2008 Woodie Awards
All I Want for the Holidays is you
Bush declares a "graceful exit" is not in the near future
Lauren Confalone
Issue date: 12/7/06 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
Tis' the season for family, joy and togetherness. But for troops serving in Iraq and their loved ones, it's also a time for giving thanks and praying and hoping for the future.
After a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in Jordan on Thursday, President Bush announced that troops will remain in the region until the "job is complete."
In a USA Today article Bush said, "There's a lot of speculation that these reports in Washington mean there's going to be some kind of graceful exit out of Iraq. This business about a graceful exit just simply has no realism to it at all."
Joe LaVacca, junior, Staten Island, N.Y. said, "I have no clue about politics, but I think that we need to get out of there already."
During the meeting, the two leaders agreed to speed up handing over control to the Iraqi forces but did not settle on a timetable.
Without setting a timetable the leaders hope they can execute a graceful transition of power without leaving American or Iraqi troops in danger. Both leaders assured that this will happen in a timely fashion, but could not pinpoint a date.
Nouri al-Maliki later said, "I can say that Iraqi forces will be ready, fully ready to receive this command and to command its own forces. I can tell you that by next June, our forces will be ready."
But for many even next June seems like too long of a wait.
"The government needs to focus on a way to get [the troops] out as soon as possible," said Kathryn DeDominici, junior, Bellingham, Mass. "At this point, the consequences outweigh the benefits of troops serving over there."
As more troops are deployed to the region, questions also continue to be raised about a possible draft, which would also affect students attending Sacred Heart.
"I have never agreed with the draft, but [if drafted] I wouldn't have a choice I guess," said LaVacca.
While some would be willing to fight whole-heartedly, the war in Iraq still brings up many questions.
"I think Bush got us into an impossible situation where we should not be over there anymore, but we can't just take the troops out little by little because then the remaining troops will suffer and it would put them in a dangerous situation," said DeDominici.
After a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in Jordan on Thursday, President Bush announced that troops will remain in the region until the "job is complete."
In a USA Today article Bush said, "There's a lot of speculation that these reports in Washington mean there's going to be some kind of graceful exit out of Iraq. This business about a graceful exit just simply has no realism to it at all."
Joe LaVacca, junior, Staten Island, N.Y. said, "I have no clue about politics, but I think that we need to get out of there already."
During the meeting, the two leaders agreed to speed up handing over control to the Iraqi forces but did not settle on a timetable.
Without setting a timetable the leaders hope they can execute a graceful transition of power without leaving American or Iraqi troops in danger. Both leaders assured that this will happen in a timely fashion, but could not pinpoint a date.
Nouri al-Maliki later said, "I can say that Iraqi forces will be ready, fully ready to receive this command and to command its own forces. I can tell you that by next June, our forces will be ready."
But for many even next June seems like too long of a wait.
"The government needs to focus on a way to get [the troops] out as soon as possible," said Kathryn DeDominici, junior, Bellingham, Mass. "At this point, the consequences outweigh the benefits of troops serving over there."
As more troops are deployed to the region, questions also continue to be raised about a possible draft, which would also affect students attending Sacred Heart.
"I have never agreed with the draft, but [if drafted] I wouldn't have a choice I guess," said LaVacca.
While some would be willing to fight whole-heartedly, the war in Iraq still brings up many questions.
"I think Bush got us into an impossible situation where we should not be over there anymore, but we can't just take the troops out little by little because then the remaining troops will suffer and it would put them in a dangerous situation," said DeDominici.
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