After four years one would think that the friends of BushCo would have sucked enough money out of the U.S. Treasury for the Iraq Debacle. But, no, he needs more time, more "courage and resolve." The only courage we need is the courage to bring the troops home and the resolve to do it quickly.-Jake

By David Stout
The New York Times

WASHINGTON, March 19 — President Bush marked the fourth anniversary of the start of the Iraq war today by prodding Congress to pass an emergency war-spending bill and by warning the American people that hard days lie ahead.

“Four years after this war began, the fight is difficult, but it can be won,” Mr. Bush said. “It will be won if we have the courage and resolve to see it through.”

Mr. Bush said that leaders of the new Iraqi government are meeting their commitments on the road to political reconciliation, with Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki having reached out to Sunni tribal leaders to try to ease the sectarian divisions that have threatened to tear the country apart.

“As Iraqis work to keep their commitments, we have important commitments of our own,” he said. Congress can do its part by passing the war-spending bill “without strings and without delay,” the president said.

House Democrats are trying to push through an emergency bill for the Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns that includes a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq. The House Appropriations Committee endorsed the measure last Thursday, and the full House is to debate it this week.

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