Bush calls war ‘noble’
GRAPEVINE, Texas – Seeking to revive his political prospects, President Bush called the Iraq war a “noble cause” Wednesday while promoting an aggressive domestic agenda that includes changes to Social Security, immigration and the tax code.
“I hope Congress gets a good rest, because they got a lot of work to do when they get back (in September),” Bush told an organization of conservative state legislators convening at the Gaylord Texan resort.
Bush, whose own August vacation is interspersed with public events, did not specifically mention the latest Iraq bombing that killed 14 U.S. Marines, but said: “The violence in recent days in Iraq is a grim reminder of the enemies we face.”
He also said: “Our men and women who’ve lost their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan and in this war on terror have died in a noble cause and a selfless cause.”
Bush also continued to reject the idea of an early American pullout, saying Iraq has to first develop an adequate government and security force: “I hear all the time, well, when are you bringing the troops home? And my answer to you is: Soon as possible, but not before the mission is complete.”
Bush is dealing with the lowest approval ratings of his presidency, which pollsters attribute largely to the rising American death toll in Iraq. At least 1,821 Americans have died there since the 2003 invasion.
The president picked a sympathetic audience to outline his goals for the remainder of 2005. According to its mission statement, the American Legislative Exchange Council promotes “free markets, limited government, federalism, and individual liberty.”
Bush also seemed to weigh in on a growing debate over what to call the series of military actions that followed the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
While Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has used the phrase “global struggle against violent extremism,” Bush stuck with his original term, “war against terrorism.”
“Make no mistake about it, we are at war,” Bush said. “We’re at war with an enemy that attacked us on September 11th, 2001. We’re at war against an enemy that, since that day, has continued to kill.”