Tammy Bruce: The Text of President Bush's Speech

The Text of President Bush's Speech

Has been posted on Drudge. Here's the link to the text.

6:08pm PT: This is key to me, indicating that Muqtada al-Sadr's days may in fact be numbered.

Many listening tonight will ask why this effort will succeed when previous operations to secure Baghdad did not. Here are the differences: In earlier operations, Iraqi and American forces cleared many neighborhoods of terrorists and insurgents – but when our forces moved on to other targets, the killers returned. This time, we will have the force levels we need to hold the areas that have been cleared. In earlier operations, political and sectarian interference prevented Iraqi and American forces from going into neighborhoods that are home to those fueling the sectarian violence. This time, Iraqi and American forces will have a green light to enter these neighborhoods – and Prime Minister Maliki has pledged that political or sectarian interference will not be tolerated.

I have made it clear to the Prime Minister and Iraq’s other leaders that America’s commitment is not open-ended. If the Iraqi government does not follow through on its promises, it will lose the support of the American people – and it will lose the support of the Iraqi people. Now is the time to act. The Prime Minister understands this. Here is what he told his people just last week: “The Baghdad security plan will not provide a safe haven for any outlaws, regardless of [their] sectarian or political affiliation.”

The main indication that things have truly changed will be the dispatch of al-Sadr. He leads the Mahdi Army which is nothing more than an Iranian Death Squad. As long as al-Sadr lives, Iraq will be in trouble.

6:14pm: I don't think this is the sort of recognition of Syria and Iran that Baker's ISG had in mind:

Succeeding in Iraq also requires defending its territorial integrity – and stabilizing the region in the face of the extremist challenge. This begins with addressing Iran and Syria. These two regimes are allowing terrorists and insurgents to use their territory to move in and out of Iraq. Iran is providing material support for attacks on American troops. We will disrupt the attacks on our forces. We will interrupt the flow of support from Iran and Syria. And we will seek out and destroy the networks providing advanced weaponry and training to our enemies in Iraq.

6:20pm: Joementum!

Acting on the good advice of Senator Joe Lieberman and other key members of Congress, we will form a new, bipartisan working group that will help us come together across party lines to win the war on terror.

6:21p: Nice rebuke of the Defeatists:

Fellow citizens: The year ahead will demand more patience, sacrifice, and resolve. It can be tempting to think that America can put aside the burdens of freedom. Yet times of testing reveal the character of a Nation. And throughout our history, Americans have always defied the pessimists and seen our faith in freedom redeemed. Now America is engaged in a new struggle that will set the course for a new century. We can and we will prevail.

Overall, while I prefer the president speaking without a script, obviously a speech like this requires one, he was more comfortable than I've seen him before, and void of a sort of insecurity I've seen him exhibit in the past. It is this sort of speech, and his general attitude, which reminds me why I care about the president and support him--because he's sincere and truly believes in our responsibility to defend ourselves and spread liberty around the world to that end.

6:27pm: Now, here's Turban Durbin's response. My goodness, what a sniveling defeatist. Wants an "orderly redeployment," i.e. cut-and-run. Amazing. So here this man stands and insists, just a few weeks after the Ethiopian military routes Islamist savages with ease, that the U.S. military simply can't do anymore. Remember, this is the same man who compared our soldiers at Gitmo to Nazis, Pol Pot's genocidal regime and brutal Soviets.

And this is the fellow the Dems think is their perfect representative when discussing war and our troops. Says volumes about what we're dealing with.

Posted by Tammy · January 10, 2007 06:03 PM · Permalink
Politics | War on Radical Islam

Comments

Tammy said:
"which reminds me why I care about the presdient and support him--because he's sincere and truly believes in our responsibility to defend ourselves and spread liberty around the world to that end. "

And I agree 100%. It's been quite sometime since I had tears in my eyes when W has spoken..I did at the end of this speech. He is a man with conviction. While, as a Conservative, I do disagree with him on his rather moderate stances on immigration..on the war, I have rarely done so. I was proud of him tonight. He is no Churchill, but he is our W. I heard a touch of Reagan, and of Lincoln in the writing, but I heard W's convictions loud and clear.
The Dems? What can we say..Turbin Durbin giving the response in a news conference setting? Shameless really..At least Fox left the coverage of that nonsense.
Tonight let us remember that 20,000 + will be receiving orders to go to war and may we hold them all dear in our thoughts, prayers and love.

Posted by: Trinity at January 10, 2007 06:51 PM

I too listened to the President and then the Dem response. What are we doing in Iraq? We are told that we are fighting terrorism but our military isn't allowed to kill terrorists! Turbin Durbin isn't the answer but our brave men and women deserve better than empty platitudes. Either let them do their jobs and come home or bring them home now!

Posted by: SLABBOTT at January 11, 2007 01:12 AM

But why so long for this speech? When was the epiphany? It looks like scrambling after a disastrous election. If the Republicans had done better, then what, more stay the course? The speech is more than an announcement of increased troop levels; it’s a call to the American people that’s long overdue.

Bush is a decent, honest man and has the boldness to implement transformation of the Middle East for the long-term benefit of peace and economic security for the world. This course is difficult and requires patience. Americans have many virtues, but patience isn’t one of them. We all knew if the war was to be lost it would be lost here at home. The MSM, the Left, political adversaries are all vigorous and untiring in their efforts while the President seemed complacent to the point of negligence in the PR battle. To me it seemed he was so intellectually lazy that he wouldn’t even bother to think of anything other than the stale platitudes “stay the course”, “it’s hard work”. He would hem and haw, furrow his brow and then out popped the same trite remarks.

It’s a luxury to think it’s better late than never. It may be too little, too late. Even God had to use a word to get the world started.

Posted by: pat_s at January 11, 2007 05:34 AM

I am decidedly more hopeful after the President's speech. He addressed (to some degree) the most flagrant probems, most importantly the ridiculous troop restrictions and calling-out Iran and Syria. Hearing him say the words "seek out and destroy" warmed my heart. And the Iraqi govt's plans to share oil revenues with ALL Iraqis and spend $10 billion of THEIR OWN money on reconstruction are worthwhile ideas.

The Dems are a predictable and hopeless lot. Hopefully, in the not too distant future, they will be eating many of the words they are now spewing.

"...the advance of freedom is the calling of our time." "We can and will prevail." Amen

Posted by: Kimj7157 at January 11, 2007 10:08 AM

By Category

By Month

The Text of President Bush's Speech

Comments

Post a comment