Here we go...

[Evermore]

Bush: 'I'm the Decision-Maker' on Iraq
Friday, January 26, 2007 11:17 AM EST
The Associated Press
By JENNIFER LOVEN

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Bush, on a collision course with Congress over Iraq, said Friday "I'm the decision-maker" about sending more troops to the war. He challenged skeptical lawmakers not to prematurely condemn his buildup.

"I've picked the plan that I think is most likely to succeed," Bush said in an Oval Office meeting with senior military advisers.

The president had strong words for lawmakers on both sides of the aisle who are lining up to support resolutions opposing his decision to send 21,500 troops to Iraq. He challenged them to put up their own ideas.

"I know there is skepticism and pessimism and that some are condemning a plan before it's even had a chance to work," the president said. "They have an obligation and a serious responsibility therefore to put up their own plan as to what would work."

Despite doubts in Congress and among the public about his strategy, Bush said lawmakers agree that failure in Iraq would be a disaster and that he chose a strategy that he and his advisers thought would help turn the tide in Iraq.

The president met with Army Lt. Gen. David Petraeus, newly confirmed by the Senate to command U.S. troops in Iraq.

"My instruction to him was `Get over to the zone as quickly as possible, and implement a plan that will achieve our goals,'" Bush said.

"You're going into an important battle in the war on terror," he told Petraeus.

During a photo opportunity, Bush was asked about stepped-up activities in Iraq against Iranian activities thought to be fueling the violence.

Bush defended the policy, but said it is no indication that the United States intends to expand the confrontation beyond Iraq's borders.

"That's a presumption that's simply not accurate," Bush said.

But added: "Our policy is going to be to protect our troops. It makes sense."

Bush also said he was confident that the dispute over Iran's nuclear program could be resolved diplomatically.

On the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, Mohamed ElBaradei, the head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency, said Friday that Iran expects to start installing thousands of centrifuges in an underground facility next month. He said the installation would pave the way to large-scale uranium enrichment, a potential means of making nuclear weapons.

"I understand that they are going to announce that they are going to build up their 3,000-centrifuge facility ... sometime next month," ElBaradei said.

Meanwhile, Bush also called Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to thank her for her support in the global war on terror. The president commended Arroyo for actions against the al-Qaida-linked group, Abu Sayyaf. Philippine officials say DNA test results have confirmed that the leader of the group was killed in a clash with Philippine troops in September, officials said Saturday.

[Narrock]

and your point is?

[Eziekial]

If Congress really had any balls they wouldn't have voted away their power to the president. Spare me your distain and your disdain.

[Tikker]

ok, but I reserve the right to apply disdain

[Evermore]

If Congress really had any balls they wouldn't have voted away their power to the president. Spare me your distain and your disdain.

Hopefully Congress can get some back. the mindless sheep are not in power.

Minda my 13 yr old has a better understanding of the point then you ever will. none of his plans have worked so far, what makes anyone think this one will?

[Eziekial]

How much do you want to wager on that Evermore? The way I see it, only a completely new party will ever correct that misstep. We are on a path that neither party is willing to move off of and have been for some time now. It's either that or a bloody revolution al la civil war that will change our current course.

[Harrison]

If Congress really had any balls they wouldn't have voted away their power to the president. Spare me your distain and your disdain.

Hopefully Congress can get some back. the mindless sheep are not in power.

Minda my 13 yr old has a better understanding of the point then you ever will. none of his plans have worked so far, what makes anyone think this one will?

I hope your 13 year-old has a stronger grip on the English language.

Guessing purely on the genetics involved, I wouldn't bet on it.

[Narrock]

If Congress really had any balls they wouldn't have voted away their power to the president. Spare me your distain and your disdain.

Hopefully Congress can get some back. the mindless sheep are not in power.

Minda my 13 yr old has a better understanding of the point then you ever will. none of his plans have worked so far, what makes anyone think this one will?

I hope your 13 year-old has a stronger grip on the English language.

Guessing purely on the genetics involved, I wouldn't bet on it.

[KaiineTN]

How much do you want to wager on that Evermore? The way I see it, only a completely new party will ever correct that misstep. We are on a path that neither party is willing to move off of and have been for some time now. It's either that or a bloody revolution al la civil war that will change our current course.

I'm all for a revolution. Sadly, I see it as the only way to get rid of some of the corruption that exists in our current government and fix things that should have never gotten fucked up in the first place.

I wonder how far a citizen could go to try to fix the government before he would get a terrorist title slapped on him and be convicted of treason? I have a feeling that those in power wouldn't hesitate to go that far if they felt that power was threatened.

[Gargamellow]

I support the war on terror...but only if we are handling terror..not civilians...

two more years and we will be able to leave those people alone. Where is Osama??? Good question. In my opinion, if you want to catch a cockroach, you have to turn the light off.

[Darcler]

Will be longer than 2 years.

And as of right now, everyone over there is a threat to our soldiers. Kids, women, hell even the Iraq Police. You cant tell who is and isnt against you and hiding a bomb under their stupid little turbans or giving info to the terrorists.

[Spazz]

Wow darc that sounds a lot like vietnam. How did we get out of that war again I seem to have forgotten ?

[Evermore]

I support the war on terror...but only if we are handling terror..not civilians...

two more years and we will be able to leave those people alone. Where is Osama??? Good question. In my opinion, if you want to catch a cockroach, you have to turn the light off.

hmm 3000+ US dead. 30,000+ Iraq civilians dead. sound like terror alone is being handled?

[Evermore]

If Congress really had any balls they wouldn't have voted away their power to the president. Spare me your distain and your disdain.

Hopefully Congress can get some back. the mindless sheep are not in power.

Minda my 13 yr old has a better understanding of the point then you ever will. none of his plans have worked so far, what makes anyone think this one will?

I hope your 13 year-old has a stronger grip on the English language.

Guessing purely on the genetics involved, I wouldn't bet on it.

who is giving you these little quips? you got an "insults for dummies" book there? I'm happy you can muster the intelligence long enough to stop playing with yourself long enough to try to respond.