Bush Then, Now (Part 2)
From Faiz at Think Progress, here’s another fun example of what a difference a few years make, at least when it comes to the public positions taken by our current Flip-Flopper in Chief: In 1999, Bush demanded a timetable.
Bush on Kosovo (you know, that place where the US waded into a civil war and worked with allies to craft a peaceful resolution, without it turning into a bloody quagmire), as quoted in the Houston Chronicle on April 9, 1999:
“Victory means exit strategy, and it’s important for the president to explain to us what the exit strategy is.”
And here’s Bush quoted in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer on June 5, 1999:
“I think it’s also important for the president to lay out a timetable as to how long they will be involved and when they will be withdrawn.”
Fast forward to June 24, 2005, as Bush answers reporters’ questions at a White House ceremony with Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari:
“It doesn’t make any sense to have a timetable. You know, if you give a timetable, you’re — you’re conceding too much to the enemy.”
