WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush (news - web sites) insisted on Wednesday the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq (news - web sites) was not crumbling and he shrugged off Italy's decision to begin pulling troops from Iraq by September.

"Quite to the contrary," Bush said when asked if the coalition was falling apart. "I think the coalition has been buoyed by the courage of the Iraqi people."

Nearly two years after the Iraq war began, Bush hailed the first meeting of Iraq's national assembly as a "bright moment" and said Iraq's elections, a potential Syrian pullout from Lebanon, and Israel and the Palestinians talking peace could produce change elsewhere in the Middle East.

"I believe those examples will serve as examples for others over time," he told a White House news conference. "And that will lead to more peace, and that's what we want."

[He not of sound mind...I wonder what he's going to say when Britain has had enough?]

Read Article...
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20050316/pl_nm/mideast_bush_dc

A lot of Eastern European countries supported Bush in his invasion and got little in return. I guess we can thank Bush for bringing Old Europe and New Europe close together on Iraq.

Great point Myrddin...

We got good support from 'lesser powers' but have essentially left them out of any process...

If Saddam Hussien being removed from power and watching the people of Iraq having the opportunity to vote with smiles and tears of joy isn't payment enough....what exactly would it take?

If Saddam Hussien being removed from power and watching the people of Iraq having the opportunity to vote with smiles and tears of joy isn't payment enough....what exactly would it take? Well Eastern Europeans are watching American companies getting alot more out of the invasion than a smile. I guess it all comes down to money.

I think Bush hasn't relaxed visa restrictions on Eastern Europeans as they wanted so no reward for them from that direction either.

I think some revenue, such as in Poland, will come about with the reshifting of the troops we currently have in Germany....which will boost their income.

The visa restrictions, especially with the Baltic countries, HAVE been harsh. They don't want them in the EU either. I really don't know enough about foreign affairs to know what all the reasoning is. I know Rumania has fared better in acceptance than most other countries. Poland being slightly behind them.

I think this is an issue for Congress....I don't think Bush can change the current policy without a vote taking place.

And now Iraq is a net importer of Gasoline. An oil shortage in Iraq who would have thunk it. Gee this is turning out just peachy America.

Most of the coalition nations actually believed in the false CIA reports. if not they sure did hide it well, The war has cost the US so much and it is costing the coalition so much. If the US paid the coalition to help them against the war it has not paid off.

Gloom and doom. Is that all you people see?

What else are we suppose to see.