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A Christmas story?

Posted: Thursday, December 14, 2006 12:09 PM by Jen Brown

“He’ll decide after the holidays”?????  You’ve got to be kidding me.  Nothing should interrupt the president’s holidays?  Bob Gate’s?  Condoleezza Rice’s?  I couldn’t believe I heard that coming out of the White House.  The president will not make any decisions or changes to his current Iraq policy until after the holidays.  After all, they said on background – he only has one chance to get it right.  This after Gates acknowledged in his confirmation hearings that Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11 and the White House officially said they would change course in Iraq.  Two admissions that were not forthcoming heretofore.

 

I am sure that the families of the soldiers who are currently in Iraq feel badly for the president’s desire to put off the hard work.  I am sure that, as their loved one is cursing the streets of Baghdad and elsewhere hoping not to get shot at or ambushed, they feel comfortable knowing that the president is taking a break from decision-making.

 

This is more than outrageous.  This abdication of responsibility should be news we scream from the rooftops every day between now and New Years.

 

Some Republican pundits are saying this week, “Where are the Democrats? Why don’t they provide a path?  Why don’t they step in?”  Yet we all know that those same pundits would be accusing Democrats of treason if they used the best weapon at their disposal, the war budget.  I think the Democratic Congress will be aggressive with this president.  But if he intends to continue to claim that he is in charge, then he owes Americans two holiday presents right now:  Tell us what our remaining goals are in the region and tell us how and when our troops are coming home.

 

“I’m the decider,” said the president.  But he can’t make a decision.  Happy holidays, soldier.

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Comments

Mr. Bush has also said that he will not be pressured into any decision or timetable. Do you want him to make a decision so that you have a great holiday? How can you possibly know of all the factors involved with this war let alone be able to tell others when they should make up their mind and why. It seems you want him to accomodate you and not the country with which he represents. I did not vote for him but I respect the fact that he was voted into office. I only have a problem when a president of my country abuses his power for personal or political gain at the expense of his own citizenry. In other words, when they act like a king. I hope it is the right decision for America.

E. Ruiz, Delano, California (Sent Thursday, December 14, 2006 1:04 PM)

Dito - I think it requires time to think things through not only for him but for the3 people he is working with, including new rumblings from the Presidents of Iraq, Syria, and Iran. What Russert fails to "get" is that more and more of the question of the middle East has to do with unresolved inssues between Palestine and Israel, and that my friend, is a hornests nest for any president, war or peace. What Russert and oters in the press should have been doing since 9/11 was questioning our overwhelming support of the Zionist cause. No, I did not say Jewish cause, I said Zionist cause. Zionism is not the same thing as being Jewish, if it were, there would be no Jews left in America, they, as Diaspora, would have all moved to Tel Aviv shortly after 1948.

Oh yeah, I forgot, Americans can't talk about Jewish people, Zionism, or how or why the state of Israel exists. We've been emotionally blackmailed into thinking this is our problem, our fault, our cross to bear....go figure. The United States NEVER had enemies in the middle east until after 1948. Gee wilikers Mister Russert, why is that?

Jim Crackhorn, Texas (Sent Thursday, December 14, 2006 1:56 PM)

Just when I think the president couldn't possibly do anything more stupid, there he goes again.  After the holidays - seriously?  People are DYING over there.  At the time of year when we celebrate Christ's birth, I have to ask myself "What would Jesus do?"  Surely he wouldn't leave our nation's heroes and their families hanging in the balance while he enjoys the holidays.  BUCK UP, Mr. President!  NO TIME OFF FOR YOU!

Leah, Grand Forks, ND (Sent Thursday, December 14, 2006 1:57 PM)

Bush and Cheney led us into this war for dubious reasons based on intelligence they knew at the time was false.  Not one more US soldier should die over there.  How would you feel as the parents of the last US soldier to die in this hell hole?  The people responsible for putting our troops in harms way should be put on trial.

J. Crain, OR (Sent Thursday, December 14, 2006 1:57 PM)

This president is mentally lazy, beligerently uninformed and intellectually challenged in the worst way. He over-delegates everything to his equally ignorant syncophants, like the most morally bankrupt man in politics, Dick Halliburton Cheney; he's developed war profiteering into an art form.

Incurious George is criminally incompetent and irresponsible and a rousing failure as a "decider." Imagine allowing this notoriously disasterous decision-maker (except re how to further enrich the rich) to be the one to decide the "way forward" for our pathetic policy in Iraq. Impeachment is too good for a man of this degree of stupidity and cavalier disregard for the horrors taking place every minute in tragically destroyed Iraq. Though Saddam was no bastion of virtue, pragmatically at least one must begrudgingly admit he certainly had an effective lid on the insane religious hostilities that have apparently been laying dormant for many years in Iraq. I believe that if Georgie and Dickie had sons instead of daughters, this war would have never been considered because both would have known how much pressure would have been on them to join this ridiculous war. Leave it to those who know not the unending agonies of war to request others' children (who likely have few other lucrative options) to fight their willfully foolish, greedy endeavors in a foreign land. No real man refuses to compassionatly admit his ego-directed mistakes while any human being suffers and dies by his hand. George Bush is no cow-boy; he's a cow-ard.

Gilda Garrison, Dallas, TX (Sent Thursday, December 14, 2006 1:58 PM)

Senor Ruiz, Mr. Bush has had plenty of time to "know of all the factors involved with this war" and make some sensible decisions.  Wait until the elections, wait until Gates is confirmed, wait until Baker-Hamilton report arrives, wait until I talk to everyone in Washington and elsewhere, wait until after the holiday and what next??? I'd like Mr. Bush to officially resign since he is again proving that he is a horrendous Chief Executive and he has abdicated his responsibility to the American people, including the American soldiers.
He's had more than 3 years to come up with a strategy and has had at least one year to come up with a change since the cluster-f**k has gotten even worse, yet he continues to stay the course and do nothing... He is still looking for someone to agree with him and tell him what he wants to hear.  Maybe he's hoping Santa will solve the problem for him.

Chris Mauro, Philadelphia, PA (Sent Thursday, December 14, 2006 2:13 PM)

Whether average Joe likes it or not, this country is at WAR. There is a huge difference between being at peace and being at war. The language "war on [insert drugs, terror, communism, Christmas]" is always used as Orwellian crisis-speak to motivate Americans to support the current hot topic cause; notwithstanding the inane argument over whether this war is civil or not, America is at war, not at peace. Everyone from the President on down the chain should be burning the midnight oil every day until we return to peacetime. All I want for [insert your denomination's seasonal celebration] is peace in the Middle East.

Froggacuda, Ocean Beach, CA (Sent Thursday, December 14, 2006 2:15 PM)

We had FEMA in place for years before Katrina. FEMA was caught with its ineptitude showing when most needed - not only was it umprepared but it did not seem to know what critical path planning and execution is. We also have been embroiled in this Middle East dilemma for years and seem to always need more time to consider our alternatives. It isn't enough to have an objective. We need a plan to achieve it with a "what if" scenario also defined. I am no longer interested in hearing President Bush tell me how committed he is to victory. I want to hear him admit the failure of his stratigies-to-date and to tell me he has a realistic plan to relate resources to probable outcome. Let's get on with government's primary objective of protecting its citizens from injustice, poverty, corruption, ignorance, and insurrection of all kinds.    

Ed Crotty, Carlsbad, CA (Sent Thursday, December 14, 2006 2:17 PM)

Frog, Did I miss something or did the Congress declare war as required by the Constitution?  Or did the Decider just decide we are at war?  If we are at war, were is the shared sacrifice, the taxes needed to pay for the war, the draft to get the needed soldiers?  Oh, none of that is happening.  I wonder why?

Rick (Sent Thursday, December 14, 2006 2:39 PM)

Hooray for Gilda Harrison and for Chris Mauro! They capture my sentiments for our ineffectual leader. He rushed into this war not thinking of the regional impact on power-alliances, he misused intelligence, and he has had more than 3 years to decide what course corrections are needed. He has continued to mutter the words "stay the course" for over a year as things have become progressively worse in Iraq. He is clearly incompetent, if not delusional, and yes, he is also a liar. The decision to go to war is and will continue to be one of the greatest strategic errors this country has ever made. The use of the word "war" has only been used by the president and his party to exert executive power and privilege. There are no good decisions or choices to be had, as the war has been mishandled from day one.

Michael Cortez, Austin, Texas (Sent Thursday, December 14, 2006 2:45 PM)

To Whom It May Concern:
We are not at "war" there hasn't been a declaration of war from the United States since Dec.,1941.  However, if we were at war I'd expect a tax raise to pay for it, I would also expect some other individual sacrifices(excluding the poor SOB's that actually get shot).  We entered this abortion hell bent for leather("You don't introduce a new product in August"K.Rove), but after the feces has hit the fan we need to move with all deliberate speed.  God help us.

Carl,Gansevoort NY (Sent Thursday, December 14, 2006 2:45 PM)

Mr. Bush is, to me, one of those pathetic individuals who, when in trouble, was always bailed out and not held accountable.  When arrested for DUIs, he was released and the records expunged, when he went bankrupt, he was bailed out, when he was elected governor, someone made most of the decisions for him, and his, by any stretch of the imagination, an accidental President.  Now he wants someone to bail him out of Iraq but also tell him he was correct.  He showed to me his moral cowardice by not denouncing the swift boat veterans nor will he enlighten anyone about his six months "furlough" when "serving" his country.  What next?

James J. O'Connor (Sent Thursday, December 14, 2006 3:01 PM)

innocent americans are dieing everyday so that the decider can dither.  impeach now not after the holidays. show our military that you support them and write your elected representatives and demand impeachment now

mikeeg,abdn,wa (Sent Thursday, December 14, 2006 3:13 PM)

Our country is not at war, our troops are inserted into a conflict.  We are shopping and decorating for Christmas.  We are not being shot at, bombed, etc.  Our troops are dying for reasons that are not really clear to most of us, other than being a world bully and making other countries bow to our wishes.  How would you all feel if Bolivia invaded us and took over our government?
What our government did was incredibly stupid.  Not the first time, won't be the last.  

John Frederick (Sent Thursday, December 14, 2006 3:31 PM)

President Bush and his cabinet have had months to decide a course of action. Delaying a "decision" (should there be one!) does nothing more than extend a conclusion of the Iraq fiasco.

The end of the situation in Iraq can only come from within Iraq, and from the Iraqui people. The United States cannot rescue Iraq from determined religious fanantics, and our government is totally unprepared to mediate an end to hostilities between the Sunni and Shiite factions.

There will never be "victory" in Iraq, just as there was no "victory" in Vietnam, Korea, or any of a number of other ill-fated military ventures by the United States.

The sooner the morons in Washington understand this simple fact, the sooner the dying will end in Iraq. As of the first week of December, 2006, the United States military has suffered 25,000 casulties, with almost 3,000 killed. Our military represents the best, brightest, and bravest our country has to give, and they are being killed in a "war on terror" that will never end.

Mike, Clearwater, Florida (Sent Thursday, December 14, 2006 3:37 PM)

It's common knowledge that Bush rushed into Iraq without any planning after the first few weeks of "shock and awe."   We're supposed to cut him some slack now?  He's known what the Baker-Hamilton report would say for weeks - which mainly echoes the sentiments of any reasonable US citizen who this administration has ignored. He has the all the tools in the world to understand the situation on the ground in Iraq.  And he has a three and a half of trends to follow.

If Bush doesn't feel he can make a decision about what to do today given everything we know now, what makes anyone supporting him feel that in a few more weeks' delay he will suddenly have an epiphany?  

This president flatly doesn't have the credibility to deserve any benefit of the doubt.  

Sean Whitcomb (Sent Thursday, December 14, 2006 3:39 PM)

I cannot believe your level of arrogance actually can get worse!  How on earth do you know why the President has ade the decision to announce his plans after New Year's?  Could it be that he does not want to burden Military families with the knowledge that more troops will be needed?  Perhaps it is NOT his Christmas he is protecting!

When will you people in the media realize that you may NOT actually have all the answers - because you may NOT have all the substantiating information?  Chris, Holy Cross taught you better than this!  Stop letting your partisan feelings for our leaders color your ability to think and analyze clearly!

Furthermore, nothing is more infuriating than the media and the Left's disrespectful treatment of the President of the United States!  This man is our LEADER.  Would you have treated President Reagan like this?  What about your father?  Wake up and have a little decency.

KA Stevens (HC '88) (Sent Thursday, December 14, 2006 3:42 PM)

I cannot believe your level of arrogance actually can get worse!  How on earth do you know why the President has ade the decision to announce his plans after New Year's?  Could it be that he does not want to burden Military families with the knowledge that more troops will be needed?  Perhaps it is NOT his Christmas he is protecting!

When will you people in the media realize that you may NOT actually have all the answers - because you may NOT have all the substantiating information?  Chris, Holy Cross taught you better than this!  Stop letting your partisan feelings for our leaders color your ability to think and analyze clearly!

Furthermore, nothing is more infuriating than the media and the Left's disrespectful treatment of the President of the United States!  This man is our LEADER.  Would you have treated President Reagan like this?  What about your father?  Wake up and have a little decency.

KA Stevens (HC '88) Dallas, TX (Sent Thursday, December 14, 2006 3:43 PM)

So President Bush is starting his long deliberations on the new course for Iraq. It reminds me of an interview I saw a few months ago on ABC's "This Week".  George Stephanopoulos was interviewing the President and asked him if he had thought about a possible 'Plan B' for Iraq.  Bush said he hadn't - because Plan A was going to work.  He looked annoyed at the very question.

Pressed by Stephanopoulos on the issue,  the President mumbled something about worrying about it if he ever needed to.  

Wasted time. Wasted Lives. Bush had so much faith that what he oversaw would work out perfectly - he didn't bother to ponder alternatives along the way. It was 'Stay the Course', until it wasn't.  So now we wait while he starts the process of coming up with a Plan B.  Sorry troops.  Sorry families.  Sorry Iraqis.  But really, who could have anticipated it?

Mark Quincy Adams New York, NY (Sent Thursday, December 14, 2006 3:46 PM)

I now find myself begrudgingly agreeing with the Dixie Chicks.... I am ashamed that George Bush chooses to claim he's a Texan. This man lacks even common sense. Wait til January???? My son is in Iraq in extreme danger... and after all this time George just has to talk to everyone and get everyones'opinions..... that wasn't necessary when the decision was made to start an unprovoked war!.
It seems to me that the president is the only remaining person on the planet who thinks stay the course is a valid option. Listen to his rhetoric... still calling those who disagree with his policies defeatists.... still refusing to see what even the raging neo-cons Rumsfeld and Cheney, et. al. have admitted.... this non-civil war has been bungled from the start...  As many of us chanted in the 60's....  "1,2,3,4, We don't want YOUR stinkin war"..
(or close to that, this being a family blog),

MERRY CHRISTMAS MR. PRESIDENT DECIDER.

Robert Wyner, Uvalde, TX (Sent Thursday, December 14, 2006 3:59 PM)

This comes from a religous man who claims, "I think all life is precious." Really.  The man who claims that this war is for peace.  This war was to spread democracy.  This war was to remove Saddam.  NOW, he's considering ideas.  The fact that the conclusion is the war is a failure doesn't register with this President.  Is this my country or his?  isn't that like a Dictatorship?

Dee (Sent Thursday, December 14, 2006 4:03 PM)

Impeach Bush-Cheney!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They didn't get the message of the mid-term election about Iraq, and they ain't EVER gonna listen to the will of the American people.  They do not serve us or our Constitution.  If the American people have any balls, we will demand -- and get -- their impeachment from our Congress.  Get busy, citizens.  Right now. Start writing and calling your so-called representatives and demanding impeachment.  Bush-Cheney are praying for Johnson to die and the SD Governor to hand Cheney the Senate tie-breaking vote...The Democrats cannot push for impeachment without OUR support.  If we want a change of course in Iraq and in our own country, it is up to us to make enough noise that our government has no choice but to listen.  Take the time to be heard and make your voice count.

KAustin, Charlotte NC (Sent Thursday, December 14, 2006 4:29 PM)

Why did it take a "thumping" election result for Bush to start reevaluating the situation?  Why did it take until now for him to start inviting a wide range of experts to give him their opinions and assessments?  Why did such analysis not take place on an ongoing basis since before the US invaded Iraq?

Karen R. Owens, Downingtown, PA (Sent Thursday, December 14, 2006 4:44 PM)

If the President did not know 4-6 months ago that a change of approach might be required, and start at least thinking about it, he is derelict in his duties.  His first responsibility should be to the troops in the war, and it appears that is not the case.

I am a 24-year military veteran and a moderate Republican, and I believe it is starting to get to the point that we need to bring up the impeachment word.  This guy (and those surrounding him) is totally incompetent.  

Charles Swanson, Sierra Vista, AZ (Sent Thursday, December 14, 2006 6:36 PM)

I think the issue here is that the American public is on the internet blogging about Bush's ineptitude and not marching in the streets.  

Since the guy doesn't pay any attention to "the internets" he doesn't think anyone is paying attention out here.  He actually believes that the American public has become complacent with his way of running things, and sadly many have. Perhaps the '06 election shook him up a bit, but he's thinking he can get away with his mentally lazy-arrogance shtick for 2 more years because he's still got lots of friends -- the tide hasn't turned on him that drastically, he thinks. It's stunts like this that remind us all of his true colors and why we have to demand more change in '08 !

G. Laughlin, Los Angeles, CA (Sent Thursday, December 14, 2006 6:48 PM)

I think Americans simply need to cut and run from the Republicans.

Jon James (Sent Thursday, December 14, 2006 6:49 PM)

What is there to decide? There is only one decision to make! We need to get the hell out of Iraq and let the chips fall where they may. Bush is like the compulsive gambler, who after losing his entire paycheck thinks he can turn it all around on the next bet. If we leave tomorrow there will be total chaos - If we leave in one year there will be total chaos - If we leave in ten years there will be total chaos. The only difference will be the number of brave men and women who are killed or maimed for life. The people are fed up with this war and want out. The only reason Bush is delaying his decision is he thinks if he puts a new spin or a new name on staying the course, the public will say "Now I understand why we have to stay." If two years after D-Day, our troops were still on Omaha Beach I don't believe the support for World War II would have been as strong. The progress in Iraq is no further along than it was two years ago. The only difference is the violence is much worse and there have been more troops lost.

Lew P.,California (Sent Thursday, December 14, 2006 6:51 PM)



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