WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Linking the fight in Iraq with the greater war on terror, President Bush told the nation there is "no magic formula for success in Iraq" but that failure there "would be a disaster for the United States."

 

He announced plans to add more troops.

 

Bush said that if the situation in Iraq does not turn for the better, "Radical Islamic extremists would grow in strength and gain new recruits."

 

They would then be emboldened to topple moderate governments and "use oil revenues to fund their ambitions."

 

Iran would also have an opportunity to ratchet up its pursuit of nuclear weapons.

 

Bush gave two reasons for the failure to secure Baghdad in particular.

 

There are "not enough Iraqi and American troops to secure neighborhoods" he said.

 

And there are too many restrictions on the troops that are in place, Bush said.

 

"Our military commanders reviewed the new Iraqi plan to ensure that it addressed these mistakes. They report that it does," he said.

 

"They also report that this plan can work ... and [iraqi] Prime Minister [Nuri] al-Maliki has pledged that political or sectarian interference will not be tolerated."

 

Bush said only the Iraqis can end the sectarian violence that has besieged their country and he will say that the Iraqi government "has put forward an aggressive plan" to accomplish that.

 

Bush rejected ideas "to step back."

 

That, the president is expected to say, "would force a collapse of the Iraqi government. ... Such a scenario would result in our troops being forced to stay in Iraq even longer, and confront an enemy that is even more lethal."

 

full story: http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/01/10/iraq.bush/index.html

 

 

I have to say.... for the first time, I'm impressed with his 'almost' taking responsibility on the failed plans in Iraq this past year...... wow. Just wow.

wow! so no one has any thoughts on the man's new stradegy on the war in Iraq???

 

I thought for sure there would be some discussion on how one of his biggest allies (Great Britain) is planning on scaling back the military presence while he insist on 92,000 more!

 

Seems to me that the Pres. has little faith on the new Iraqi govt. and while I do agree with him that a successful govt. there is imperative, I don't think handholding or babysitting their govt. is the answer..... slowly draw out some forces and let the govt. fend for themselves.... does this mean we will always be there?

I tell you something - I think MSNBC's Keith Olbermann pretty much said everything I was thinking.

 

http://www.coldplaying.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1949634&postcount=53