Thoughts 12 Jan 2007 01:25 pm
George W Bush
This from the Editor and Publisher Jan. 11, 2007:
“The White House broke with tradition Wednesday night and refused to let photojournalists shoot still pictures of the president at the podium after his prime-time address on the Iraq war.”
This may sound like a strange question, but, why didn’t the whitehouse allow still photographers at the press conference when King George announced he was sending 21,500 more troops to Iraq?
Could it be, that they have finally figured out that in unposed photographs he tends to look like a dork?
Also from the Editor and Publisher:
Of course, controlling the photo coverage isn’t the same as controlling the story. Thursday’s New York Daily News dutifully reproduced the official handout photo of the president’s speech on its front page – underneath the headline “SORRY … BUT I’M SENDING 21,500 MORE OF YOU OFF TO WAR.”
In less entertaining news about the “surge.”
Harry Reid, the Senate majority leader, said: “In choosing to escalate the war, the president virtually stands alone.” He branded the policy a “serious mistake” and predicted that the Senate would vote overwhelmingly to reject it in a non-binding motion.
Non-binding?? Come on, Harry, show some backbone.
The Democrats are afraid to be seen as not supporting our troops, which means that King George is allowed to persue an approach that has failed, relying on allies that are backing away, and depending to a great degree on a turn around by an uncooperative and incompetent Iraqi government.
Responding to questions, Robert Gates said the new troops would be sent in gradually.
One brigade will go in the middle of this month. A second brigade won’t go until the middle of next month.”
“And then they will flow at roughly monthly intervals, so that after we have sent in just two or three of the brigades, I think we will… have a pretty good idea whether at least on the military side the Iraqis have stepped up to the plate in terms of fulfilling their commitments.
But Mr Gates did not say what the US would do if the Iraqi government failed to meet the commitments.
I wonder how many helicopters they’ll have to push into the ocean this time.