Bush Now Saying 'We Will Win' Terror War

[Khephra]

Bush to Tell Veterans 'We Will Win' Terror War a Day After Casting Doubt on All-Out Victory

The Associated Press



NASHVILLE, Tenn. Aug. 31, 2004 — President Bush will tell the nation's largest veterans' group Tuesday that "we will win" the war on terror, seeking to quell controversy and Democratic criticism of his remark aired a day earlier that victory in the anti-terror battle may not be possible, his spokesman said.

In a speech before the national convention of the American Legion, the president will make it "crystal clear" that America will win the war on terrorism, White House press secretary Scott McClellan said.

"Not only are we winning it, but we will win it," McClellan said in describing Bush's speech.

That message contradicts Bush's statement, aired Monday in a pre-taped television interview, that "I don't think you can win" the war on terror. That had Democrats running for the cameras to criticize Bush for being defeatist and flip-flopping from previous predictions of victory.

"What if President Reagan had said that it may be difficult to win the war against communism? What if other presidents had said it'd be difficult to win the war the Cold War?" Democratic vice presidential candidate John Edwards said on ABC's "Nightline" program. "The war on terrorism is absolutely winnable."

http://abcnews.go.com/wire/Politics/ap20040831_691.html

If there isn't a major Democratic ad blitz featuring this flip-flop of Bush's....

:walksawayfromkeyboardshakinghishead:

[indie_voter]

1. He has NO shame

Neither does the media:

"That had Democrats running for the cameras to criticize Bush for being defeatist and flip-flopping from previous predictions of victory."


No republican would ever do something like that, right?

:p

[IA_Seth]

4. Exactly!

I was about to jump threw my TV and slap Ted Koppel last night while he was interviewing John Edwards from the convention...

You would have thought he was a damn delegate.

[cybildisobedience]

2. Flip Flop!!!!!

[papau]

15. DemocratsStayon Offensive(scold Bush forsaying war onterrorism can't bewon

DemocratsStayon Offensive(scold Bush forsaying war onterrorism can't bewon



http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-de...

Democrats Stay on Offensive(scold Bush for saying war on terrorism can't be won)
Kerry keeps a low profile, but others in his campaign scold Bush for telling an interviewer that the war on terrorism can't be won. ("This is no time to declare defeat")
By Matea Gold Times Staff Writer

August 31, 2004

NANTUCKET, Mass. — Trying to stay on the offensive during a week dominated by Republican festivities in New York, the Democrats pounced Monday on a comment by President Bush that the war on terrorism was not winnable, calling it pessimistic and defeatist.

Bush's remark came in an interview on NBC's "Today" show. When asked whether the United States could win the war on terrorism, Bush replied: "I don't think you can win it, but I think you can create conditions so that those who use terror as a tool are less acceptable in parts of the world."

In a statement released by the Democratic campaign — and later in a speech in Wilmington, N.C. — vice presidential candidate John Edwards scolded Bush for the remark.

"This is no time to declare defeat," Edwards said. "It won't be easy and it won't be quick, but we have a comprehensive long-term plan to make America safer."<snip>

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/31/politics/campaign/31b...


Paraphrased: -- his NBC comment saying that he thinks it can't be won, in contrast to past statements that he has a plan to do so is perhaps a shift that indicates a departure from the world where no mistakes are admitted, reflect both foreign policy and political realities, and appeared intended in part to emphasize that even a striking breakthrough, like the capture of Osama bin Laden, would not by itself assure the nation's security.

Bush Cites Doubt America Can Win War on Terror
By ELISABETH BUMILLER

ASHUA, N.H., Aug. 30 - President Bush, in an interview broadcast on Monday, said he did not think America could win the war on terror but that it could make terrorism less acceptable around the world, a departure from his previous optimistic statements that the United States would eventually prevail.

In the interview with Matt Lauer of the NBC News program "Today," conducted on Saturday but shown on the opening day of the Republican National Convention, Mr. Bush was asked if the United States could win the war against terrorism, which he has made the focus of his administration and the central thrust of his re-election campaign.

"I don't think you can win it," Mr. Bush replied. "But I think you can create conditions so that those who use terror as a tool are less acceptable in parts of the world."

As recently as July 14, Mr. Bush had drawn a far sunnier picture. "I have a clear vision and a strategy to win the war on terror," he said.

At a prime-time news conference in the East Room of the White House on April 13, Mr. Bush said: "One of the interesting things people ask me, now that we are asking questions, is, 'Can you ever win the war on terror?' Of course you can."<snip>

http://www.nypost.com/news/nationalnews/29679.htm

WARTIME PRESIDENT RALLIES HIS HOME FRONT

By DEBORAH ORIN
August 31, 2004 -- NASHUA, N.H. — At a town-hall huddle full of military families with loved ones in Iraq, President Bush yesterday vowed to cheers, "We'll complete the mission."
"I think it's very important for the loved ones to hear from the commander-in-chief that we'll complete the mission," Bush told the mother of a soldier, who thanked the president for "your love, your support" for the troops.

Bush's comments came after he seemed to downplay expectations for the war on terror. Earlier, he said it would be "a disaster for your children" for America to retreat from the war on terror but "I don't think you can win it." <snip>

In an interview on NBC's "Today" show, Bush said: "You cannot show weakness in this world today because the enemy will exploit that weakness. It will embolden them and make the world a more dangerous place."

Bush was asked, "Can we win?" the war on terror.

"I don't think you can win it," he responded. "But I think you can create conditions so that those who use terror as a tool are less acceptable in parts of the world." <snip>


The president pointed to Kerry's explanation that he voted against $87 billion for troops because it was "complicated" and zinged: "There's nothing complicated about supporting son in harm's way." <snip>

[lapfog_1]

25. Flippity flop flop... hippity hop hop

<snip>
The president pointed to Kerry's explanation that he voted
against $87 billion for troops because it was "complicated" and
zinged: "There's nothing complicated about supporting son in
harm's way."
<snip>

I am so VERY tired of them using this one vote to illustrate Kerry
as a "flip-flopper", when the President flip-flopped on the EXACT
same piece of legislation.

See, a bill was introduced to finance the war in Iraq. Kerry, along
with many CONSERVATIVE senators, not wanting to see this add to the
deficit, voted for the bill when it had language to roll back tax
cuts on the wealthiest people (you know, them that DON'T have kids
in the military) to pay for it (shared sacrifice). The PRESIDENT
sent word that he would VETO the bill because of the tax issue.
The bill was amended to drop the tax cut rollback, and Kerry voted
against it as a matter of principle. Bush signs the new bill.

NOW we have Bush saying "the war on terror cannot be won, but we
can make it (I'm guessing here that he means terror) "less
acceptable in PARTS of the world". So by that we must infer
that terror is now acceptable in parts of the world, and that
our military action there will make terror less acceptable.
I wonder how successful the Israelis have been with this exact
plan. I mean every time there is a Palestinian suicide bomber,
Israel uses helicopter gun ships and rockets to kill some number
of Palestinians, thereby making terror LESS ACCEPTABLE in that
part of the world, right? That's what you have to believe for
shurbya's statement to even parse correctly. Never mind the
flip-flop nature of this.

I guess we just have to throw all logic out the window.

[rawstory]

3. OH man, they better make an ad of this!

hahahaha

[candy331]

8. And not even 24 hours later, boy he's good and the kool aid

drinkers and the media just keeps right on rolling. Next?

[russian33]

5. I think its time we use the Flipper song

[joanne]

9. So that means Dumbya is the "war president" today

Unlike the other day when he was the "peace president".

[peekaloo]

6. flippity-floppity-hippity-hoppity Bunnypants wants it both ways.

[leftchick]

7. <heavy sigh>

[LisaL]

10. Can you say Flip?

Can you say Flop?
Only took him what, one night to change his mind?

[NewYorkerfromMass]

19. but Rove beat him senseless all night

t'was a long one.

[Insomnicole]

11. Flip flop?

This is more like a freakin' Yurchenko vault. The Democrats have simply got to grab this one and run like hell with it.

[Rose Siding]

12. "That message contradicts Bush's statement..."

Progress. A year ago, ABC wouldn't have made the distinction.

[Fridays Child]

13. Read my flips. -- J. Bell, 2004

[Cush]

14. flipity flop flop flop

[myrna minx]

16. oh...side SHOW Bob.

:eyes:

[tandot]

17. It seems that he himself is not quite sure about it. Can we or can't we???

This is decisive and strong leadership? Wow.

"We probably will NOT win the war on terror" ... ups, poll numbers are going down...shouldn't have said that ... "We will win the war on terror"

[BrotherBuzz]

18. :walksawayfromkeyboardshakinghishead:

LOL, khephra, I've been doing that myself lately!

[Khephra]

20. There's got to be a good icon or gif for that feeling

:crazy: doesn't quite do it.

[BrotherBuzz]

22. Edvard Munch's

"The Scream" comes to mind! :)

[tom_paine]

21. Well, in a Free Country this would be news

I don't expect to see much on this Flip Flop because the faxes haven't come from the RNC tellng our Pravda Whores that it is so.

Imperial Amerika is a Totalitarian Nation, but at least we still sort of live sort of free at the Serf level...at least for a little while longer.

[BeatleBoot]

23. They Call Him Flipper!

[saigon68]

24. The BUSH CRIMINALS out to Kill a few more minorities

People of color--- poor whites etc.

For Cheney and his oily friends.

[PatriotGames]

26. What's that sound? Flip-flops, perhaps?

[moondust]

27. Isn't this a comedy routine?

By Abbot and Costello or somebody?

[Manix]

28. ..look the guy is an imbecile.........what do you expect?

[Pallas180]

29. UK Guardian report

President admits war on terror cannot be won

Julian Borger in New York
Tuesday August 31, 2004
The Guardian

George Bush admitted yesterday the war on terror could not be won, as the Republican party convention, designed to showcase the president as a resolute leader at a time of national peril, was launched in New York.
The White House rushed to limit the potential damage as Democrats seized on the remarks as a sign of defeatism. A spokesman for the president said he was simply pointing out the unconventional nature of the conflict.

However, the timing of the remarks could not have been worse for the president, coming on a day that the party had lined up two of its biggest names - Rudy Giuliani, the former mayor who led New York through the September 11 trauma, and John McCain, a Vietnam war hero - to pay tribute to his qualities as a wartime leader.

[MasonJar]

30. A one day flip-flop; he better never accuse Kerry again. If he does, we

need to call every news outlet, and the White House.

[GliderGuider]

31. On Reuters as well

Reuters story

[swag]

32. FLIP FLOP FLIP (is this the "steadfast leadership" they're touting?)

________________________
FLIP

"We have a clear vision on how to win the war on terror and bring peace to the world."

2004.07.30
________________________
FLOP

"I don.t think you can win . But I think you can create conditions so that the, those who use terror as a tool are, less acceptable in parts of the world..

2004.08.29
________________________
FLIP

"Make no mistake about it, we are winning and we will win."

2004.08.31

[dArKeR]

33. US president admits war on terror cannot be won

THE GUARDIAN , NEW YORK
Wednesday, Sep 01, 2004,Page 1

US President George W. Bush admitted on Monday that the war on terror could not be won, as the Republican party convention, designed to showcase the president as a resolute leader at a time of national peril, was launched in New York.

The White House rushed to limit the potential damage as Democrats seized on the remarks as a sign of defeatism. A spokesman for the president said he was simply pointing out the unconventional nature of the conflict.

However, the timing of the remarks could not have been worse for the president, coming on a day that the party had lined up two of its biggest names -- Rudy Giuliani, the ex-mayor who led New York through the Sept. 11 trauma, and Senator John McCain, a Vietnam war hero -- to pay tribute to his qualities as a wartime leader.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2004/09/01/2003201078