Q If we do have to go to war and —
THE PRESIDENT: With which country?
Q With Iraq. And if — and with our economy stagnating, what makes you confident that we can afford —
THE PRESIDENT: First of all, you know, I’m hopeful we won’t have to go war, and let’s leave it at that.
Q But if we do, though, what —
THE PRESIDENT: Until Saddam Hussein makes up his mind to disarm — see, it’s his choice to make. See, you need to ask him that question, not me.
Q But the White House is drawing up plans to pay for the war, if we come to that. So why —
THE PRESIDENT: Well, let’s leave it at if, for a while then, until it happens.
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You can read the entire transcript of President Bush’s remarks to the Press Pool today at his ranch in Crawford, TX here.
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President Bush warned Saddam Hussein yesterday that his “day of reckoning is coming.” This article appears to give credence to this fact, with “some units of the 45,000-member U.S. 1st Marine Expeditionary Force” set to deploy from California’s Camp Pendleton to the Gulf region. Last week, more than 11,000 soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Division in the state of Georgia got the call. With nearly 60,000 U.S. military personnel already in the Gulf, our forces could double by February.
My prediction? I once thought that war against Iraq was unavoidable - we need to finish the job and expel Hussein (although my personal preference would be in a coffin). The more power and might we send over there, the more I see the leadership of the neighboring Arab countries increasing their pressure on Hussein to go into exile.
Then our troops would be free to deal with the mad little dictator in North Korea.
However, I would prefer to see the US withdraw our troops from South Korea and let Japan, China, Russia and South Korea deal with the little twerp. I don’t know why our brave men and women should shed their blood for people who so clearly detest Americans.
Hmm… Ironically, you could substitute Germany or France or any other European country for “South Korea” and the result is the same….
Anybody else tired of being the unappreciated peacekeepers of the world™?
Then there’s always the Saudis to deal with….
God speed faithful warriors.