THE DAY THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT 'LOST IT'

President George W. Bush on Thursday defended his plan for limited U.S. troop cuts in Iraq and denounced Democrats for not taking a stronger stand against an anti-war group's attack on the credibility of his top Iraq commander.

"Part of the reason why there's not this instant democracy in Iraq is because people are still recovering from Saddam Hussein's brutal rule," he said. "I heard somebody say, Where's Mandela?' Well, Mandela's dead because Saddam Hussein killed all the Mandelas."
Bush was referring to the former South African leader who helped reconcile his country after decades of racial apartheid. Mandela has receded from active politics but is still alive.
Bush voiced continued confidence in Robert Gates' support for his war strategy after the U.S. defense secretary told a New York Times columnist, when asked if the 2003 invasion of Iraq was worth doing:

"If I'd known then what I know now, would I have done the same? I think the answer is, 'I don't know."'

Bush conceded the Iraqi security forces' achievement of goals for taking over responsibility has been "slower than we thought." But he insisted the goal remained unchanged. Reuters