The prez does agree with the VP that the resistance is in its last throes.

[oblivious]

So stop worrying!

Press Briefing by Scott McClellan
June 21, 2005

Question: Scott, can we get a clear "yes" or "no" answer on whether the President agrees on the Vice President's assessment that the insurgency is in "its last throes?" Is it a "yes" or "no"?

MR. McCLELLAN: I think I already answered this question the last couple of days.

Q: Is it "yes" or is it "no"?

MR. McCLELLAN: And I've talked about it the last couple of days. If you look -- if you look at the terrorists and the regime elements that are seeking to derail the transition to democracy, they are in a desperate mode, and here's why. Let me walk you through this.

First of all, I think, to begin with, you ought to go back and look back at the full context of the Vice President's remarks, where he talked about the progress we're making to go after and capture al Qaeda elements that are inside Iraq -- like Zarqawi lieutenants. Just last week, we captured one of his top lieutenants, a very dangerous man who is responsible for the killing of a lot of innocent civilians inside Iraq. This was the person who oversaw Zarqawi's Mosul operations. And that was a significant development.

So I think you have to look at the facts on the ground. And the facts on the ground show that the Iraqi people are making important progress on the political front to build a free and democratic future. The vision of the terrorists is one of chaos and destruction. They really have no vision. Their only alternative is chaos and destruction and the killing of innocent civilians.

And that's what I talked about yesterday. They, every step of the way, have not been able to stop the progress that the Iraqi people are making on the political front. And they are being defeated and they will be defeated.

Q: So that's a "yes"?

MR. McCLELLAN: Yes, I said that. I said that the other day.


http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/06/20050621-4.html#l


Here is the June 16 briefing where the question first came up:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=3905390&mesg_id=3905390

[Erika]

1. The more they kill, the more we win

and the more they lose. Right. This administration trying to say the more they kill us and the Iraqis is a sign we are winning is insane. Absolutely insane. See www.icasualties.org for the truth.

[Up2Late]

2. McClellan is such a Wiesel, he still didn't actually say...

...Yes, the "President" believes that.:crazy:

[lumpy]

3. As a spin doctor,

Scott gets a big red F. He doesn't even have the feel-good touch that makes a fairly good spinner. Itty bitty spider...

[oxbow]

4. One of these days, that man's head is gonna explode

from lying through his teeth so much.

[oblivious]

5. Does he memorize GWB's lines or does GWB memorize his?

This sounds so familiar. Also, the same straw man GWB uses -- THE SKEPTICS. This is so patronizing to the Iraqi people, especially ssince everyone knows who those skeptics are... the people who decided they needed to be freed and robbed and killed....

MR. McCLELLAN: I kind of talked about it a little bit yesterday. I think the President is going to - in terms of the situation in Iraq, you're going to hear more from the President in his radio address, when he talks about it. Remember what I said yesterday, it's important to keep the American people informed about the progress being made in Iraq, the difficulties and dangers that remain and our strategy for succeeding and getting our troops home. We all want to see our troops return soon. The President wants to see our troops return soon.

But I think no matter where you stood prior to the decision to go into Iraq, we can all recognize that the terrorists have made Iraq the central front in the war on terrorism. That's why it's so critical that we succeed in Iraq. And our troops are doing a tremendous job to complete the mission. The terrorists recognize they can't defeat the coalition troops and the Iraqi forces, so they're trying to shake our resolve, and that's all they can do. But the Iraqi people have shown that they are committed to moving forward on a free and democratic future. Each step of the way the Iraqi people have proven the skeptics wrong. They have turned out in large numbers to elect a transitional government. That transitional government is moving forward on drafting a constitution. We're confident that the Iraqi people will continue to defy the skeptics. There has been significant progress made in one year.

But the enemy is a determined enemy. They are terrorists that are trying to do everything they can to derail the transition to democracy, but they will be defeated. And that's why it's so important that we continue to train and equip the Iraqi security forces, so that our troops will be able to return home with honor once they are able to defend themselves.

But Iraq is the central front in the war on terrorism. A free Iraq will be a powerful force for transforming the rest of the Middle East, and that's why it's so important that we succeed. And I think the American people recognize that it is important that we succeed in Iraq for our long-term security.

Edit: From June 17 briefing:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/06/20050617-5.html