Bush Addresses New Iraq Strategies, Immigration Reform

President Bush addressed the nation in a live news conference from the White House Rose Garden Thursday morning. The majority of his address centered on the current situation in Iraq, new strategies to be implemented, as well as an emphasis on the summer being a "critical time" for the war concerning supplies and funding, and also as fighting is likely to escalate once reinforcements are sent in.

A major delay in getting proper funding to the troops currently deployed to Iraq has been the war spending bill that Congress will vote on tonight, after having removed the timetable for troop withdrawal from Iraq. President Bush forewarned that unless this legislation passes the House and the Senate, "we can expect more American and Iraqi casualties."

Bush has already vetoed the first version of the war spending bill, as it contained specific timetables for the troops being removed, an act that Bush felt would be detrimental to our cause in the war.

As stated on CNN.com in regards to Bush's newest strategies, "Bush said his 'new strategy is designed to help Iraq's leaders provide security for their people, and get control of their capital so they can move forward with reconciliation and reconstruction.' " CNN.com went on to report that the new strategy would implement the aid of local tribes through new partnerships to attack al Qaeda at the core.

Democrats continue to disparage Bush's plans, and while ultimately pulling the timetable to remove troops from the war spending bill due to a lack of votes to overturn the veto, they vow to not give up pushing for a deadline. CNN.com reports that Democratic aides hope to "write language into defense appropriations and defense authorization bills over the summer". And while neither the Democrats nor President Bush see eye to eye, they both claim that their actions are to the benefit and safety of the troops.