| Re: "The polls stayed open one hour later... because of such high turnout." [message #182657 is a reply to message #182333] |
Sun, 18 December 2005 21:32   |
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Hydra
Messages: 827
Registered: September 2003
Location: Atlanta, GA
Karma:
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Colonel |
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| Ryan3k |
What does that (being a Liberal) have to do with anything?
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Not only is this disproving the common notion that the war isn't going well, the election would never have happened in the first place if the anti-war crowd had its way. This is also clear evidence that Bush does, indeed, have an exit strategy despite what the cut-and-run and anti-Bush/war crowd in Washington may claim.
No one can say the President has not articulated an exit strategy for the Iraq war.
I'll highlight the main portion of the speech that outlines his strategy:
| President Bush |
We have put in place a strategy to achieve this goal — a strategy I have been discussing in detail over the last few weeks. This plan has three critical elements.
First, our coalition will remain on the offense, finding and clearing out the enemy, transferring control of more territory to Iraqi units and building up the Iraqi Security Forces so they can increasingly lead the fight. At this time last year, there were only a handful of Iraqi army and police battalions ready for combat. Now, there are more than 125 Iraqi combat battalions fighting the enemy, more than 50 are taking the lead and we have transferred more than a dozen military bases to Iraqi control.
Second, we are helping the Iraqi government establish the institutions of a unified and lasting democracy, in which all of Iraq's peoples are included and represented. Here also, the news is encouraging. Three days ago, more than 10 million Iraqis went to the polls, including many Sunni Iraqis who had boycotted national elections last January. Iraqis of every background are recognizing that democracy is the future of the country they love, and they want their voices heard. One Iraqi, after dipping his finger in the purple ink as he cast his ballot, stuck his finger in the air and said: "This is a thorn in the eyes of the terrorists." Another voter was asked, "Are you Sunni or Shia?" He responded, "I am Iraqi."
Third, after a number of setbacks, our coalition is moving forward with a reconstruction plan to revive Iraq's economy and infrastructure and to give Iraqis confidence that a free life will be a better life. Today in Iraq, seven in 10 Iraqis say their lives are going well and nearly two-thirds expect things to improve even more in the year ahead. Despite the violence, Iraqis are optimistic and that optimism is justified.
In all three aspects of our strategy — security, democracy, and reconstruction — we have learned from our experiences, and fixed what has not worked. We will continue to listen to honest criticism and make every change that will help us complete the mission....
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I don't know how much more clear it can get than that.
Walter Keith Koester: September 22, 1962 - March 15, 2005
God be with you, Uncle Wally.
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