Bush Criticized for Linking 9-11 and Iraq

[Chuck]

By NEDRA PICKLER, Associated Press Writer
13 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - Democrats are criticizing President Bush for raising the Sept. 11 attacks while he defends his plan to keep U.S. troops in Iraq as long as it takes to ensure peace in the country.

The president, urging patience on an American public showing doubts about his Iraq policy, mentioned the deadly 2001 terrorist attacks five times during a 28-minute address Tuesday night at Fort Bragg, N.C.

Some Democrats accused him of falsely reviving the link that he originally used to help justify launching strikes against Baghdad.

"The president's frequent references to the terrorist attacks of September 11 show the weakness of his arguments," House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said. "He is willing to exploit the sacred ground of 9/11, knowing that there is no connection between 9/11 and the war in Iraq."

Bush first mentioned the terrorist attacks on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center at the beginning of his speech, delivered at an Army base that has 9,300 troops in Iraq. He acknowledged that Americans are disturbed by frequent deaths of U.S. troops at the hands of insurgents, but tried to persuade an increasingly skeptical public to stick with the mission.

"The war reached our shores on September the 11th, 2001," Bush told a national television audience and 750 soldiers and airmen in dress uniform who mostly listened quietly as they had been asked to do.

"Iraq is the latest battlefield in this war," he continued. "Many terrorists who kill innocent men, women, and children on the streets of Baghdad are followers of the same murderous ideology that took the lives of our citizens in New York, in Washington and Pennsylvania. There is only one course of action against them — to defeat them abroad before they attack us at home."

Bush said he understands the public concerns about a 27-month-old war that has killed more than 1,700 Americans and 12,000 Iraqi civilians and cost $200 billion. He said the sacrifice "is worth it and it is vital to the security of our country."

"We fight today because terrorists want to attack our country and kill our citizens, and Iraq is where they are making their stand. So we will fight them there, we will fight them across the world and we will stay in the fight until the fight is won."

He offered no shift in course in Iraq.

"We have a clear path forward," the president said. "As the Iraqis stand up, we will stand down."

Republican Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record) defended Bush's call to stop terrorism abroad before it reaches the U.S. shore in an appearance on CNN's "Larry King Live" program. He said those spreading violence in Iraq "are the same guys who would be in New York if we don't win in Iraq."

Bush's speech marked the first anniversary of the transfer of power from the U.S.-led coalition to Iraq's interim government. The president cited advances in the past year, including the January elections, infrastructure improvements and training of Iraqi security forces.

Democrats criticized Bush for not offering more specifics about how to achieve success in Iraq along with his frequent mention of the Sept. 11 attacks.


http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050629/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush

[Chuck]

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraqis were divided Wednesday over U.S. President George W. Bush's rejection of a timetable for the withdrawal of American troops, which came a day after insurgents bent on starting a civil war marked the country's first year of sovereignty by killing more than a dozen people.

Bush's speech at a U.S. Army base in North Carolina was broadcast live on several Arab television networks, but most Iraqis were asleep because it began at about 4:00 a.m. local time Wednesday. TV newscasts replayed portions of the speech later in the morning, drawing a wide range of reactions from Iraqis.

" Iraq cannot be stable if the American and coalition forces left it because Iraqi forces don't have the required level of training to protect the country," said Baghdad University engineering professor Moayad Yasin al-Samaraie, 55.

But other Iraqis still believe the presence of about 138,000 U.S. troops is an occupation force preventing local officials from fully controlling internal affairs.

"The transfer of authority was a great dream but nothing took place," said Samah Abdul Mihsen, a 24-year-old housewife living in al-Amin al-Thaniyah, a middle-class neighborhood in eastern Baghdad. "Bush does not want to pull out the American forces although we can defend our country. There are so many problems because of the presence of foreign troops."

Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari, who met with Bush in Washington last week, was quoted as saying in Wednesday's edition of the London-based Arab newspaper Asharq al-Awsat that he discussed the issue of troop withdrawal with the U.S. president.

"We want the foreign troops to leave Iraq as soon as possible," al-Jaafari was quoted as telling the newspaper in an interview. "No country accepts having foreign troops on its lands because this indicates our inability to defend our country and our acknowledgment that there is a security problem."

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050629/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq

[kcredden]

So...let me get this straight. In order to keep terrorists from coming over here, we set a flytrap in Iraq, and kill 'em as they come over there?

What next? Genocide? You can't get of terrorists in this format, for they have one thing with flies; they breed. Breeding = more terrorists.

Why am I not comforted with that thought?

[acoolmom777]

Sorry KC but I totally disagree with you here...I think we do need to stop them before they continue to come to OUR country....I have said this many times before..."Americans could not handle a war on our own soil"....If that was to happen, then the Democrats would blame that on Bush too. I also am not dumb and know this war is about oil and money...and that part really ticks me off.
If Kerry would have gotten office and 911 happen to him....the country would feel the same way towards him......but instead of keeping it off of American soil....he would have kissed some foreign butt and we would be in worse shape....

[TheMan]

Better to lure them over there, and kill '. Then to have them come here, and kill us...

[kcredden]

I think my problem is, is that I see no end in sight here. It reminds me much of the kamikaze like attitude in WWII. Whereby no one could win, a senseless taking of human lives. Like a hord of rats, that was rushing madly foward to excape something.

I dont' like the idea of terrorists, especially nut-cases that set off a WMD, but I also don't like the way this is being ran either. That's why I said genocide, for it feels like thats the only solution ultimately.

[Jeremy]

It would take ten years minimum to train soldiers, train officers to train new soldiers, provide a basic infrastructure for security in Iraq, and reduce violence to acceptible levels. That's just a minimum standard and takes for granted that everything goes according to plan. In that ten years anything can happen and probably will. Most likely twenty years down the road they'll finally get fed up with us entirely and use those American trained soldiers against us.

[kcredden]

Means that if Congress sticks their hands into this as they did in Nam we'll be there for 20. If not, then 10 probably will be right. Rummy's said we'll probably be there for 12 at least.

It would take ten years minimum to train soldiers, train officers to train new soldiers, provide a basic infrastructure for security in Iraq, and reduce violence to acceptible levels. That's just a minimum standard and takes for granted that everything goes according to plan.

[acoolmom777]

I say if they want to run their own country...then set up a base (for their training), and send the rest back home and see how well they do...if they fall well then the people will realize just how much we did/doing for them and their freedom....then if we have to go back in....cap the oil wells....nuke them and let God sort them out...and take the oil we earned it.....

[Jeremy]

I really wish people would stop saying nuke 'em and let God sort them out *sighs*. One nuke going off anywhere in the world means all nukes going off everywhere in the world. Not to mention, these are all people, not Satan's spawns. Samah Abdul Mihsen, the 24-year old housewife from Chuck's post, is just a girl, living in a foreign land, trying to make the best of life same as anyone else.

[tkcomer]

Here is the main problem, they want us out of their country. It is their country. Those people don’t want to come over here, they want us out of there. The people of Iran just elected another hardliner. The powers in this country are still gritting their teeth over that one. That’s what they want. So be it. Leave them alone. It’s none of our business. Once again, it’s THEIR country. We are acting like it is a possession of ours, but it’s not. This whole thing got started by US meddling in THEIR affairs. And like the big bully that we have become, we can’t take no for an answer. When will we learn that as long as we keep sticking our nose in other people’s business, it’s going to get slapped once in a while.

[acoolmom777]

"I really wish people would stop saying nuke 'em and let God sort them out *sighs*".

Hello...it is just a figure of speach....*sighs*


Ever seen the movie...Red Dawn?????

What would you do if that happen tomorrow morning?????????

(Oh let me guess...."How could Bush let this happen"???)

[kdown]

July 4, 2005

PROGRESS MARCHING ON IN IRAQ

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Daily accomplishments, both large and small -– in governance, security and reconstruction –- marked progress toward Iraqi self-reliance as the country marked a year of sovereignty June 28. What follows is a partial list of these successes.

• On June 1, in the first move of its kind, Coalition forces officially transferred full responsibility for security at a base in Dibbis to the Iraqi Army. Two hundred dignitaries and civilians attended the flag-raising and ribbon-cutting ceremony, where the Iraqi Army took full control of base and security operations in the area. This historic move marked another significant step in the Iraqi government's plan to assume full responsibility for security and stability operations across the nation.

• That same day, Iraqi Army soldiers, working with Coalition aviation assets, conducted their first-ever air assault. Approximately 35 Soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division were inserted into a landing zone near several small towns and villages outside of Baghdad to conduct raids and door-to-door searches for bomb- and vehicle-borne improvised explosive device-making materials and specific persons of interest. The ability to perform these types of operations speaks to the growing maturity of the Iraqi Army.

• Reconstruction gained momentum in the Nissan District of Eastern Baghdad, where major sewer and water projects broke ground in Kamaliya and Oubaidi. After completing a site survey, workers began on the project that will ultimately create a sewer network serving 8,870 homes in Kamaliya. The area has never had underground sewage lines and relies on slit trenches, which leads to sewage pooling in the streets. The project will cost about $27 million and will employ 600 local workers at peak construction times. As the sewer project takes shape, an existing water distribution system will be rehabilitated. About 5,435 homes are slated to receive connections to the water main.

• On June 4, Basrah airport began civilian flights, opening the gate for business growth in the region. A week later, regular flights began between Hawler International Airport in Irbil and Baghdad. The flights now run three times per week and open a new avenue to encourage foreign capital investment by improving accessibility to Iraq's capital. Other growth could be seen when the $100 million Al-Ameen electrical substation, which distributes electricity to other substations around Baghdad … was completed on June 5, after about 10 months of work. Local workers made up 99 percent of the workforce, putting money back into the pockets of the working class.

• The Iraqi Navy's Predator Patrol Boats commenced interoperability training with an amphibious transport ship on June 7. The training is teaching the Iraqi Navy about ship handling, force protection, and weapons handling.

• With some help from Iraqi Security Forces, the Iraqi National Soccer League resumed play on June 12. More than 10,000 fans showed up for the first game, held in the Baghdad Soccer Stadium, and watched Basra beat Dahouk 1-0. Iraqi Police officers, Iraqi Army Soldiers and Coalition Forces guarded the soccer stadium, which can hold 45,000 fans. The same team of security forces will provide security for future games, which are scheduled through the end of August.

• Soccer teams are getting more than just security -—they're also getting fully outfitted. More than 110 soccer uniforms were distributed to local coaches in a ceremony June 15 in Sadr City. Following the ceremony, each coach was presented with 11 complete sets of uniforms to fully outfit their teams.

• In a much-publicized event, Iraqi Army [IA] soldiers rescued Australian hostage Douglas Wood from his captors at 10:50 a.m. on June 15. Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 1st Iraqi Army Brigade discovered Wood and an Iraqi hostage in the northwest Baghdad neighborhood of Al Adel while conducting a planned cordon-and-search operation for a weapons cache. Three individuals were detained during the operation. The IA soldiers also discovered a weapons cache, which included four AK-47 rifles and a sniper rifle.

• In mid-June, construction started on a $1.25 million school project in the Fallujah District of Al Anbar Governorate. Out of 13 school projects programmed for construction in Fallujah, four are under construction and nine are complete. There are 840 school projects programmed throughout Iraq; 102 are under construction and 628 are complete.

• On June 19, Iraqi workers finished construction on railroad stations in Balad and Baiji. These facilities will connect Salah al-Din with destinations throughout the provinces, bringing goods to customers and citizens in distant cities. Two important rail projects have already been completed in Kirkuk: the Kirkuk and al-Maraej stations have been rehabilitated. Throughout the rest of the nation, the Ministry of Transportation has over 100 rail projects scheduled; 28 are currently being built, while 45 have already been completed and are serving the people.

• During the same week, the U.S. Marine Corps' 5th Civil Affairs Group and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers kicked off the Property Lease Program in Fallujah. Local residents whose homes were or are currently occupied by Coalition forces had leases drawn up. Lump-sum payments were also made to eligible homeowners for the total time their houses were being used. The payment will include the amount of rent owed through Sept. 30, 2005.

• Iraq joined 80 nations in Brussels for an historic conference on June 21 and 22, focusing on Iraq's reconstruction and paving the way for other nations to develop political ties with Iraq. Iraq's Foreign Minister also opened the door for further diplomatic ties between Iraq and other Arab nations. Canada announced its ambassador to Jordan would also serve in Iraq, and Jordan said it would be sending an ambassador to Iraq soon.

• On June 22, one of 167 medical clinic projects planned for the country got under way. A $656,000 clinic in the Khanaqin District of the Diyala Province (in which Baghdad is located), is one of two programmed for construction in the Khanaqin Distinct; both are now under construction.

• The Iraqi Army's soldiers of 2nd Battalion, 1st Iraqi Army Brigade graduated from the first organized Iraqi Army Leadership Training Course at Forward Operating Base Justice. Military experts agreed the development of the non-commissioned officer corps is essential for the new Iraqi Army. As the month drew to a close, Iraqi Marines prepared to take over security of the Al Basrah and Char Al Anaya oil terminals. The Iraqi Marines had been supported by Coalition forces since April of 2004, but now planned to take over security of the oil platforms completely.

• On June 27, a water treatment project was finished in Kirkuk, which will provide 5,000 people from four villages with clean, potable water, while another began in the northwestern Ninewah Province. There are eight water projects programmed for construction in Mosul, and 34 water projects programmed nationwide. Seven of those are under way, and 18 are complete.

• Also on the 27th, the Iraqi Navy signed the Iraqi Navy Transition Roadmap aboard the Ticonderoga-class cruiser USS Normandy (CG-60). The roadmap outlines the plan for the Iraqi Navy to achieve the capability to fully defend Iraqi coastal waters, integrating sea operations, shore support, boarding-and-search and point-defense of oil terminals with an overall command and sustainment program.

• Soldiers from Task Force 1-128 and the Iraqi Army took a day off from their normal security patrols June 28 and handed out school supplies, clothes and shoes in a few small villages during a combat patrol. The Soldiers distributed more than 60 boxes of goods containing more than 100 pairs of shoes, assorted clothes and hundreds of pounds of school supplies such as pens, pencils, notebooks and paper to children and families in the villages of Albouhaswa, Ahmed Hajam and Ja'afaral Jalaby.

[dpolley]

Great post KDown. Guess everything isn't as terrible everywhere in Iraq like most of the mainstream media and democratic party would like for us to believe. War is a terrible solution to any problem, but stories like these need to be publicized more often.

[acoolmom777]

Great Post KDown........

[kdown]

There are Bad, evil, people in this world
Expect the death toll to go much higher.


20 dead as explosions rock London

07 July 2005
IT was the day Londoners had feared. The day when the capital was brought to its knees. The day when 20 people lay dead lay in the streets and hundreds more seriously injured.

Just 24 hours after London basked in the glory of winning the 2012 Olympics, the capital was plunged into scenes of horror and devastation.

The nightmare began at the height of rush hour at 9am with reports of an explosion at Liverpool Street underground station.

The nightmare grew into confusion when two Metropolitan Line trains collided after an explosion at Aldgate station.

And confusion grew into sheer terror when rumours circulated of three bombs on buses and the tubes - rumours that were later confirmed.

Terrified commuters stumbled out of tube stations across the capital, some covered in soot, many covered in blood, and emerged blinking into the daylight.

Eyewitnesses on tube trains spoke of seeing a blinding flash as their Piccadilly train pulled out of King's Cross station.

Smoke filled the carriages and passengers were plunged into darkness.

After 20 minutes sat in a smoke-filled carriage, passengers frantically smashed windows with their umbrellas in a desperate bid for safety.

Explosions ripped through stations at Edgware Road, Old Street and Russell Square - apparently due to huge power surges, although the National Grid has denied this.

Chaos piled upon chaos when three bombs tore through buses near Russell Square.

The top of one bus in Tavistock Place was ripped off by the force of the blast.

One eyewitness said: "The bus ripped open like a can of sardines and bodies everywhere."

Scenes of chaos were repeated throughout north London.

At Edgware Road station, where there were reports of an explosion in the tunnel, streets were cordoned off and the pavements were filled with hordes of anxious people.

One policewoman said: "We have started evacuating but more people are still being brought out."

Roads around Baker Street were shut and shop workers evacuated.

At East Finchley tube station, there were scenes of panic as thousands of commuters stampeded to escape from the station.

Just two confused members of staff were on duty to man the gates and direct commuters to buses.

But all buses within the zone one area were suspended and those that were still running were rammed with commuters.

Kentish Town Road was plunged into gridlock as streets around King's Cross were sealed off.

More than a thousand builders working on the King's Cross redevelopment site were evacuated.

Camden town hall was evacuated and all shops were closed.

Sniffer dogs prowled the streets as police frantically tried to bring order to chaos.

Offices in east London and King's Cross were evacuated as thousands of office workers poured into the streets.

North London's major hospitals - the Royal Free, UCLH and the Whittington were placed on emergency stand by and paramedics drafted in.

Volunteers were called in to the Royal Free to support overworked medical staff.

Home Secretary Charles Clarke said the explosions had caused "terrible injuries".

He said: "The health services are in support to deal with the terrible injuries that there have been.

[tkcomer]

If this is an attack by some Islamic group, what is it going to take for us (And now them) to realize to leave them alone? They want us out. We are spending up to a BILLION dollars a day in a country awash in oil. All they want is for us to leave them alone. We are 7 TRILLION dollars in debt. One of bin Ladin’s tactics is to bankrupt us like the Soviets. He knows that a country in debt up to its neck will collapse into a depression if it keeps sticking its nose where it doesn’t belong. It has happened to every empire in history that keeps meddling in other country’s affairs. Every single empire. Ours is next to collapse if we don’t change our ways fast. This country should stop worrying about other people’s problems and start concentrating on the problems in this country. Jeeze, Maysville says it can’t even afford insurance for its workers. But not top worry. When the country goes under, those soldiers will come home. To guard our politicians from us.