SALON

Tuesday, Apr 24, 2007 4:10 PM UTC

Right message, wrong response

On Iraq, Bush says he has already delivered the change the voters demanded.

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Topics: George W. Bush, Iraq war, War Room,

Democrats took control of the House and the Senate in November on a wave of antiwar sentiment, and the latest polls show that at least a plurality of Americans agree with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s claim that the war in Iraq is a lost cause.

So is the president ignoring the will of the people when he pushes ahead with his “surge” and vows to veto any legislation even suggesting a timeline for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq?

No, sirree. Just ask him.

“Last November,” the president said today, “the American people said they were frustrated and wanted change in our strategy in Iraq. I listened. Today, General David Petraeus is carrying out a strategy that is dramatically different from our previous course.”

Reality check No. 1: Just before the November elections, pollsters for CBS News asked Americans about U.S. troops in Iraq. Sixteen percent said “send more.” Fifty percent said bring some or all of them home.

Reality check No. 2: Three months into the selling of the surge, the numbers aren’t looking much better. While 21 percent of Americans now say the United States should send more troops to Iraq, 60 percent say that some or all of the troops should come home now.

Tim Grieve

Tim Grieve is a senior writer and the author of Salon's War Room blog. More Tim Grieve.

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Gripping photos: The people of the Turkey protests (slideshow)

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  • The protests take on a festive element as police forces move out of the park and square. Wearing a gas mask, this young man dances to traditional Turkish music in front of Taksim Square’s Ataturk Monument.

  • In Gezi Park since March 31st, this protester, originally caught off-guard by the Government’s teargas and water cannons, went out and bought a Russian army mask from WWII, preparing for what was to come.

  • This rambunctious boy seems to be enjoying the chaos. After taking this picture he threw a stone at the already destroyed building in the background.

  • Forming a line, the police face off directly with protesters in Taksim Square. After a while, they retreated and there was a general cheer – a back-and-forth dance that has been common since the beginning of this protest.

  • An elderly woman in Gezi Park reads the news. The tent community occupying the park was violently destroyed on June 16th.

  • Many different groups had set up booths to promote their cause in Taksim Square and Gezi Park. Standing in front of one, this man waves his flag while posing with conviction.

  • Many home-remedies are used to minimize the effects of tear gas. This woman has put a milky solution on her face, removing her mask after the tear gas dissipated. Before sunrise, the police came again for another round of teargasing.

  • People capitalize on the uprising -- selling flags, beer, gas masks, sky lanterns and spray paint to name just a few of the popular items.

  • On Monday morning, June 11, the police execute a strong offensive. Many plain-clothed police officers, like the ones seen here, clash with protesters in the side streets away from the main stand-off in Taksim.

  • The authorities seem to be most aggressive in the night, pushing protesters away from the square and park. After being teargassed this young woman catches her breath with other protesters on Siraselviler Street.

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