Bush was asked in an interview on NBC television whether the United States can win the war on terror. "I don't think you can win it," he answered.

Excuse me???  Wasn't that the cornerstone of his presidency, and the Republican Party???

Here is the link:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5866571/

But let me give you the context:

1) $300 B Iraqi War (Homeland Security Budget is only $30B), and no end in sight.  The Iraqi War annual cost, about $80B/Year going forward

2) Record budget deficit

3) Record trade deficit

4) Not even aligned with our brethrens in NATO

Then with all these risks and sacrifices, claiming the war is not winnable?

If anyone who is a patriot, and is not upset over all of this, then probably is a citizen of a different country.


-- Modified on 8/30/2004 9:01:32 PM

The complete reply to the questions regarding the war on terror provides a clearer context of the sentence than you did (no offense intended).

Lauer: “You said to me a second ago, one of the things you'll lay out in your vision for the next four years is how to go about winning the war on terror. That phrase strikes me a little bit. Do you really think we can win this war on terror in the next four years?”

President Bush: “I have never said we can win it in four years.”

Lauer: “So I’m just saying can we win it? Do you see that?”

President Bush: “I don't think you can win it. But I think you can create conditions so that those who use terror as a tool are less acceptable in parts of the world –- let's put it that way.  I have a two pronged strategy. On the one hand is to find them before they hurt us, and that's necessary. I’m telling you it's necessary. The country must never yield, must never show weakness [and] must continue to lead. To find al-Qaida affiliates who are hiding around the world and … harm us and bring ‘em to justice –- we're doing a good job of it.  I mean we are dismantling the al-Qaidaas we knew it. The long-term strategy is to spread freedom and liberty, and that's really kind of an interesting debate. You know there's some who say well, ‘You know certain people can't self govern and accept, you know, a former democracy.’ I just strongly disagree with that. I believe that democracy can take hold in parts of the world that are now non-democratic and I think it's necessary in order to defeat the ideologies of hate.  History has shown that it can work, that spreading liberty does work. After all, Japan is our close ally and my dad fought against the Japanese. Prime Minister Koizumi, is one of the closest collaborators I have in working to make the world a more peaceful place.”

Lauer: “Your daughters are how old now?”

President Bush: “Twenty-two.”

Lauer: “Twenty-two years old. They’re approaching the age, President Bush, [when] they're going to have their own children. And when their kids are teenagers are they going to those kids – your grandchildren – be reading about al-Qaida in the newspaper every day?”

President Bush: “I know if steadfast, strong and resolute — and I say those words very seriously — it's less likely that your kids are going to live under the threat of al-Qaida for a long period of time. I can't tell you. I don't have any … definite end.  But I tell you this, when we succeed in Iraq and Afghanistan, it's the beginning of the end for these extremists. Because freedom is going to have a powerful influence to make sure your kids can grow up in a peaceful world. If we believe, for example, that you can't win, and the alternative is to retreat … I think that would be a disaster for your children. I'll tell you why. If al-Qaida and their ideologues were able to secure a nuclear arsenal, then your children would grow up under the threat of nuclear blackmail. I think you would look back and say, ‘Why did George Bush not hold the line?’ We cannot show weakness in this world today, because the enemy will exploit that weakness. It will embolden them and make the world a more dangerous place.”

Lauer: “Think about the last three years if you will. I mean the day after 9/11, there was never a greater outpouring of support and compassion for the United States than in those days. I mean in Tehran they held candlelight vigils there, the flags were at half-staff in Turkey, in France, in Germany – gatherings in the street. Here we are three years later. And in, as I mentioned, parts of the Arab world, polls show we have never been more hated. We’ve separated ourselves from traditional allies.”

President Bush: “Actually that's not a necessarily a true statement. America has unfortunately throughout our history of the Middle East and elsewhere, there have been periods where we have been disliked and periods when we've been liked depending upon the decisions made by the country.”



-- Modified on 8/30/2004 9:24:17 PM

I think he was left to his own devices on this interview, no earpiece present thus noone telling him what to say. If you ever watch his facial expressions while he is speaking he has a tell. When he has just finished speaking an original W thought, he looks immensely proud of himself and he gazes around for his audiences reaction.

I saw a clip of him when he was endorsing Daddy Bush in one of his runs for Pres. and W looked as though he just did a fat line but his speech was clear and understandable. Perhaps he burnt too many brain cells and just cannot think clearly anymore.

I don't think you will see the U.S.S. Ronald Reagan pull up and park in the Persian Gulf for a surrender signing in the way traditional wars end.

Bush has always maintained that this will be a long drawn out war, to think otherwise is simpleminded.  Our foe is very patient, returning to finish what they started at the WTC in 1993 in 2001.  They represent no government, they hide behind women and children and their own "holy" places, taking to ground like the snake they are.  

Every year that passes without terrorist attacks on our Country is a year of victory, but yet the war goes on and considering their patience, becomes more of a threat as time passes.  Hanoi and his lawyer hack running mate attempting to make hay over this spin has already backfired.  It reveals their inability to understand the problem we face and their desire to undermine the prosecution of our national defense for political gain.

saying that you will TOTALLY wipe out drunk driving. No way!! Some a**hole out there is going to drink and drive no matter what you do.

What you can do is make it such that you greatly reduce the numbers and lessen the danger to everyone else. Well, there will always be some a**hole out there  who will strap on a bomb and try to kill people.

I'm suprised you are having so much trouble with such a simple concept...

He said the war is not winnable [which he now took back], we are NOT talking about ERADICATION ...

We won WWII, we neither eradicated Nazism, nor antisemitism, still, it was a victory ... simple concept ...

He was stating the obvious fact that there will never be a peace treaty or formal end to the war.  All we can do is suppress the terrorists.  But new ones will always form and it will always be a struggle.  It is not a conventional war with a conventional surrender/ending.  Everybody knows this.  If Kerry had said this, all the talking-head pundits would be praising his intellectual prowess.

--war on drugs
--war on poverty
--war on illiteracy
and so on, these things do not end because there will always be an element of the "enemy".