Bush: Allawi sets course in Iraq ("pretty good progress" in Najaf)

[Barrett808]

WASHINGTON (AFP) - US President George W. Bush said that he saw "pretty good progress" in the Iraqi holy city of Najaf, where US soldiers and Iraqi forces have been fighting a militia loyal to radical Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr.

"Our troops were engaged against Sadr's militia and so were the Iraqis. And it appears that we're making pretty good progress about stabilizing Najaf," Bush said as he met at the White House with Polish Prime Minister Marek Belka.

Asked about US policy towards Sadr, Bush replied: "Our policy is to work with (interim Iraqi) Prime Minister (Iyad) Allawi and support the Iraqis as they move toward elections."

"Prime Minister Allawi is now in charge of the country. He is a good, strong leader who cares deeply about the aspirations of his people and he is somebody we're working with. And if he's got some suggestions to make, we're more than willing to listen to him," said Bush.

Allawi has told Sadr's militia to give up and leave Najaf.

(more)

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20040809/pl_afp/us_iraq_poland_bush&cid=1521&ncid=1480

[maxsolomon]

1. define 'progress'

define 'pretty good'.

haven't we cordoned off the imam ali shrine?

[mom cat]

18. "progress" and "pretty good" = "turning the corner"

[htuttle]

2. As the man was overheard saying as he fell past the 9th story window...

"So far, so good!"

[amandabeech]

3. With al-Sistani seriously ill in a hospital in the U.K., Sadr

may be in a better position to fight. I believe that he has two or three rivals, but their armies do not seem to be as large and determined as Sadr's. The trouble appears to be spreading to Basra. As posted here on LBN, the oil wells have been shut on threats or attack. It is so unfortunate that so many Americans actually believe what the preResident says. I can only imagine what the Polish Prime Minister was thinking while Bush* talked.

As I have posted in several threads today, I saw this news conference. Bush was subdued to the point of sedation. His head seemed to loll around when he wasn't speaking. Either things are really getting to him or he had a rough time of it in Annandale at the hand-picked town meeting.

[Barrett808]

7. Sounds like Bush was medicated

Capitol Hill Blue has reported as much.

[amandabeech]

9. Yes, I saw that story.

And that's what I was thinking.

[Rose Siding]

4. He isn't even asking anyone about the "progress", anymore

Or they just aren't telling him. Incurious, ya know.

[tlcandie]

5. Isn't this statement rather contradictory?

<snip>
"Prime Minister Allawi is now in charge of the country. He is a good, strong leader who cares deeply about the aspirations of his people and he is somebody we're working with. And if he's got some suggestions to make, we're more than willing to listen to him,
<snip>


How can he be a leader, yet * and his regime willing to listen to his suggestions, IF he has any?

:shrug:

[amandabeech]

10. Very contradictory.

Excellent catch!

[Ms. Clio]

12. That's because Bush has no concept of the meaning of sovereignty

That sentence makes a complete and utter mockery of the notion that there is any real "Iraqi government."

[Kurt Remarque]

6. the similarities to vietnam are mind-boggling

fake democracy and propped-up despots

[Jacobin]

8. ain't it the truth

mindboggling the similarities. Spooky. Like a repeat of a bad dream

[HysteryDiagnosis]

11. Like a repeat of a bad dream

This is how we have made terrorists.

This is how we are making terrorists.

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again... and expecting different results. There you go....

[Disturbed]

15. Iraq will implode.

Iraqis will not accept colonization. The US Puppet Govt. will be overthrown eventually and most of the puppets that weren't able to flee Iraq will be assasinated. Perhaps a majority of Americans believe that Iraq is now "sovereign" but the Iraqis damn well know the score.The Neo Fascists now know that they have lost this gambit of controlling the teritory and are merely putting a tolerable face on the defeat to get through the US elections.

It is fairly certain that Kerry/Edwards will win this election baring voter fraud from the Neo Fascists or another mass Al Q. Attack, which may postpone elections as the US goes to Martial Law. Even the most vacant minded of Americans that are not brainwashed Bush Cultists have the perception that the Neo Fascists are destroying the US environment, the Middle Class and liberties; that the Neo Fascists lied the US into an unecessary war in Iraq and that their policies both domestic and foreign are a failure.

[daleo]

13. I bet another Bush said this about Saddam 20 or so years ago

"He is a good, strong leader who cares deeply about the aspirations of his people and he is somebody we're working with. And if he's got some suggestions to make, we're more than willing to listen to him," said Bush."

[Terran]

14. Ya gotta wonder...

Is Bush:

1) delusional?
2) lying?
3) not being told the truth by Rumsfeld about how things are actually going in Iraq?

The British press has been reporting that things are so chaotic in Iraq that Allawi is little more than Mayor of Bagdhad. Some 'pretty good progress'.

[Parche]

16. Bush

These people are fighting the invaders and Bush calls them
Terra ists?

[Ripley]

17. I'm busy fishin for photo ops, Cheney off!

I'm a Peace President.