The President's Speech at the US War College

[Gawain 0]

Okay, so who says we don't have a plan?

Are there still questions to be answered? I say yes, but some are questions that can't be answered until we "arrive at that bridge" per se.

Those are my initial impressions.

So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!

[quade 4]

Can you please quote me a passage where he actually showed he has a plan? Who we'll be actually turning over the the power to and our plan for leaving the country?

There were vague references, but no real stated plan other than dumping it in the U.N.'s lap.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[benny 0]

Quote

Can you please quote me a passage where he actually showed he has a plan? Who we'll be actually turning over the the power to and our plan for leaving the country?

There were vague references, but no real stated plan other than dumping it in the U.N.'s lap.

Assuming they allow us to.

Never go to a DZ strip show.

[Jimbo 0]

What do you want? An MS Project document?

-
Jim

"Like" - The modern day comma
Good bye, my friends. You are missed.

[b1jercat 0]

What I saw was Bush laid out step one of a five step plan. Step one turns power over to the Iraqis and does away with the provisional government, and a US ambassadore presents his credentials to the new Iraqi government. I didn't catch the other four steps.
Well it seem he has a plan of sorts, I want to watch.
blues

jerry

[Jimbo 0]

Quote

Assuming they allow us to.

Council backs Brahimi's proposals for power transfer

-
Jim

"Like" - The modern day comma
Good bye, my friends. You are missed.

[Gawain 0]

1. Hand over authority to a sovereign Iraqi government

2. Help establishing security

3. Continue to rebuild Iraq's infrastructure

4. Encourage more international support

5. Move toward a national election (January 2005)

Remember, this is the first of a series of speeches that will be delivered over the next five or six weeks.

As it happens, I bet we can facilitate this change in far less time than it took the US to get from the Declaration of Independence to a stable form of government (roughly 12 years).

So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!

[billvon 3,131]

>Okay, so who says we don't have a plan?

As far as I can tell (per that speech) our plan is:

-We're going to hand over some sort of power (but not military power) to an unspecified Iraqi entity on June 30.

-We're going to make Iraq more secure. (Is that really a new idea?)

-We're going to build more bridges and power plants.

-We're going to get the UN to help us in an as-yet unspecified role. But they won't be in charge.

-There will be an election, set up by the unspecified new government, at an unspecified date.

All good ideas, but nothing that I haven't heard ten times already.

[quade 4]

In a 31 minute long speech I would expect a bit more detail.

The five bullet points could have been covered in 30 seconds and that's really all this speech is worth from a news perspective. From -my- point of view, this was nothing more than a free infomercial. I'm glad the major networks didn't cover it live. CNN did, but then again, they're a 24/7 news op and what the hell else did they have to show?

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[Jimbo 0]

For those who didn't get to see tonight's speech, it's now available online.

President Outlines Steps to Help Iraq Achieve Democracy and Freedom


-
Jim

"Like" - The modern day comma
Good bye, my friends. You are missed.

[freeflydrew 0]

I think Bush must have made the speech because his approval rating is at an all time low... Why else would he go for a prime time speech? 6 or 7 more, get the public behind him... Look like the plan is solid... Hands wiped clean and he is more likely to be reelected

[Jimbo 0]

If it were all about rallying the troops and the American public, don't you think he would have asked the major networks to carry it? I'm sure he's hoping for some approval points out of this speech, but if that were the prime objective I think he would have requested additional coverage.

-
Jim

"Like" - The modern day comma
Good bye, my friends. You are missed.

[quade 4]

Oh clearly that's why his staff cobbled this speech together out of old speeches and they set up this favorable audience photo op. Yeah, depending on who's poll you want to read, he's in the neighborhood of 40% and needs a shot. If he gets an approval bump from this then his "plan" worked, but I don't think it will.

It just wasn't that good of a speech and it didn't give any details.

Are you guys watching Larry King? Woodward is on and they're taking calls from people that are questioning the speech.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[quade 4]

He left it up to the networks to decide based on their news judgement of embargoed copies of the speech. They, rightfully, declined to cover it live because it really had no real news value.

IF he had been willing to give target dates for troops withdrawl or had even said who he was turning power over to . . . it would have been a different issue and they probably -would- have covered it. It just points out that he -still- doesn't actually have a plan -- just a vague notion. At least that's the impression he's giving. For all I know he has written a very precise timeline, but if he has, he's keeping it a secret -- which does him no good whatsoever, so I kinda doubt it.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[Jimbo 0]

Quote

had even said who he was turning power over to

Given the current climate in Iraq I'm not sure that I'd want to be named as the future President. I think it might not be healthy.

Quote

It just points out that he -still- doesn't actually have a plan -- just a vague notion.

How did you make that leap?

Quote

For all I know he has written a very precise timeline, but if he has, he's keeping it a secret -- which does him no good whatsoever, so I kinda doubt it.

Again, I'll cite security as a valid reason for not turning over every detail of the plan.

Quade, I don't know if he has a plan or not, but I think that if he does that there are valid reasons for keeping the details private - for now.

One way or another, I think we'll all have our questions answered in the near future.

-
Jim

"Like" - The modern day comma
Good bye, my friends. You are missed.

[PhillyKev 0]

Quote

What do you want? An MS Project document?

-
Jim

I'd settle for an etch a sketch drawing.

Bush's plan reminds me of the business plan of the Underpants Gnomes on South Park.

Step 1 - Invade Iraq
(Steal underpants)

Step 2 - Shrug
(Shrug)

Step 3 - Free and democratic Iraq who is friendly to the US.
(Profit)

[quade 4]

Quote

Quade, I don't know if he has a plan or not, but I think that if he does that there are valid reasons for keeping the details private - for now.

Then why make a speech about it?

Arron Brown is now going around the bases getting reaction from the field reporters around the world. First time around, most seemed at a loss for words.

Side note ... CNN is going with a 47% rating for GWB which is -way- higher than the 41% CBS released just yesterday.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[PhillyKev 0]

Quote

Again, I'll cite security as a valid reason for not turning over every detail of the plan.

Quade, I don't know if he has a plan or not, but I think that if he does that there are valid reasons for keeping the details private - for now.

Then why is he going to have weekly prime time news conferences to give details about "the plan" for the next month?

"Hey everyone, I have a plan, but it's a secret. Back to your regularly scheduled program until next week when I repeat the same thing"

[kallend 2,174]

Quote

Quote

Again, I'll cite security as a valid reason for not turning over every detail of the plan.

Quade, I don't know if he has a plan or not, but I think that if he does that there are valid reasons for keeping the details private - for now.

Then why is he going to have weekly prime time news conferences to give details about "the plan" for the next month?

"Hey everyone, I have a plan, but it's a secret. Back to your regularly scheduled program until next week when I repeat the same thing"

Seems to me I heard that line before. Last time it was a plan to win in Vietnam

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[TheAnvil 0]

Hmm....if the foreign policy situation is analagous, please point out the current day versions of the following with regards to Iraq:

- COMINTERN
- Ho Chi Minh
- North Vietnam
- USSR
- China

I'm having trouble finding them myself.

Vinny the Anvil
Post Traumatic Didn't Make The Lakers Syndrome is REAL
JACKASS POWER!!!!!!

[Kennedy 0]

I love how some people (not just the source for your post/response) seem to think quoting a respected figure or stating the presence of similarity is somehow sufficient to make a point.

What happened to illustrating the similarities or stating how the quotes are applicable? Come on, back up what you think, people.

witty subliminal message
Guard your honor, let your reputation fall where it will, and outlast the bastards.
1*

[quade 4]

Quote

Red-blooded, God-fearing, Capitalist, Gun-owning, Heterosexual, Conservative, American, and Proud.

Any questions?

Yeah, I gotta question (warning thread drift in progress) . . .

Why do you fear God? Is he mean or something?

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[Gawain 0]

jeez...

So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!

[Kennedy 0]

Quote

Quote

Red-blooded, God-fearing, Capitalist, Gun-owning, Heterosexual, Conservative, American, and Proud.

Any questions?

Yeah, I gotta question (warning thread drift in progress) . . .

Why do you fear God? Is he mean or something?

I love that question. I knew it'd come sooner or later.

[serious moment]
I'm a firm believer that a healthy dose of fear keeps people civil and society functioning.

I don't fear Him as an entity, I 'fear' His judgment should I do wrong. Basically, I do my best to live up to the most important standards, for myself and for fear of being excluded from paradise.
[/moment]

That, and the whole eternal damnation thing doesn't apeal to me, and he can be a mean bugger if you tick him off.

Think back to Sodom and Gomorrah, the tower of Babel, the plagues of Egypt, the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the garden, the casting down of Lucifer and his cohorts, etc etc.

witty subliminal message
Guard your honor, let your reputation fall where it will, and outlast the bastards.
1*

[ltdiver 3]

Quote

Why do you fear God?

I prefer the 3rd definition here...and believe that this is the correct one when interpreting this phrase.

ltdiver

Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon