Bush Discusses Iraq With Foreign Leaders

Associated Press ^ | 4-10-04 | SCOTT LINDLAW

[TexKat]

CRAWFORD, Texas - Amid fresh violence in Iraq, President Bush discussed military operations Friday with national security aides and with three foreign leaders who have sent troops.

Bush spoke by phone with Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi and Presidents Aleksander Kwasniewski of Poland and Francisco Flores of El Salvador.

Nearly 3,000 Italian troops and paramilitary police are serving in Iraq, 2,400 Polish and 380 Salvadoran.

Seventeen Italians have died in Iraq and one soldier each from El Salvador and Poland.

Bush discussed "the current situation in Iraq" with the men, White House spokesman Scott McClellan said. "All four leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to helping the Iraqi people realize a free and democratic future," he said.

The leaders promised to help defeat the "minority, extremist elements who seek to derail the transition to democracy through a violent power play," McClellan said.

Bush also gave his condolences to Flores for the death of Natividad Mendez Ramos, 19, a Salvadoran killed Sunday near Najaf. An additional 12 Salvadorans were wounded Sunday.

Bush did not speak with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, who was plunged into his deepest crisis since taking office when three Japanese were abducted in Iraq.

Their captors threatened to burn the Japanese hostages alive unless Japan withdrew from Iraq within three days. In Japan, thousands of protesters pressed the government Friday to pull out.

Vice President Dick Cheney left for Asia on Friday, carrying a personal appeal to Japanese leaders to resist pressure from the kidnappers.

Bush received an update on military operations in Iraq in a National Security Council videoconference with Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld; White House chief of staff Andy Card; national security adviser Condoleezza Rice; CIA Director George Tenet; Gen. John Abizaid, head of Central Command; the top American in Iraq, Paul Bremer; and Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, the top U.S. general in Iraq.

They discussed U.S. military operations in Fallujah and other parts of Iraq, including the drive to defeat radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and his "extremist militia," McClellan said.

They also talked about a threat by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a Jordanian believed to be running a terror network of attacks during Iraqi Shiite pilgrimages to southern Iraq. The pilgrimage is the "type of large gathering that Zarqawi has talked about attacking and then seeking to blame the coalition," McClellan said.

Rice was to arrive at Bush's ranch Friday, where the Bush family was gathering for the Easter weekend.

The president's parents, mother-in-law, daughters and Rice planned to attend church together Sunday at Fort Hood, Texas.

On Saturday, Bush and his father were to go fishing at the ranch's bass pond with a crew from the Outdoor Life Network's "Fishing with Roland Martin."

The White House approached the network about coming to film Bush, who is eager to cultivate an image as a sportsman with the millions of voters who hunt and fish. The crew was to bring its own boat for the shoot on the small pond.

___

On the Net: OLN's "Fishing with Roland Martin" site: http://www.olntv.com/showviewer.asp?sid33

[Burkeman1]

Italy, Poland, and El Salvador! Their troops mean nothing but their diplomatic presence means everything to maintain the fiction that it isn't just America and our "Airstrip One" called Britian alone in Iraq.

[GeronL]

So, why is Bush talking with Kerrys' secret supporters? /kidding

[txrangerette]

Polish troops killed Sadr's
right-hand man in a Karbala
street battle.

[Burkeman1]

OH- really- just like we have detained "hundreds" of "Al Queda" terrorists in Iraq? Sorry that I don't take your post at face value.

[txrangerette]

I report to you what the media
reported from Iraq. And they
mostly pull against us, so don't
know why they would invent the
story.

You could "google" it if you
wished to get the source, &
it's not me.

HA! Good one...

[txrangerette]

I googled it & found the report
was carried by Reuters, Boston
Globe & the Guardian. All Bush
haters. Sorry, can't post links.

[Burkeman1]

Really? The Media "pulls against us" in Iraq?

Seen this have you? Most of the world has but us. Funny how our media is so free and all?

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article5365.htm

[Burkeman1]

What news do you consider to be unbiased? Anything that agrees with and your world view only? Pentagon and Bush press releases only?

[Flyer]

Bush Discusses Iraq With Foreign Leaders

But unlike Kerry, he can actually name names.

[Burkeman1]

Really? Bush didn't know who Mushareff was when running for President. He didn't know the leader of the Chechyan Resistance. He didn't know who the recently elected leader of India was at the time.

[txrangerette]

Yes Really. Get off your high-
horse & inform yourself. The
three outlets that carried the
story hate the guts of red-state
America & Bush. But if you assume
they invented it, blame them.

[txrangerette]

You are sick with hatred.

[Burkeman1]

UH? What? Ok? Go to bed.

[ClancyJ]

Really? Bush didn't know who Mushareff was when running for President. He didn't know the leader of the Chechyan Resistance. He didn't know who the recently elected leader of India was at the time.

And??? Your point is?

[Flyer]

And??? Your point is?

Dang, that was my line.

[Burkeman1]

Follow the thread. Was not my point. I was responding to another post.

[Jorge]

Bush discussed "the current situation in Iraq" with the men, White House spokesman Scott McClellan said. "All four leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to helping the Iraqi people realize a free and democratic future," he said.

They are more supportive and courageous in the face of opposition than the chicken Dems we are dealing with here at home.

[Burkeman1]

Coming from a Chief Chicken Hawk I don't think the Dems are that concerned about your opinions.

[Flyer]

Follow the thread

You are the one that isn't following the thread. Your comment was not at all relevant to the story, unless you meant to commend President Bush for being a lot wiser than he was four years ago.