GMT

lOOKING UP FOR bUSH PUSHING UP FOR 3873 US SOLDIERS.AS LONG AS BUSH GETS HIS DUE >