WP/Milbank: Bush Marks Year Since Iraq Invasion

[kskiska]

No Nation Exempt From Terrorism, President Says in Appeal for Unity

By Dana Milbank
Saturday, March 20, 2004; Page A01

(snip)

The diplomatic corps stood to applaud Bush as he entered and when he finished his 24-minute speech, but the foreign guests did not interrupt his speech for applause as domestic audiences often do. There was no representative of Saudi Arabia in the audience, but an embassy spokesman said the top two officials were out of the country and the White House would not have anyone below their level.

The president made no mention of the failure to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, saying only that Saddam Hussein's removal put an end to "years of illicit weapons development," and Bush dealt only in passing with the violence in Iraq that has bedeviled U.S. forces and their supporters. "There are still violent thugs and murderers in Iraq, and we're dealing with them," Bush said. "But no one can argue that the Iraqi people would be better off with the thugs and murderers back in the palaces."

Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.), emphasizing the absence of weapons and the costs of the war, marked the anniversary by criticizing Bush. "Simply put, this president didn't tell the truth about the war from the beginning. And our country is paying the price," Kerry said in the statement. "It's time to take the targets off the backs of U.S. soldiers, reduce the burden on America's taxpayers, and finish the job in Iraq."

(snip)

Bush, in his speech to the diplomats, offered little rebuttal to criticism of U.S. Iraq policy, instead speaking broadly of the virtues of Hussein's ouster. "All of us can now agree that the fall of the Iraqi dictator has removed a source of violence, aggression and instability in the Middle East," he said, pointing to new foreign aid and freedoms in Iraq. "Who would prefer that Saddam's torture chambers still be open?" he asked. "Who would wish that more mass graves were still being filled? Who would begrudge the Iraqi people their long-awaited liberation?"

After his speech, Bush visited Walter Reed Army Medical Center to meet wounded soldiers, his fifth such trip. "Several soldiers told me today, badly injured soldiers said, 'I want to get well quickly' and get back on their duty stations in Iraq," Bush reported.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A9281-2004Mar19.html

[Old and In the Way]

1. 10,000 innocent Iraqis, 500 American soldiers, and countless

casualties might beg to differ about the importance of driving a secular, defanged tyrant from office- but don't let a good sound byte be stuffed by reality, Dimson.

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Old and In the Way]

3. There's a website that has tracked the deaths.

http://www.iraqbodycount.net/

[Demonaut]

4. It takes Immense Bravery to send young soldiers to thier death

Hail bush.