Bush: Dems' Iraq plan won't work(but is open to benchmarks?)

[maddezmom]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON - President Bush, under growing political pressure, said Thursday the White House will seek agreement with Congress on benchmarks to measure progress in Iraq.

At the same time, the president pledged he would veto a bill, expected to be passed by the House later in the day, that would cut of funding for the war by the end of July.

"We reject that idea. It won't work," the president said.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070510/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_iraq_104

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Bush: Work With Dems on Iraq Benchmarks
May 10, 2007 12:30 PM (5 mins ago)
By ANNE FLAHERTY, AP
WASHINGTON (Map, News) - President Bush, under growing political pressure, said Thursday the White House will seek agreement with Congress on benchmarks to measure progress in Iraq.

At the same time, the president pledged he would veto a bill, expected to be passed by the House later in the day, that would cut of funding for the war by the end of July.

"We reject that idea. It won't work," the president said.

At the same time, Bush pressured Iraqi leaders to move swiftly on a number of measures, including legislation to share Iraq's oil wealth, hold provincial elections and update the constitution.

"They have got to speed up their clock," the president said. U.S. officials have urged Iraq's parliament to abandon plans to take a two-month vacation this summer.

Bush's willingness to put benchmarks in a war-funding bill represented a shift in position by the president.

more:http://www.examiner.com/a-720624~Bush__Work_With_Dems_on_Iraq_Benchmarks.html

[liberal N proud]

1. Is that talking out both sides of your mouth or what?

Must be taking lessons from the evil one, Dick

[chelsea0011]

2. Bush still thinks he's the smartest guy in the room

With apologies to the people who coined the phrase for the Enron people, Bush is one delusional guy.

[tularetom]

3. He's operating under a skewed perception of how to act manly

and he looks instead just like a spoiled child.

[NV Whino]

4. Yeah, like his does.

[AndyA]

5. Well, we know one thing for certain, George: What's been done so far in Iraq

hasn't worked, either. So a change is necessary.

And since we had no (legitimate) business going over there in the first place, bringing the troops home is the first step toward returning the responsibility of running the country to the Iraqi government. And that is what must happen to restore any type of peace over there.

This is so lush: Chimpy hasn't even seen the bill yet, it hasn't even been passed, but he's already going to veto it! I wish the American people could veto his ass right out of office!!

[mike_c]

6. *I* am not open to "benchmarks...."

I oppose any bill that funds war criminals and crimes against humanity. That's what any funds authorized for Iraq do.

[Ravy]

7. As if Bush knows what will and won't work in Iraq. Sheesh. nt

[William769]

8. Bush says he's OK with Iraq benchmarks

Source: CNN

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Bush, under growing political pressure, said Thursday the White House will seek agreement with Congress on benchmarks to measure progress in Iraq.

At the same time, the president pledged he would veto a bill, expected to be passed by the House later in the day, that would cut of funding for the war by the end of July.

"We reject that idea. It won't work," the president said.

At the same time, Bush pressured Iraqi leaders to move swiftly on a number of measures that could be used as benchmarks, including legislation to share Iraq's oil wealth, hold provincial elections and update the constitution.



Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/05/10/us.iraq.ap/index.html

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Is the tide starting to turn?

[bdamomma]

9. why doesn't bush mention this

don't remember this George????????

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2841095

[pocoloco]

10. Short answer....No!

Oil Privatization is one of the benchmarks!!!

[Zodiak]

11. Quick interepretation

Bush concedes that we need benchmarks. Then a long debate starts on what those benchmarks should be. Compromises will be made, to the point where the defintions of the benchmarks become squishy. This leaves enough wiggle room for the administration to claim they have met the benchmarks when the time comes and the debate starts all over again (my guess is that they will continue the "we're making progress" argument for the 1000th time.

Compromise can be taken advantage of by the other side....as a stalling tactic.

The goal is to stall...not to keep the war going. They KNOW they can keep the war going, but they will hurt the party with their stubborness if the people are still demanding a withdrawal. Setting benchmarks will provide another six month window by which nothing will happen but more loss of $$$, more loss of soldiers. Then the debate can begin again in earnest (which will lead to another six month window).

How many six monh windows have we had? How many compromises? How is that working out for us?

If we give Bush this bit of wiggle room, he will kill 500 more soldiers. That is how I see this.

[murielm99]

12. WE reject that idea?

WE???

He is not the fucking king!

[MADem]

13. He's admitting to the obvious, certainly!!

Bush's willingness to put benchmarks in a war-funding bill represented a shift in position by the president.

"One message I have heard from people of both parties is that benchmarks make sense and I agree," Bush said. He said his chief of staff, Joshua Bolten, would talk with congressional leaders "to find common ground" on benchmarks.

White House officials decided Bush, after refusing to discuss his negotiating stand, should change course and declare what he is for since he been emphatic about what he is against.

[CANDO]

14. My gut tells me the Democrats are willing participants of the oil theft plan.

Anyone disagree?

[Tempest]

16. Extremely doubtful

The oil plan was devised in the WH where the Democrats are not welcomed.

[Tempest]

15. Flip-flopping like a fish on shore

White House officials decided Bush, after refusing to discuss his negotiating stand, should change course and declare what he is for since he been emphatic about what he is against.

[rodeodance]

17. Didn't JR VOW NO benchmarks just a few days ago????

[William769]

21. Thats what I thought.

I wonder what happened.

[tabasco]

18. Let me guess: Bush's first benchmark will be ...

- - - - Iraq is a thriving, peaceful nirvana and democracy is spreading like wildfire through the Middle East. - - - -

Sorry, Junior, we're not going along with your infinite war for oil.

[Virginia Dare]

19. So, what this means is, he's going to have to accept..

a timetable, except we can't call it a timetable, because he's already said that wasn't acceptable, so we'll call it benchmarks instead, and then we can negotiate. What a bunch of fucking CHILDREN they are. :eyes:

[Demeter]

20. Time for Some Democratic Tough Love

and if the Democrats won't give Tough Love to the President, then they will have to get some from the voters!

No deals, no ass-saving compromises on policy or language. No money for continuing the illegal occupation!

[humbled_opinion]

24. but that is exactly the style

The Democrat leaders will make compromises with the WH because thats how this game is played. I know it sucks. People should be held accountable for screwing things up but when you are part of the big two (Democrat and Republican) its like being part of one of the big two crime families in America.

[yojon]

22. Lemme get this straight..

*We invaded them* - they did not invite us. We set up a puppet government. Now we are 'threatening' to leave unless the puppet government does stuff.

What am I missing here??

[Joe for Clark]

23. He is folding now - clearly -

Push twice as hard - do it now!

He is a bully - know what happens when you call the bluff?

They fold.

This is the time.

Joe

I broke off when I saw the headline - it is important.

[bklyncowgirl]

25. If it somehow passes wait for the signing statement.

He's not budging an inch on this. He'll allow Republicans to get some political cover by voting for it and then do what he did with the torture bill--sign it and then essentially announce that he doesn't have to obey it.

[Javaman]

26. moron* got a visit by the leading repukes the other day...

and they probably told the fucking idiot* that if he doesn't cut the shit with the long war bullcrap and start listening to the Democrats, the repuke party as they know it, will vanish.

they are turning up the heat on the fucking shithead* instead of just impeaching him*. Which in my opinion do the trick.

but given the repukes history of crooked leaders, if moron* is indeed impeached (oh god please grant me that wish) the repuke party is dead. And that is what they are all collectively shitting about.