In Wheeling on Wednesday, the fifth day in a row Bush devoted his remarks to Iraq, the president bantered with the locals, his shoulders bouncing up and down as they do when he's pleased with his own jokes. Then he brought down the house with his trademark I-won't-back-down pledge.
"Let me put it to you this way: If I didn't think we'd succeed, I'd pull our troops out," Bush said. More than 2,000 supporters - including many active-duty military and their families - leapt from their seats and filled the gilded Capitol Music Hall with wild applause.
"I cannot look mothers and dads in the eye, I can't ask this good Marine to go into harm's way if I didn't believe, one, we're going to succeed, and, two, it's necessary for the security of the United States," Bush said.
Beginning with a speech last Monday in Washington. and with more planned to come, the president wants to convince Americans not only that there is reason for optimism about Iraq's future but that the situation now is better than the daily reports of strife make it appear.
I have no doubt that the media likes to play up the "how things are bad" angle. It's a shame they don't focus on more of the positive things, even if you don't support the war there is good being done. Bush is currently out giving speeches to bring up his approval ratings, which I don't fully understand. He's done 2 terms and can't serve again. Maybe the point is to raise his approval rating to help the Republican party's image so they have a better chance of winning come election time.
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I have three sons in the military...two in the Army and one in the Navy. My Navy son deployed to the Persian Gulf on his aircraft carrier in 2003 and one of my Army sons is presently serving in Iraq. What you read in the papers and see on the news in not factual. The Iraqi people love us for what we've done and what we are presently doing. We either fight this fight on foreign ground or we fight it here on our soil. All those who are throwing stones at President Bush now, would be moaning, whining and groaning if al this fighting was going on here in the US. Make up your minds and educate yourselves on the facts. Yes, we miss our sons and worry about them 24/7, but we are proud of the commitment they've made to our Country and the world. Stay the course President Bush!
IM ENLISTING THE ARMY AS SOON AS I TURN 17 AND I PREY EVERY DAY THAT I DO GET IN. IM GOING TO TRAIN MY ASS OFF TO LEARN HOW TO FIGHT FOR MY COUNTRY.ILL DO WHATEVER I HAVE TO SO I CAN SEE FROM HEAVEN, HELL OR WITH MY OWN EYES MY FAMILY SAFE AND HAPPY WITHOUT THINKING THAT AN ATTAK CAN OCCOUR AT ANY MOMENT. THATS WHAT I WILL FIGHT FOR...
