Thread: President Bush Speaks his Mind on Iraq?

George Bush speaks his mind on Iraq?

"Our goal of peace, self-determination and democracy in Iraq is directly related to the future of all of the middle east, where much has happened to inspire confidence during the past 24 months. We have done all that we knew how to do to contribute and to help build that confidence. I think every American can take a great deal of pride in the role that we have played in bringing about Democracy in Iraq. We can rightly judge, as responsible Iraqis themselves do, that the progress of the past 12 months would have been far less likely, if not completely impossible if America's sons and others had not made their stand in Iraq. At my ranch in Crawford, about 3 years ago, I announced that the United States would take part in the great work of developing Democracy, including the Kurdish North, for all the people of that region. Our determination to help build a better land, a better land for men on both sides of the present conflict, has not diminished in the least. Indeed, the ravages of war, I think, have made it more urgent than ever. So, I repeat on behalf of the United States again tonight what I said at Crawford, that Iraq could take its place in this common effort just as soon as peace comes. Over time, a wider framework of peace and security in the middle east may become possible. The new cooperation of the nations of the area could be a foundation-stone. Certainly friendship with the nations of such a Jordan and Lebanon is what the United States seeks, and that is all that the United States seeks. One day, my fellow citizens, there will be peace in the middle east. It will come because the people of Iraq want it, those whose armies are at war tonight, and those who, though threatened, have thus far been spared. Peace will come because Iraqis were willing to work for it, and to sacrifice for it, and to die by the thousands for it. But let it never be forgotten: Peace will come also because America sent her sons to help secure it. It has not been easy, far from it. During the past 2½ years, it has been my fate and my responsibility to be Commander in Chief. I have lived, daily and nightly, with the cost of this war. I know the pain that it has inflicted. I know, perhaps better than anyone, the misgivings that it has aroused. Throughout this entire, long period, I have been sustained by a single principle: that what we are doing now, in Iraq, is vital not only to the security of Iraq, but it is vital to the security of every American. Surely we have treaties which we must respect. Surely we have commitments that we are going to keep. Resolutions of the Congress testify to the need to resist aggression in the world and in the middle east. But the heart of our involvement in Iraq, under my administration has always been America's own security. And the larger purpose of our involvement has always been to help the nations of the middle east become independent and stand alone, self-sustaining, as members of a great world community, at peace with themselves, and at peace with all others. With such an Iraq, our country, and the world, will be far more secure than it is tonight. I believe that a peaceful middle east is far nearer to reality because of what America has done in Iraq. I believe that the men who endure the dangers of battle, fighting there for us tonight, are helping the entire world avoid far greater conflicts, far wider terrorist acts, far more destruction, than this one. The peace that will bring them home someday will come. Tonight I have offered the first in what I hope will be a series of mutual moves toward peace. I pray that it will not be rejected by the leaders of the Insurgents. I pray that they will accept it as a means by which the sacrifices of their own people may be ended. And I ask your help and your support, my fellow citizens, for this effort to reach across the battlefield toward an early peace. Finally, my fellow Americans, let me say this:
Of those to whom much is given, much is asked. I cannot say and no man could say that no more will be asked of us. Yet, I believe that now, no less than when the decade began, this generation of Americans is willing to "pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty."

George Bush 2005? No Lyndon B. Johnson 1968, with the word Iraq and middle east substituted for Vietnam and South East Asia. Sound familiar?

You give him too much credit. What mind? The president has much more commitment to the Tour de Crawford than just about anything. cheers glenn

I really wasn't trying to give him credit for anything but rehashing speeches given by Lyndon Johnson in 1968 about Vietnam. The entire speech was actually Johnson's, I just substituted the word Iraq for Vietnam and Middle East for South East asia. My point was it could easily be substituted for one of today, which I did. Same crud and tired old rhetoric out of Washington....Blah....Blah....Blah. We need a whole lot of fresh blood in Washington....(William for President!)

That is very interesting, Defens. Where did you find that speech?

Nice work DeFens.