Bush Sneaks Into Iraq -- Again

From CNN.com:

AL ASAD AIR BASE, Iraq (CNN) -- President Bush made a surprise visit to an Iraqi air base Monday, saying fewer U.S. forces may be able to maintain security at its current level.

"Gen. [David] Petraeus and Ambassador [Ryan] Crocker tell me if the kind of success we're now seeing continues, it will be possible to maintain the same level of security with fewer American forces," Bush said during remarks at Al Asad Air Base in Anbar province.

But Bush later warned Washington war critics who are pushing for quick troop withdrawals to temper their expectations.

During a rally for troops at the base, Bush said any pullout would be made from a position of "strength and success."

The White House is due to deliver to Congress next week an assessment on Bush's increase of 30,000 troops to Iraq this year.

"People shouldn't jump to conclusions until the general and the ambassador report," Bush said.

During a rally later for more than 600 American troops at the base, Bush warned members of Congress who might be anticipating quick reductions in U.S. forces.

"Those decisions will be based on a calm assessment by our military commanders on the conditions on the ground, not reaction by Washington politicians to poll results in the media," said Bush. "In other words, when we begin to draw down troops from Iraq, it will be from a position of strength and success, not from the position of fear and failure."

I dunno, but it seems that if we were doing really well over there, Mr. Bush wouldn't have to keep sneaking in and out of the country the way he's been doing.


And look, he's so brave he doesn't even need body armor!

Call me a cynic, but you'd think that he'd be able to do these things openly if there was any sort of stability over there. I'm all for victory in Iraq, and I'm definitely not part of the "cut and run" crowd.

It's just that George's handling of this doo-doo has been wrong from the get-go.

But just to be fair, here are some blogs that are all atwitter about the Bush Iraq visit:

Flopping Aces, StuckOnStupid, Hang Right Politics, and Captain's Quarters.

Where There Is A Mexican, There Is Mexico

From a disturbing article by Traci Carl of the Associated Press (Calderon blasts U.S. immigration policies):

MEXICO CITY — President Felipe Calderon blasted U.S. immigration policies on Sunday and promised to fight harder to protect the rights of Mexicans in the U.S., saying "Mexico does not end at its borders."

The criticism earned Calderon a standing ovation during his first state-of-the nation address.

"We strongly protest the unilateral measures taken by the U.S. Congress and government that have only persecuted and exacerbated the mistreatment of Mexican undocumented workers," he said. "The insensitivity toward those who support the U.S. economy and society has only served as an impetus to reinforce the battle ... for their rights."

He also reached out to the millions of Mexicans living in the United States, many illegally, saying: "Where there is a Mexican, there is Mexico." [Emphasis added.]

So what you're saying, Dickhead, is that America is now Mexico just because Mexicans sneak in here all the time? Well, to hell with you, Señor!


Yeah, yeah. If people like you and GEORGE BUSH had their way, THIS IS WHAT WE'D SEE WHEN WE TRAVEL TO WASHINGTON D.C.!


Forget about it, you pricks.

And as for that "we strongly protest the unilateral measures taken by the U.S. Congress and government" shit. What? Screw that! Are we supposed to consult with Mexico in the formulation of United States policy now?

Pendejo....

Dave Calder at UNCoRRELATED has some sentient comments about Calderon's buffoonery, also.

Not to be outdone, TexasFred has some well-chosen--and colorful--words for Mr. Calderon. Yee-hah, Tejas!

Breaking News -- AGAG Resigns!

From the New York Times:

WACO, Tex., Aug. 27 — ­ Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales, whose tenure has been marred by controversy and accusations of perjury before Congress, has resigned. A senior administration official said he would announce the decision later this morning in Washington.

Mr. Gonzales, who had rebuffed calls for his resignation, submitted his to President Bush by telephone on Friday, the official said. His decision was not immediately
announced, the official added, until after the president invited him and his wife to lunch at his ranch near here.

Mr. Bush has not yet chosen a replacement but will not leave the position open long, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the Attorney General's resignation had not yet been made public.

Mr. Bush had repeatedly stood by Mr. Gonzales, an old friend and colleague from Texas, even as he faced increasing scrutiny for his leadership of the Justice Department, including his role in the dismissals of nine United States attorneys late last year and questions about whether he testified truthfully about the National Security Agency's surveillance programs.

"We're watching a political exercise," Mr. Bush said at a news conference this month, dismissing accusations that the Attorney General had stonewalled or misled a congressional inquiry. "I mean, this is a man who has testified, he's sent thousands of papers up there. There's no proof of wrong."

Mr. Gonzales's resignation is the latest in a series of high-level departures that has reshaped the end of Mr. Bush's second term. Karl Rove, another of Mr. Bush's close circle of aides from Texas, stepped down two weeks ago.

The official said that the decision was Mr. Gonzales's and that the president accepted it grudgingly. At the same time, the official acknowledged that the turmoil over his tenure as Attorney General had made continuing difficult.

Well, I guess it was to be expected. His continued presence in the cabinet must have been proving too much of a distraction for the administration. On the other hand, when Karl Rove resigned, it was widely reported that anyone in the cabinet who didn't resign before a certain date in September would be "stuck" in their position until the end or their term.

But the Gonzales resignation begs the further question:

Who in the hell are the Congressional Democrats gonna pick on now?

Ex-Military In Congress

This morning on MSNBC's "Morning Joe," Colonel Jack Jacobs said that only 23% of Congress has served in the military. Until only recently, he added, the number was as low as 15%.

He went on to point out that among the 23% who actually served, a number had slept through through their time in uniform and had therefore learned nothing of military value that they might bring with them to Congress.

A leading example of the latter, said Colonel Jacobs, is Jack Murtha of Pennsylvania.

Go figure.