2008 Woodie Awards
Bush makes no promises to pull troops
Issue date: 3/3/08 Section: News
Bush declines to promise that more troops will return from Iraq before he leaves office
1 CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) - President George W. Bush declined Saturday to promise more U.S. troop withdrawals from Iraq before he leaves office, and underscored the need for a strong military presence during Iraqi provincial elections in October.
Security has improved markedly since last summer, when the last of five Army brigades arrived in Iraq and completed the president's buildup of 30,000 troops. One brigade has already returned home, and the four others are to leave by July. What remains unclear is whether Bush will order additional drawdowns in the final months of his presidency.
"There is going to be enormous speculation," he said. "My sole criterion is, whatever we do, it ought to be in the context of success."
The president spoke at his Texas ranch where he hosted Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen for talks about NATO's complex mission in Afghanistan, climate change, Iran and other trans-Atlantic issues. They took time, though, for two mountain bike rides at the dusty ranch at sunset Friday and again at sunrise Saturday.
"You made me work very hard out there on the terrific mountain bike trails," Fogh Rasmussen said.
Thousands help christen USS New York, new Navy ship built with WTC steel
2 AVONDALE, La. (AP) - The USS New York, an amphibious assault ship built with scrap steel from the ruins of the World Trade Center, was christened Saturday as a source of strength and inspiration for the nation.
Thousands of people, including friends and families of those who died in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, gathered near the hulking gray ship, trimmed in red, white and blue banners.
The bow stem, which contains 7.5 tons of steel from the site, bore a shield with two gray bars to symbolize the twin towers and a banner over that declaring "Never Forget," a slogan among New Yorkers.
"May God bless this ship and all who sail on her," ship sponsor Dotty England said before smashing a bottle of champagne against it, producing a loud thump to go with the spurting liquid and flying streamers.
1 CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) - President George W. Bush declined Saturday to promise more U.S. troop withdrawals from Iraq before he leaves office, and underscored the need for a strong military presence during Iraqi provincial elections in October.
Security has improved markedly since last summer, when the last of five Army brigades arrived in Iraq and completed the president's buildup of 30,000 troops. One brigade has already returned home, and the four others are to leave by July. What remains unclear is whether Bush will order additional drawdowns in the final months of his presidency.
"There is going to be enormous speculation," he said. "My sole criterion is, whatever we do, it ought to be in the context of success."
The president spoke at his Texas ranch where he hosted Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen for talks about NATO's complex mission in Afghanistan, climate change, Iran and other trans-Atlantic issues. They took time, though, for two mountain bike rides at the dusty ranch at sunset Friday and again at sunrise Saturday.
"You made me work very hard out there on the terrific mountain bike trails," Fogh Rasmussen said.
Thousands help christen USS New York, new Navy ship built with WTC steel
2 AVONDALE, La. (AP) - The USS New York, an amphibious assault ship built with scrap steel from the ruins of the World Trade Center, was christened Saturday as a source of strength and inspiration for the nation.
Thousands of people, including friends and families of those who died in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, gathered near the hulking gray ship, trimmed in red, white and blue banners.
The bow stem, which contains 7.5 tons of steel from the site, bore a shield with two gray bars to symbolize the twin towers and a banner over that declaring "Never Forget," a slogan among New Yorkers.
"May God bless this ship and all who sail on her," ship sponsor Dotty England said before smashing a bottle of champagne against it, producing a loud thump to go with the spurting liquid and flying streamers.
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