bush finally realizing what the rest of us has known for years

Bush: Iraq war longer, more costly than expected

WASHINGTON – President Bush said Friday that the fight in Iraq has been longer and more costly than expected, but he defended the U.S.-led invasion, saying the world could not risk leaving Saddam Hussein's power unchecked.

In a speech he was delivering later on Friday, Bush defended his Middle East policies, claimed some progress and outlined his view of what President-elect Barack Obama will inherit there. Bush said state-sponsored terrorism continues to destabilize the region, people still live under oppression, political and economic reforms are advancing "in fits and starts," and Iran's uranium enrichment remains a threat to peace.

The president said that while it's true that Iraq's Saddam Hussein was not connected to the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the decision to oust him cannot be viewed in isolation.

"In a world where terrorists armed with boxcutters had just killed nearly 3,000 people, America had to decide whether we could tolerate a sworn enemy that acted belligerently, that supported terror and that intelligence agencies around the world believed had weapons of mass destruction," Bush said, referring to intelligence reports that later proved false.

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I guess he didn't expect this, but most of the experts at the time could have told him this if he was willing to listen, which he was not.

And his synopsis of the Mid-East sure makes it sound like he didn't do anything good over there. "Some progress" but overall a disaster. Great job!

And he's still trying to create links between Saddam and 9/11!

Will Jan 20th ever come? Just to have a president that is straight with us will be unbelievably refreshing...