Bush Officials Say Escalation Will Last Into 2008
Bush Officials Say Escalation Will Last Into 2008
The New York Times reports this morning, to no one’s great surprise, that the Bush administration foresees its “surge” lasting until “well into” 2008.
The Bush administration will not try to assess whether the troop increase in Iraq is producing signs of political progress or greater security until September, and many of Mr. Bush’s top advisers now anticipate that any gains by then will be limited, according to senior administration officials.
In interviews over the past week, the officials made clear that the White House is gradually scaling back its expectations for the government of President Nuri Kamal al-Maliki. The timelines they are now discussing suggest that the White House may maintain the increased numbers of American troops in Iraq well into next year.
In early March, the Times reported that Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno, the day-to-day commander of American forces in Iraq, had recommended in a private memo that Bush’s increased troop levels “be maintained through February 2008.” Odierno also said in January that “even with the additional American troops,” it might take another ‘two or three years‘ for American and Iraqi forces to gain the upper hand in the war.”
Odierno is notable since he was mentioned in the Washington Post’s report on Friday about the growing “split inside the military between younger, mid-career officers and the top brass.” The Post reported that “many majors and lieutenant colonels have privately expressed anger and frustration” with the performance of several generals, “calling them slow to grasp the realities of the war and overly optimistic in their assessments.” Odierno was one of three generals cited by name.
UPDATE: David Kurtz adds:
[This] is a milestone in the Bush Administration’s public spin of the war, marking the first official acknowledgment that the surge and all the attendant fuss were nothing more than an elaborate stop-gap intended to buy time so that the colossal failure of the President’s foreign policy can be pawned off on the next president.
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If the Republicans get their way, the escalation will last until the end of time.
April 28th, 2007 at 10:25 amSo much for the 60 to 90 day surge.
Should we be surprised that the country was misled again?
April 28th, 2007 at 10:26 amSAY GOODBYE TO THE WHITEHOUSE REPUBLICAN F*CKTARDS…..
ITS GONNA BE A DEMOCRATIC FEELGOOD LANDSLID !
I CAN’T WAIT !
April 28th, 2007 at 10:26 amSieg Heil, mission accomplished!
Bush cares nothing for the troops. He is very concerned with defense contractor profits however.
April 28th, 2007 at 10:29 amThe “surge” has to last long enough that the Democrat elected to the White House in 2008 has to extricate the US from Iraq. Since that’s going to be hideous and messy, the Republicans will be able to use their memory wipes and point fingers at how the Dems screwed everything up. “You should have let us run the war the way we wanted, instead of letting the Defeatocrats screw it up!”
Great strategy.
April 28th, 2007 at 10:30 amOperation Blame The Next Guy For Bush’s Failures
April 28th, 2007 at 10:30 amI’m gonna guess that when the Republicans attempt their military takeover of the USA it won’t be with the current military.
Wolverines!
April 28th, 2007 at 10:31 amAll the more reason for Congress to take control of the situation and get our soldiers the hell out of there.
April 28th, 2007 at 10:35 amThis biz about officers critizing the Generals is all BS. This is laying the ground work for his highness to claim it was the fault of the snr military folks. Can’t have W taking the blame, can we?
April 28th, 2007 at 10:37 amBring them home! Bring them home! Bring them home!
April 28th, 2007 at 10:37 amIt is time to take Impeachment off the table. When Bush told us about a year ago that we wouldn’t leave Iraq as long as he was President, why didn’t we believe him? Chalk this “surge” up as another Bush lie.
April 28th, 2007 at 10:38 amOdierno also said in January that “even with the additional American troops,†it might take another ‘two or three years‘ for American and Iraqi forces to gain the upper hand in the war.â€
Mark my words: American and Iraqi forces are never going to gain the upper hand in this war!
April 28th, 2007 at 10:39 amThis is a perpetual Orwellian war on the emotion terror. How many colorfully named military missions like ‘Iraqi Surge’ will it take for people to get it?
April 28th, 2007 at 10:41 amThe Democrats need to do one thing immediately. They need to pass a law forbidding any US Oil company from stealing Iraq’s oil. Unfortunately we can’t do anything about Great Britain. The only reason why we are still in Iraq is because the puppet Iraqi parliament has not signed the so-called “reconciliation” bill that will steal 70% of Iraq’s oil profits to the US and British oil companies for 30 years. That’s why we are there and that is when we will leave (or at least pull out our fighting troops). I expect us to occupy Iraq pretty much forever even after we pull out the fighting troops. Don’t forget the “Disneyland” style embassy we have built there. They will need troops to guard that and to guard “our” oil interests. It is absolutely disgusting what George Bush and the Republics have done to our country and to Iraq. The election in 2008 is going to be a Republic blood bath.
April 28th, 2007 at 10:41 amIt’s so nice to have a President who represents the people, isn’t it? It’s no wonder his ratings are diving into the teens now! Bush is an abysmal failure and this will be his legacy.
April 28th, 2007 at 10:44 amOr until the oil runs out in 30 years, whichever comes first….
April 28th, 2007 at 10:44 amI agree with Kate above. THE only reason we went into Iraq and still are there today is to take control of the oil wells. Add to that Haliburton (Cheney’s gravy train) and their illegal “no bid contract” and you’ve got the picture right there.
April 28th, 2007 at 10:45 amWe had absolutely NO BUSINESS invading Iraq and now we are left holding the “spoils” of our corrupt invasion. It was a mistake from the outset, has been a horrendous mistake to remain there after realizing that we’d been lied to, and now continues to kill innocent children of ours and the Iraqi people. Bush will veto this next bill with his blood. This has been “bush’s blood” all over this war that no one wanted or still wants. I can’t imagine what the Bush Karma will be for his offspring and their offspring. I think I’d change my name.
April 28th, 2007 at 10:47 amHOW MANY LIES WILL THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TOLERATE FROM THIS PRESIDENT AND HIS CRONIES BEFORE WE STAND UP FOR OURSELVES AND OUST HIM FROM OFFICE? HOW MANY?????
April 28th, 2007 at 10:47 amKate Henry,
I hope you’re right about the Republican bloodbath. However the average Americans attention span doesn’t allow for deep insight into topics and the corporate owned media spin machine will continue to run for a long time into the future, hence don’t be surprised if the Republicans don’t suffer the losses you anticipate.
Goodness knows they are doing just fine even in the midst of breathtaking corruption. They have mastered manipulation and the sheep will continue to follow the lies.
April 28th, 2007 at 10:50 amI’m going to guess that the troops that are in Iraq now are going to have their tours of duty extended to match.
Bush will keep adding more troops without rotating any out, through the rest of his term of office. Any Congressional legislation to the contrary, Bush will treat as “advisory,” to the extent that it conflicts with His inherent Constitutional Powers as Commander in Chief and a War-Time President.
THINKPROGRESS, as long as you continue to bury the impeachment issue placed on the table by Kucinich, you are complicit in giving the Bush Administration free reign (spelling intentional).
April 28th, 2007 at 10:51 amhttp://www.a28.org/
APRIL 28 NATIONWIDE IMPEACHMENT ACTIONS
Click on the map to find a location near you, and, if at all possible, GO!
April 28th, 2007 at 10:55 amI was away from Think Progress for a while, in the real world, and no one was talking Iraq or anything else happening in D.C. — Sanjaya finally leaving American Idol was bigger than any of this — good luck though.
April 28th, 2007 at 10:55 amSince TP is not going to, I really think you guys should go find another web site to closely follow Cheney’s Impeachment.
April 28th, 2007 at 10:57 amBRING EM ON say the Insurgents
April 28th, 2007 at 10:58 amAs long as people like Harry Reid are out there saying the war is lost, there will not be a Republican Bloodbath in ‘08. This administration has screwed up in major ways. The democratic party cannot seem to get their act together either.
The current state of politics is very sad.
April 28th, 2007 at 10:58 amTHINKPROGRESS, as long as you continue to bury the impeachment issue placed on the table by Kucinich, you are complicit in giving the Bush Administration free reign
I AGGREE ……………. many people have said this now take note
April 28th, 2007 at 11:00 amGood point, Wiggy.
April 28th, 2007 at 11:03 amCan they look into the eyes of every parent and explain why?
April 28th, 2007 at 11:06 amSince TP is not going to, I really think you guys should go find another web site to closely follow Cheney’s Impeachment.
Comment by Jake
Jake actually thinks TP is the only site any of us goes to. Chump.
April 28th, 2007 at 11:08 amOther people always clean up Chimpy’s f*ck ups. Why would we think this is any different?
April 28th, 2007 at 11:12 amIt all depends on what the meaning of “surge” vs “escalation” vs “augmentation” is.
Apparently, the White House has its own definitions.
April 28th, 2007 at 11:19 amSynopsis of Articles of Impeachment Against Vice President Richard B. Cheney
Article II
The Vice President of the United States, Richard B. Cheney, has purposely manipulated the intelligence process to deceive the citizens and
Congress of the United States about an alleged relationship between Iraq and al Qeada in order to justify the use of the U.S. Armed Forces
against the nation of Iraq in a manner damaging to our national security interests.
(1) Despite all evidence to the contrary, the Vice President actively and systematically sought to deceive the citizens and the Congress of the
United States about an alleged relationship between Iraq and al Qeada.
(2) Preceding the March 2003 invasion of Iraq the Vice President was fully informed that credible evidence existed of a working relationship
between Iraq and al Qeada, a fact articulated in several official documents.
The Vice President subverted the national security interests of the United States by setting the stage for the loss of more than 3,300 United
States service members; the loss of 650,000 Iraqi citizens since the U.S. invasion; the loss of approximately $500 billion in war costs which has
increased our federal debt; the loss of military readiness within the United States Armed Services due to overextension, lack of training and
lack of equipment; the loss of Inited States credibility in world affairs; and the decades of likely blowback created by the invasion of Iraq.
EVIDENCE:
kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/artII1A.pdf
April 28th, 2007 at 11:22 amkucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/artII1B.pdf
kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/artII1C.pdf
kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/artII1D.pdf
kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/artII1E.pdf
kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/artII1F.pdf
kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/artII1G.pdf
kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/artII1H.pdf
kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/artII1I.pdf
kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/artII2A.pdf
kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/artII2B.pdf
kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/artII2C.pdf
kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/clo1.pdf
kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/clo2.pdf
kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/clo3.pdf
kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/clo4.pdf
Sorry for typo… (2) above should read…
(2) Preceding the March 2003 invasion of Iraq the Vice President was fully informed that no credible evidence existed of a working relationship
between Iraq and al Qeada, a fact articulated in several official documents.
April 28th, 2007 at 11:25 amJake actually thinks TP is the only site any of us goes to. Chump.
Comment by Zooey — April 28, 2007 @ 11:08 am
And he thinks we care what he has to say. What a fool.
April 28th, 2007 at 11:28 amToo bad TP doesn’t consider Kucinich important enough to have even ONE thread on Cheney’s impeachment ; )
April 28th, 2007 at 11:29 amCheney needs to be impeached
To show the world accountability for his actions,
he invaded a weak country for NOTHING,
America and the world needs some healing - Its either send him to jail to save face or america is finished politically forever
April 28th, 2007 at 11:33 amSen. Durbin Knew US Was Being Lied Into War, Was ‘Sworn to Secrecy’
The Senate’s No. 2 Democrat says he knew that the American public was being misled into the Iraq war but remained silent because he was sworn to secrecy as a member of the intelligence committee.
“The information we had in the intelligence committee was not the same information being given to the American people. I couldn’t believe it,” Majority Whip Richard J. Durbin, Illinois Democrat, said Wednesday when talking on the Senate floor about the run-up to the Iraq war in 2002.
http://washtimes.com/ national/ 20070427-124842-1706r.htm
April 28th, 2007 at 11:35 amIf Cheney is not impeached there will be the BIGGEST ARMS INCREASE EVER IMAGINABLE until the world ends
April 28th, 2007 at 11:40 amSynapsis of Articles of Impeachment Against Vice President Richard B. Cheney
Articles of impeachment exhibited by the House of Representatives of the United States of America in the name of itself and of the people of the
United States of America, in maintenance and support of its impeachment against him for high crimes and misdemeanors.
Artice I
The Vice President of the United States, Richard B. Cheney, has purposely manipulated the intelligence process to deceive the citizens and
Congress of the United States by fabricating a threat of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction to justify the use of the U.S. Armed Forces against
the nation of Iraq in a manner damaging to our national security interests.
(1) Despite all evidence to the contrary, the Vice President actively and systematically sought to deceive the citizens and Congress of the
United States about an alleged threat of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction.
(2) Preceding the March 2003 invasion of Iraq the Vice President was fully informed that no legitimate evidence existed of weapons of mass
destruction in Iraq. The Vice President pressured the intelligence community to change their findings to enable the deception of the citizens and
Congress of the United States.
(3) The Vice President’s actions corrupted or attempted to corrupt the 2002 National Intelligence Estimate, an intelligence document issued on
October 1, 2002 vote to autorize the use of force. The Vice President’s actions prevented the necessary reconciliation of facts for the National
Intellgence Estimate which resulted in a high number of dissenting opinions from technical experts in two federal agencies.
The Vice President subverted the national security interests of the United States by setting the stage for the loss of more than 3,300 United
States service members; the loss of 650,000 Iraqi citizens since the U.S. invasion; the loss of approximately $500 billion in war costs which has
increased our federal debt; the loss of military readiness within the United States Armed Services due to overextension, lack of training and
lack of equipment; the loss of United States credibility in world affairs; and the decares of likely blowback created by the invasion of Iraq.
EVIDENCE:
kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/artI1A.pdf
April 28th, 2007 at 11:43 amkucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/artI1B.pdf
kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/artI1C.pdf
kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/artI1D.pdf
kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/artI1E.pdf
kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/artI1FG.pdf
kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/artI1H.pdf
kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/artI2A.pdf
kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/artI2B.pdf
kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/artI3.pdf
kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/artI3.pdf
kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/artI3.pdf
kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/clo1.pdf
kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/clo2.pdf
kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/clo3.pdf
kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/clo4.pdf
Junior’s ’surge’ will be made to last until the war pigs are out of office.
April 28th, 2007 at 11:44 amImpeach and prosecute.
The sooner the better.
Sure Jake, NO ONE is talking about Iraq anywhere you go
Leave the cave more often, and talk to others, as the only way anyone you’re talking with isn’t mentioning Iraq is if you’re talking to yourself
And I doubt the Iraqis are in much more of a mind to allow the US to stay in their country anymore than the Vietnamese were, which means no US access to all that oil, or any permanent military bases, or any US Embassies larger than Vatican City after the US is forced out of Iraq with our tail between our legs
Good Work there, you lunatic neocons, you thought US military power would ensure a permanent US hegemony. Instead, the neocons have overburdened the US military, in the process dismantling the US empire quicker than anyone could imagine
I suppose Usama bin Laden-remember him, neocons?-would consider this “Mission Accomplished”
April 28th, 2007 at 11:44 amMission Accomplished:
http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=HVvnWZtAJss&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcrooksandliars%2Ecom%2F
April 28th, 2007 at 11:46 amLookup on Google…. “Briar Rabbit’
April 28th, 2007 at 11:47 amThe last thing the Middle East’s main players want is US troops to leave Iraq
http://www.guardian.co.uk/ commentisfree/ story/ 0,,2064703,00.html
read these comments
April 28th, 2007 at 11:51 amhttp://www.guardian.co.uk/ commentisfree/ story/ 0,,2064703,00.html
If Jake read this even he would want american troops OUT
April 28th, 2007 at 11:51 amIf anyone NOT on the “Ignore List” wants to know why the U.S. cannot leave even if terrorists want us to stay, let me know.
April 28th, 2007 at 11:54 amKingCranky:
First of all, there is no U.S. “empire”. Second, if bin Laden is not already dead, we will get him eventually. I was not in a cave (but I was on a cruise ship).
April 28th, 2007 at 11:55 amI’ll be back later.
April 28th, 2007 at 12:00 pmcatching Bin Laden is impossible jake , that alone means more to the muslims than even Mohammad
Bin Laden will never be caught , Its the biggest humiliation America can ever have
Bin laden is a living Hash hasheen
April 28th, 2007 at 12:03 pmIf anyone NOT on the “Ignore List†wants to know why the U.S. cannot leave even if terrorists want us to stay, let me know.
Comment by Jake
Jake, are you still playing this tired game?
For TP readers: Jake’s ignore list is just his primadonna act.
He responds to those on his “list,†making it just another form of conservative hypocrisy. Here’s an example, from a short while ago. Notice how he answers my question, while seemingly not to:
The FIRST job of the government is to PROTECT the people. Jake
Um, I thought it was to uphold the Constitution? Or has that changed since 9/11?
Comment by barfly — April 13, 2007 @ 4:22 pm
For the record, if all the People are killed by terrorists with suitcase nukes, it matters no longer to uphold the Constitution.
Comment by Jake — April 13, 2007 @ 4:24 pm
As you readers can see, the little dear is just too egotistical to to keep his fat mouth shut.
April 28th, 2007 at 12:03 pmSynopsis of Articles of Impeachment Against Vice President Richard B. Cheney
Article III
In his conduct while Vice President of the United States, Richard B. Cheney, in violation of his constitutional oath to faithfully execute the office of Vice
President of the United States and, to the best of his ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States, and in violation of his
constitutional duty to take care that the laws be faithfully executed, has openly threatened aggression against the Republic of Iran absent any real threat
to the United States, and done so with the United State’s proven capability to carry out such threats, thus undermining the national security of the United
States.
(1) Despite no evidence that Iran has the intention or the capability of attacking the U.S. and despite the turmoil created by U.S. invasion of Iraq, the
Vice President has openly threatened aggression against Iran.
(2) The Vice President, who repeatedly and falsely claimed to have had specific, detailed knowledge of Iraq’s alleged weapons of mass destruction
capabilities, is no doubt fully aware of evidence that demonstrates Iran poses no real threat to the United States.
(3) The Vice President is fully aware of the actions taken by the United States toward Iran that are further destabilizing the world.
(4) In the last three years the Vice President has repeatedly threatened Iran. However, the Vice President is legally bound by the U.S. Constitution’s
adherence to international law that prohibits threats of use of force. Article VI of the U.S. Constitution states, “… all Treaties made, or which shall be
made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be supreme Law of the Land.” Article II, Section 4 of the U.N. Charter states, “All Members shall
refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independance of any state…” Article
51 lays out the only exception, “Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack
occurs against a Member of the United Nations…” Iran has not attacked the Untied States; therefore any threat against Iran by the United States is illegal.
The Vice President’s deception upon the citizens and Congress of the United States that enabled the failed U.S. invasion of Iraq forcibly altered the rules
of diplomacy such that the Vice President’s recent belligerent actions toward Iran are destabilizing and counterproductive to the national security of the
United States.
In all of this, Vice President Richard B. Cheney has acted in a manner contrary to his trust as Vice President, and subversive of constitutional government,
to the prejudice of the cause of law and justice and the manifest injury of the people of the United States.
Wherefore Richard B. Cheney, by such conduct, warrants impeachment and trial, and removal from office.
EVIDENCE:
kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/artIII1A.pdf
April 28th, 2007 at 12:11 pmkucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/artIII1B.pdf
kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/artIII1C.pdf
kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/artIII1D.pdf
kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/artIII2AC.pdf
kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/artIII2B.pdf
kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/artIII2AC.pdf
kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/artIII3A.pdf
kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/artIII3B.pdf
kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/artIII3CE.pdf
kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/artIII3D.pdf
kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/artIII3CE.pdf
kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/artIII4A.pdf
kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/artIII4B.pdf
kucinich.house.gov/UploadedFiles/artIII4C.pdf
I’ll be back later.
Comment by Jake
Thanks for the warning.
April 28th, 2007 at 12:13 pmIs the White House ashamed of something? …
http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=-u2ITs4yIAE&mode=related&search=
April 28th, 2007 at 12:13 pmI’ll be back later.
Comment by Jake
I see the truth is too much for you to handle. Every time you start with the list crap, I’m going to post this example of your hypocrisy. Get used to it.
April 28th, 2007 at 12:17 pmI give the Republicans in Congress until the end of this year to get on board with impeaching Bush. Doing so might limit their losses in 2008. Otherwise they are facing catastrophic losses.
April 28th, 2007 at 12:27 pmThere is no plan to leave Iraq — ever. Never was even a consideration.
If Bush really intended to “stand down when the Iraqis stand up” then he’d be using the pressure being applied by Dems in Congress to play good cop - bad cop with the Iraqis.
Our puppet Maliki is losing his grip fast, and that plays right into Bush’s hands to make the case for indefinite occupation. Maliki can’t afford to bitch-slap the Decider hard enough to satisfy al Sadr. But that’s OK because each time the violence escalates, it likewise plays into Bush case for more troops and longer time horizons.
Fourteen permanent bases is it? One the size of the Vatican?? Oh sure, we’re outta there as soon as they stand up. Right.
Consider that we are overtly training the combatants in a civil war how to kill more effectively, and we’re providing them weapons to boot. We call them the Iraqi Police.
We can never — ever — turn things over to the Iraqi Police unless the combatants and their police forces are segregated first. The Bush administration is steadfast against that obvious, lone solution. It’s easy to be critical of even the most attractive option when all options suck.
The only Dems I hear saying “complete withdrawl” aren’t among the top current contenders. If we want them to be, we better start figuring out which horse to bet on and get behind him. As much as I love Kucinich, it ain’t him. Richardson? Perhaps. Biden is out because of the bankruptcy bill he endorsed for the credit card industry, besides, while he’s behind dividing the country he’s not coem out for complete withdrawl to muy knoweldge. Nor has any of the others that I know of.
April 28th, 2007 at 12:27 pmWinning a battle of wits with an unarmed pre-pubescent girl doesn’t seem very rewarding in retrospect. I’d rather not play.
April 28th, 2007 at 12:30 pmComplaining doesn’t accomplish much. Taking action on the other hand can accomplish great things. Ever hear of “divide and conquer”?
Here’s a suggestion. The Iraq war has been funded through emergency supplemental funding since its beginning. But clearly, this has been an action of great fiscal irresponsibility, as the result has been a huge surge in the nation’s debt.
Since it is clear from the administration and its generals that 1) the surge will take a long and indeterminate time and 2) due to fiscal constraints, we are sending troops that are not fully prepared or armored and 3) continuing to borrow money for a long and indeterminate time is fiscally irresponsible and unsustainable, I would propose, therefore that any supplemental funding be accompanied by a substantial, supplemental emergency terror fee.
Since 1) borrowing by the US treasury disproportionately impacts future social security recipients and 2) every individual making more than $97,500 does not pay for social security (and could care less if social security is not available in the future), every individual making more than $97,500 or couples making more than $195,000, should pay a flat supplemental war on terror fee of 15% of all gross income (not adjusted gross income) on the amount in excess of that stated above. This fee will be retroactive to Jan 1, 2007. The war on terror fee will remain in effect until 1) the Executive Branch declares that the war on terror is over and 2) damage to nation states where the war was fought in order to keep the terrorists from fighting us here, is paid in full.
Be patriotic. Support the war on terror! Right. But if you are rich and you’re being forced to pay for it?? With your own money? Never!!! This will appeal strongly to Republican conservatives that are fiscal hawks, (better yet, it’s a flat tax that appeals to certain Republican groups), but will likely rip apart their base of supporters. The Bushies will find a way out of the war or the Republican party will join in the impeachment battle.
That being said, I actually think its a good idea on several other levels.
April 28th, 2007 at 12:40 pmHe is a stubborn and arrogant man, ignorant of all things important to the leader of a world power.
All of his life the born-with-a-silver-spoon boy-king has never had to earn anything through his own ability. Everything he touched turned sour, and his father and/or his friends cleaned up the mess.
He has created a colossal mess of epic proportions with huge ramifications worldwide due to his own unethical character.
When he began talking about a “surge” and then replacing generals who would not agree with the Bush&Co plan, it was increasingly plain that he was going to leave the mess for his successor to clean up — and certainly, laying the blame on the successor as well.
April 28th, 2007 at 12:45 pmBush even declared publicly that we would still be in Iraq when he left office.
When a person reveals himself for what he is, it should be believed.
The man should be impeached and removed from office, taking Cheney with him, at the soonest possible moment.
Defund this war.
April 28th, 2007 at 12:46 pmJake,
How about you put Think Progress on your ignore list? We won’t mind. Really!!
We can handle the truth. It’s annoying people like you that just come here to say inflamatory remarks that we can’t handle. It’s really sad that you have to come to a site where people obviously don’t like you and start arguments just to be the center of attention. This site was much better while you were NOT posting.
PLEASE GO AWAY!!
April 28th, 2007 at 12:51 pmThe lower income Americans are sending their young to fight this war in disproportionate numbers to the rest of the populace.
The wealthy are sacrificing nothing.
I like the idea of a war-tax to be applied to higher income Americans.
Sort of like a means-test-tax. Those earning less than $XXX would pay nothing, and the tax would increase according to income (not wages).
This is a variation of the payroll tax solution for social security. Those earning more than $97,500 are not taxed at all on their higher wages.
April 28th, 2007 at 12:52 pmRemove the cap, and tax all earned income. The payout at the age of 68 would be means-tested; your social security income would be a minimum of $XXX, but the benefit for high income retirees would also be maxed out at a certain level.
Bush’s surge will last till he leaves office. It is just about running out the clock and leaving the fiasco in the lap of the next president to deal with.
April 28th, 2007 at 1:12 pmBush needs this war to continue until he is out of office. He is desperate for a legacy and is banking his entire history on IRaq. However, without any clue of what he is doing, he NEEDS somebody else to take the reigns.
Bush knows if he pulls out now his entire presidency will be nothing but one aysmal failure after the other. Which of course means his whole life was one failure after another. BUT, if Bush can drag this into somebody else’s term, I guarantee he will blame that person for failing Iraq. Or, if the new President succeeds in Iraq, then Bush will take the credit.
The whole Bush presidency has been nothing but BS spin. If there are less attacks in Iraq, it’s because we’re winning, but more attacks is also because we’re winning. The war itself is no different. One way or another, Bush is going to desperately drag this war on so he can pass the buck and then either try taking credit or pointing the finger.
April 28th, 2007 at 1:24 pmThis is insane. I really have no idea what else to say.
April 28th, 2007 at 1:35 pmU.S. has lost global standing
COLUMBIA, S.C. - The United States has lost its global standing during George W. Bush’s presidency and needs a Democratic commander in chief to restore America’s place in the world, Democrats running for the White House said Saturday.
“We are today internationally and domestically a nation that is no longer a leader,”
What their perception is that America is a bully and we only care about our short-term interests,” Edwards said. “The starting place is to end the bleeding sore that is the war in Iraq
HERES SOME ADVICE SEND AT LEAST CHENEY TO JAIL AND WE MIGHT CONSIDER AMERICA BEING ON A PODIUM - UNLESS YOU CAN JAIL MASS MURDERING OIL THIEFS THEN STAY OFF THE PODIUM FOREVER INCLUDING DEMOCRATS
April 28th, 2007 at 1:49 pmso, why are still sittin’ here typing? WE were on the streets once, we have to do it in FORCE!
even then , they won’t listen to us or we be there in the first place! still, how else to let them short of storming the wh and literally stage a revolution.
sounds desperate i realize, but this endless commenting is great but my spidey sense is tingling.
something is up and there’s no good way to combat it as an individual. even sex, drugs and rock and roll are not enough of a distraction. hell, i don’t even know how my beloved mariners are doing. i think they might be at .500 as of last night, but i was trying to find some substantive NEWS and not watching baseball!
it does feel better to communicate but i’m getting VERY antsy with no march to go to.
how does one go about organizing one of those anyway? and how do you support one that starts on one the west coast and marches to the door of the white house and lets them know what we really think? and, and, . .
frustration, anger, disbelief, a feeling of hopelessness, not a good combination.
we had a constitution and a positive sense of the law, we have a mutant monarchy and basically a lawless state. we make a plan, make time to act.
what say?
April 28th, 2007 at 2:11 pmNow you see why the GOP has all the corruption…they know they will never be in power again so they are stealing and cheating as much as possible before the ‘08 election.
Impeach the Chimp and Shooter!
April 28th, 2007 at 2:14 pmhttp://rawstory.com/ news/ 2007/ Lennons_Xmas_song_remake_as_Happy_0428.html
check out this video.
Bush is over.
April 28th, 2007 at 2:18 pmOf course the plan all along is to string this war out so the Democrats will be stuck with ending it. Blood on Bush’s hands doesn’t seem to bother him. The brave folks that are cannon fodder aren’t the Yalies or Skull and Bones crowd…totally expendible. If we had a draft of the rich kids, the war never would have happened.
April 28th, 2007 at 2:19 pmPeople have to die so Bush can preserve his vanity…Can’t go down as a failed war president, can we Bush…. and some rape public cans wonder why we hate this president so much.
April 28th, 2007 at 2:21 pmsure, no problem, all we have to do is add an amendment to the current bill that specifically drafts all the children of EVERY SINGLE individual family that makes more than 1 million a year or owns stock in any war-based industry.
THEN i’ll believe you that this is a JUST invasion (for oil).
If the wealthy want this war so bad, they must give some blood to the conflict. If not, we get a draft, simple as that. A draft with NO deferments. How else can we sustain a forever war?
The amendment should cover cheney’s/feith’s/rove’s/hughe’s/miers’s/gonzalez’s/goodling’s/sampson’s/wolfowitz’s children, and any other draft age family members as well. (these are just the ones i could think of in a minute of rage). we can add the warmongering R’s in congress and the warmongering presses relatives as well. among all these entities we will have a committed fighting force, ay?
Unless they are willing to sacrifice for their own interests, why should joe and jane citizen shed one more drop of blood?
it’s only fair.
April 28th, 2007 at 2:25 pmThe “surge” in 2008 will be legions of voters ridding themselves of the fetid remains of a once viable g.o.p.
April 28th, 2007 at 2:32 pmThe GOP is so over! Thank God!
April 28th, 2007 at 3:27 pmWith 21 months left in office, most U.S. presidents would be looking at how to secure their legacy in the history books. But the venality and incompetence of this administration has already assured that George W. Bush won’t leave any legacy at all. Just a huge mess to clean up.
April 28th, 2007 at 3:32 pmHell yes. I’ve been saying that since he announced the “surge”. He sat down in the oval office and discussed with his advisors all of his options and realized then how badly he screwed up and the “only” option left to him to save face at all without just admitting complete failure was a slow escalation (thinking it would keep things from getting any worse) till he could get out of office and could then blame the next administration for failure. THERE WAS NO OTHER OPTION AVAILABLE OTHER THAN ADMIT COMPLETE FAILURE….so…da-da…the Surge (slow escalation). I call him and his cohorts traitors. Their incompetent actions for political and corporate reasons are directly responsible for the deaths of all our troops
April 28th, 2007 at 4:25 pmand over 600,000 Iraqis. It still continues because no one will admit to what they have done.
‘two or three years‘ for American and Iraqi forces to gain the upper hand in the war.â€
No army needs this much time.
April 28th, 2007 at 5:18 pmhe screwed up and the “only†option left to him to save face at all without just admitting complete failure was a slow escalation (thinking it would keep things from getting any worse) till he could get out of office and could then blame the next administration for failure.
Comment by Bjobotts #77
Right on the money…
…(pun EMPHATICALLY intended)…
April 28th, 2007 at 7:44 pm