2008 Woodie Awards
Bush to tell nation Wednesday of his plans for Iraq
Terence Hunt, Associated Press
Issue date: 1/10/07 Section: News
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush will address the nation at 9 p.m. EST Wednesday about his new approach for the war in Iraq, the White House said. Bush is expected to announce an increase of up to 20,000 additional U.S. troops.
Bush's decisions, more than two months in the making, already are drawing criticism from new Democratic leaders in Congress who say it is time to begin ending the war, not to send in more U.S. forces.
Now in its fourth year, the war has claimed the lives of more than 3,000 members of the U.S. military and was a major factor in the Republicans' loss of Congress in the November election. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., told Bush in a letter last week that "we do not believe that adding more U.S. combat troops contributes to success."
White House press secretary Tony Snow said Monday that Bush "understands there is a lot of public anxiety" about the war. On the other hand, he said that Americans "don't want another Sept. 11" type of terrorist attack and that it is wiser to confront terrorists overseas in Iraq and other battlegrounds rather than in the United States.
Snow said he contacted television networks Monday morning to request air time for the president's speech, to be delivered at the White House. He said the administration welcomes a debate about Bush's new policy.
"I think it's important to get congressional support," the spokesman said. Yet he would not say whether Bush will seek specific congressional approval for his new strategy.
"Rather than me jumping out and talking about resolutions and budget items and all that, I'm not going to do it," Snow said. "But there will be a debate about the particulars in the way forward, as there should be. We welcome it."
Pelosi on Sunday cautioned Bush to think twice before proposing a troop increase, suggesting the new Democratic-controlled Congress could deny him the funding.
But the Senate's top Republican said he believed that Bush will get the money he needs and cast doubt that Democrats would or could block him. "Congress is incapable of micromanaging the tactics in the war," said Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.
Bush's decisions, more than two months in the making, already are drawing criticism from new Democratic leaders in Congress who say it is time to begin ending the war, not to send in more U.S. forces.
Now in its fourth year, the war has claimed the lives of more than 3,000 members of the U.S. military and was a major factor in the Republicans' loss of Congress in the November election. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., told Bush in a letter last week that "we do not believe that adding more U.S. combat troops contributes to success."
White House press secretary Tony Snow said Monday that Bush "understands there is a lot of public anxiety" about the war. On the other hand, he said that Americans "don't want another Sept. 11" type of terrorist attack and that it is wiser to confront terrorists overseas in Iraq and other battlegrounds rather than in the United States.
Snow said he contacted television networks Monday morning to request air time for the president's speech, to be delivered at the White House. He said the administration welcomes a debate about Bush's new policy.
"I think it's important to get congressional support," the spokesman said. Yet he would not say whether Bush will seek specific congressional approval for his new strategy.
"Rather than me jumping out and talking about resolutions and budget items and all that, I'm not going to do it," Snow said. "But there will be a debate about the particulars in the way forward, as there should be. We welcome it."
Pelosi on Sunday cautioned Bush to think twice before proposing a troop increase, suggesting the new Democratic-controlled Congress could deny him the funding.
But the Senate's top Republican said he believed that Bush will get the money he needs and cast doubt that Democrats would or could block him. "Congress is incapable of micromanaging the tactics in the war," said Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.
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