Psychologist Bush explains away dwindling support for the war...

video: http://thinkprogress.org/2007/07/12/bush-iraq-psychology/

Q: Mr. President, in addition to members of your own party, the American public is clamoring for a change of course in Iraq.

Why are you so resistant to that idea, and how much longer are you willing to give the surge to work before considering a change in this policy?

BUSH: First of all, I understand why the American people are — you know, they’re tired of the war. People are — there’s war fatigue in America. It’s affecting our psychology. I’ve said this before. I understand that. This is an ugly war. It’s a war in which an enemy will kill innocent men, women and children in order to achieve a political objective. It doesn’t surprise me that there is deep concern amongst our people.​

"war fatigue"? christ. of all people, GWB is in no position to psychologize the American people and claim they are incapable of using rational thought to draw conclusions about the fiasco in Iraq.

 

funny..I don't think it was war fatigue in 2003....

Gonna have to do better than that

We are sick of this war because it is crap and one based on lies and disadvantage for all Americans, while an innocent country and group of young men are slaughtered...all over a country that never really served as much of a threat.

 

I'm glad that he let us all know that we're just not thinking clearly. Glad he could clear that up.

 

lol "war fatigue" he just created a new disorder. You don't like war? You must be suffering from war fatigue take some prozac.

 

It is a wrong of him to say ''the American people'' as if YOU all share the same opinions.
The fact is 3 out of 4 Americans did support the war at the beginning.
It is just the same when I hear people who have posted here say things like - ''America is sick of this war'' ''The American people were not listened to''.
Do those people think THEY know what EVERY American thought ?.

The point I think Bush is making is that even those who supported the war are sick and tired of it - it IS ''war fatigue''.

So he was unrepresentative of ALL Americans - he was [given the polls] representative of he vast majority of Americans.

The next question should have been Why is there ''war fatigue''.

Your answer it seems would be:

''We are sick of this war because it is crap and one based on lies and disadvantage for all Americans, while an innocent country and group of young men are slaughtered...all over a country that never really served as much of a threat.''

When you say ''we'' do you mean EVERYBODY ?.

I've certainly got ''war fatigue''

 

The Military Industrial Complex, and Israel I am sure doen't suffer from War Fatique.

I am fed up with an Ideological Conflict, that is costing the American taxpayers and the Iraqis, and Afghanis the lives of the children and a debt hole that will take centuries to climb out of.

I am tired of hearing Al Qaeda and Bin Laden only brought up when the president wants to sway public opinion in his favor. But when he's doing well... he's known to say that there is no reason to seek out Bin Laden. I question motives. I question the marketing, and the financial feasability of continuing this farce,.

http://www.cursor.org/stories/binladenforgotten.htm

 

gardener is there a university course for ripping anything and everything out of context ?.

 

What exactly is out of context?

 

The Military Industrial Complex, and Israel I am sure doen't suffer from War Fatique.

I am fed up with an Ideological Conflict, that is costing the American taxpayers and the Iraqis, and Afghanis the lives of the children and a debt hole that will take centuries to climb out of.

I am tired of hearing Al Qaeda and Bin Laden only brought up when the president wants to sway public opinion in his favor. But when he's doing well... he's known to say that there is no reason to seek out Bin Laden. I question motives. I question the marketing, and the financial feasability of continuing this farce,.


‘I truly am not that concerned about him’ said President George W Bush on 13 March 2002

 

All of those items except the last line explain my fatique with the lies and deception of this administration.

The last line illustrates just that, as spoken by our Commander and Chief. From the man who said he was going to smoke him out dead or alive.

 

MB if you or anyone else could show me how not focussing on the capture of Bin Laden has mitigated the costs of these conflicts or further secured our homeland, I wish you would.

Every time our president wants to up the ante he brings up Bin Laden and Al Qaeda. If he was out of the picture like Saadam, would this still be part of the manipulation?

If instead of going to war with Iraq we had placed a tenth of the troops on the ground and insisted on going into Pakistan I don't think we would be in this mess.

 

I'm sorry.
What do you think the ''ideological war'' is about ?.
Christianity over Islam ? Good over Evil ? Democracy over Dictatorship ?.

Yes to be honest I am sick and tired of the ''ideological war'' as I see it.
I see think the ''ideological war'' is about Sunni over Shia- interjected with the Kurds and all those inbetween.
I'm sick and tired of the ''ideological war'' that promotes the Idea that western democracy is the work of the devil and OBL and Ex saddam Husein's henchmen version of society is the way forwrd.
I'm sick and tired of 12million peoples voices being obliterated in favour of a ''ideological war'' to ''Take back Iraq from the infidels''.
Then when ''we'' are gone ANOTHER ''ideological war'' this time civil will break out.

Yes I too am very sick of that.

The only reason I said you had taken it out of context is because I could sense you would be blaming US and them alone: It is all our fault .
Now I am very sorry if that is not the case.

Q But don't you believe that the threat that bin Laden posed won't truly be eliminated until he is found either dead or alive?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, as I say, we haven't heard much from him. And I wouldn't necessarily say he's at the center of any command structure. And, again, I don't know where he is. I -- I'll repeat what I said. I truly am not that concerned about him. I know he is on the run. I was concerned about him, when he had taken over a country. I was concerned about the fact that he was basically running Afghanistan and calling the shots for the Taliban.

But once we set out the policy and started executing the plan, he became -- we shoved him out more and more on the margins. He has no place to train his al Qaeda killers anymore. And if we -- excuse me for a minute -- and if we find a training camp, we'll take care of it. Either we will or our friends will. That's one of the things -- part of the new phase that's becoming apparent to the American people is that we're working closely with other governments to deny sanctuary, or training, or a place to hide, or a place to raise money.

And we've got more work to do. See, that's the thing the American people have got to understand, that we've only been at this six months. This is going to be a long struggle. I keep saying that; I don't know whether you all believe me or not. But time will show you that it's going to take a long time to achieve this objective. And I can assure you, I am not going to blink. And I'm not going to get tired. Because I know what is at stake. And history has called us to action, and I am going to seize this moment for the good of the world, for peace in the world and for freedom.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/03/20020313-8.html

If you generalise and only hear Bush when he says OBL Saddam Hussein 9/11 Al-Quaeda WMD - and think it is all as simplistic as that - then I CAN see where you are coming from.

If you think Bush and his cohorts were only after OBL and that is the MAIN goal - then whenever he mentions OBL and it is not in a ''gun ho'' fashion - I can see where you are coming from.

It is imho out of context because the need to ''get him'' has diminished.
The tapestry of the Iraq conflict has more strands than one person.
The way the majority of people see the conflict is in a black and white fasion.
For the majority of the time so do i - but the focus for me has never been completly about OBL. The need to capture him has never been at the front of my mind.

I can see if your perception of success our failure is based on one person - and you feel that was the key goal of Bush - then any deviation is a slap in the face to you.

How true that perception is is questionable imho.

In the UK those apposed to the war STILL go on about WMD - when that was a very small fraction of the rationale to go to war.
It was made a MAJOR issue in the media - but to be fair on that I can see where tou are coming from.
It is a need to make the rationale tangible and visceral rather than doctrinal.
They continue with it because with hindsight they were proven correct - negating the other 99% of the other reasons.
Clearly on other issues they have a shakier ground to walk on.

Who has said it has or would ?. I can explain a thought that I have never had.
If he was captured there are others that would take his place - ''Al-Quaeda has a figure head YES but the goals outlive and out rank him.

''On the ground'' where ?.

 

The ideologogical war is one of Bush's making, not mine or my neighbors.

Bin Laden is only as important as Bush wishes to make him. Other's taking his place, yeah, Bush and Company have put this in place so that they can rule us all on fear, no matter what. But Saadam, even though he had been captured and no longer was a threat, he had to be executed....why is that???? His country was contained and he posed no threat, yet we allowed his grisly execution, and further executions. Who did they provide solace or security to???

 

Ofcourse it is in part all our making.
These idiots think what we think is wrong.
Maybe your cynicism is ironicaly what feeds the fire and twisted logic inside these idiots heads and what feeds into the hatred of our society and goverments.
Notions that WE put them into place and WE are fueling everybody through fear is ridiculous - merely feeding into the hatred others have of us.
It is based on peoples prejudice - like some racist bastards idiotic fear of the black man.
Completly unfounded and based on nothing but notions that are self induced.
He was executed because the Iraqi goverment rightly or wrongly chose capital punishment.
I know what you will say - ''WE'' made them do it - they are puppets.
Well then you are so far gone in your prejudices it would take 5 years to dig your way out.
I'm not going to even try.
Think what you like - and we shall all respect each others opinion I hope.

You tell me.

 

I never said that. You must have been thinking it and applied it to me.

The invasion of Iraq has provided no one in the world with more security or solace, even those who lost family by Sadaam. Now they are losing more family through the current conflict and they certainly are not more secure in their day to day lives, like Bush promised with his new democratic institution.