Post by Moses on Mar 16, 2005 12:26:24 GMT -5
Bush: No Timetable for Troops Coming Home
- By TERENCE HUNT, AP White House Correspondent
Wednesday, March 16, 2005
(03-16) 08:13 PST WASHINGTON, (AP) --
President Bush said Wednesday he understands the desire of U.S. coalition partners to withdraw troops from Iraq, but he declined to set a timetable for bringing American forces home and said he hoped others would also stay the course.
"Our troops will come home when Iraq is capable of defending herself," Bush told reporters.
Bush spoke a day after Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi announced plans to start drawing down his country's 3,000-strong contingent in Iraq amid widespread anger over the recent killing of an Italian officer by U.S. troops.
Some 14 nations have withdrawn troops since the U.S.-led March 2003 invasion of Iraq.
In a news conference in the White House press briefing room, Bush also pledged to press his case for Social Security overhaul, expressed confidence in embattled House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, and said he was concerned about surging energy costs.
The president said he had spoken by telephone to Berlusconi earlier in the day and they talked about both Iraq and Bush's recommendation of Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz to become head of the World Bank.
"He wanted me to know that there was no change in his policy, that, in fact, any withdrawals would be done in consultation with allies and would be done depending upon the ability of Iraqis to defend themselves," Bush said.
Bush shrugged off a question about detainees being sent by the United States back to their home countries, where they could be tortured.
"The United States must make sure we protect our people and our friends from attack. One way to do so is arrest people [they aren't "arresting" people: they are kidnapping them, and in cases where there are no charges or warrants against the person. Bush is getting caught in a HUGE LIE here. But will the media take note?] and send them back" to their home countries, he said. "We seek assurances that no one will be tortured." [disingenuous CYA]
Bush also reflected philosophically on his role as a second term president, saying he doesn't worry about his place in history or whether he will be vindicated in his efforts to spread democracy throughout the Middle East.
"I just don't worry about vindication or standing. ... You've got a lot on your plate on a regular basis. You don't have much time to sit around and wander, lonely in the Oval Office, kind of asking different portraits, 'How do you think my standing will be?'"
"I've got a lot to do." [to bring about the New World Order-- after that only neocons will write history anyway]
Turning to Social Security, Bush acknowledged that he was having a hard time persuading many Americans and members of Congress to support his plan for adding personal investment accounts to the nation's retirement system.
But, he said, "I believe we're making progress." He said he recognized there would be "a tough vote" ahead on Social Security overhaul but he intended to continue traveling around the country speaking on the subject.
On another topic, Bush said Iran must permanently ban uranium reprocessing to reassure the world that its government is not concealing a nuclear weapons program. Otherwise, Bush said, he and leaders of European nations that are negotiating directly with Tehran have agreed to take the issue to the United Nations.
"The understanding is we go to the Security Council if they reject the offer," Bush said. "And I hope they don't."
On Iraq, Bush said he understood the desire of countries to bring their troops home. "What you're going to find is that countries will be willing, anxious" to leave — but only when Iraqi police and security forces are capable of taking over the work now done by coalition forces.
He denied that what the administration has called the "coalition of the willing" was crumbling.
Bush also praised Iraq for Wednesday's opening session of the country's first freely elected parliament in half a century. The parliament's 275 members, chosen during Jan. 30 elections, convened in an auditorium in the heavily guarded Green Zone with U.S. helicopter gunships overhead.
Bush called the meeting "a bright moment" in Iraq's history.
On other topics:
_ Nudging Congress to pass energy legislation, he said he hoped lawmakers would go back to their districts and listen to complaints about rising gasoline prices and return and send an energy bill to his desk. [Rising Gas prices caused by his wars]
"I, frankly, don't think we need a lot of incentives for energy companies in the energy bill," Bush said. "The incentive is price. That's plenty of incentive for people to go out and find additional resources."
_ Bush said he had confidence in DeLay's leadership as the Texas Republican faces allegations of ethical violations.
_ He said he would not second-guess Congress as it issues subpoenas for figures in Major League Baseball but is pleased with the league's response to the problem of steroids.
URL: sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/n/a/2005/03/16/national/w072825S83.DTL