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Bush has second thoughts

Quote:

Bush has second thoughts
January 14, 2005 - 4:24PM

US President George W Bush expressed misgivings for two of his most famous expressions: "Bring 'em on," in reference to Iraqis attacking US troops, and his vow to get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive".

During a round-table interview with reporters from 14 US newspapers, Bush acknowledged that his tough language "had an unintended consequence".

On July 2, 2003, two months after he had declared an end to major combat in Iraq, Bush promised US forces would stay until the creation of a free government there.

To those who would attack US forces in an attempt to deter that mission, Bush said, "My answer is, Bring 'em on".

"Sometimes, words have consequences you don't intend them to mean," Bush said.

"'Bring 'em on' is the classic example, when I was really trying to rally the troops and make it clear to them that I fully understood, you know, what a great job they were doing. And those words had an unintended consequence. It kind of, some interpreted it to be defiance in the face of danger. That certainly wasn't the case."

In the week after the September 11, 2001, attacks on the US, Bush was asked if he wanted bin Laden, the terrorist leader blamed for the attacks, dead.

"I want justice," Bush said.

"And there's an old poster out West, that I recall, that said, 'Wanted, Dead or Alive'."

Recalling that remark, Bush said: "I can remember getting back to the White House, and Laura said, 'Why did you do that for?' I said, 'Well, it was just an expression that came out. I didn't rehearse it.'

"I don't know if you'd call it a regret, but it certainly is a lesson that a president must be mindful of, that the words that you sometimes say ... I speak plainly sometimes, but you've got to be mindful of the consequences of the words. So put that down. I don't know if you'd call that a confession, a regret, something."

Well, you could knock me over with a feather. Is this the first time he's admitted a mistake?

Either way, credit to him for doing so.

Mr Mephisto

of course...he doesnt' have to pander for re-election....

<--still pretty jaded...

Baby steps I always say.

At this rate, Chelsea Clinton's son will be President before Bush admits Iraq was a mistake.

the amount of blood that had to be shed before he could even begin to say he's sorry for something is frightening.

i can only hope that this is the beginning of something, and not just an abberation.

So if "Bring 'em on" isn't intended to mean being defiant in the face of danger, what did he mean by it?

I think this is the first time he actually regrets saying something, now all he needs to do is regret his entire existence, and he would be getting somewhere.

This reminds me of an old fake news clip from The Onion:

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Onion on April 28th, 2004

Bush To Iraqi Militants: 'Please Stop Bringing It On'
WASHINGTON, DC—In an internationally televised statement Monday, President Bush modified a July 2003 challenge to Iraqi militants attacking U.S. forces. "Terrorists, Saddam loyalists, and anti-American insurgents: Please stop bringing it on now," Bush said at a Monday press conference. "Nine months and 500 U.S. casualties ago, I may have invited y'all to bring it on, but as of today, I formally rescind that statement. I would officially like for you to step back." The president added that the "it" Iraqis should stop bringing includes gunfire, bombings, grenade attacks, and suicide missions of all types.

Oddly prescient, wouldn't you say?

That's funny alkaloid.

Mr Mephisto

Bush had a first thought?!

But seriously, now that the first term is passed he is free to be a tad more human and therefore can admit he has "possibly" made some mistakes. Between this and ending the search for WMDs in Iraq I am halfway expecting an apology bouquet in the mail anyday now.

Yea, I think this is the first time he has admitted a mistake. I thought it was absurd in the debates when he was asked if he ever made a mistake, and his answer was a lot of hemming and hawing, and then a very non-commital answer.

Good for him, though. It's good to see that he *can* acknowlege that maybe something he did was wrong.

Wow this is amazing, now I hope he reevaluates everything he did and admits more mistakes he has made. We should be careful not to chastise him over admitting mistakes, doing so will only prevent him from doing it more.

Wait, that's not fair of him. He isn't supposed to act like a lame duck president until he has 2 years to go until his term is up, not almost 4.