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President George Bush, delivering his final State of the Union address on Monday (AP). Last update - 12:40 29/01/2008 In final State of the Union, Bush reiterates call for democratic Palestine By Haaretz Service and News Agencies Tags: Palestinians, Iraq, Bush  President George Bush, touching on Middle East peace efforts during a State of the Union speech which was devoted to addressing fears of recession and weariness over the Iraq war, declared that now is the time for a democratic Palestine to arise alongside Israel. "The time has come for a Holy Land where a democratic Israel and a democratic Palestine live side-by-side in peace," Bush said Monday night, standing before Congress in the final State of the Union message of his presidency. On the Iraq issue, Bush said that additional American troops in Iraq have helped reduce violence, adding that withdrawing too quickly could undermine progress. "Having come so far and achieved so much, we must not allow this to happen," he said. Advertisement He said more than 20,000 troops would return but "any further drawdown of U.S. troops will be based on conditions in Iraq and the recommendations of our commanders." Bush said U.S. adversaries in Iraq have been hit hard, though "they are not yet defeated and we can still expect tough fighting ahead." There are 158,000 U.S. troops in Iraq, a number that is expected to drop to 135,000 by July. There are 28,000 in Afghanistan, the highest number of the war, which began there in October 2001. Congress, despite repeated attempts, has been unable to force troop withdrawals or deadlines for pullbacks, and Iraq has receded as an issue in Washington. "Some may deny the surge is working," Bush said, "but among the terrorists there is no doubt. Al-Qaida is on the run in Iraq and this enemy will be defeated." Still, Bush said, "The mission in Iraq has been difficult and trying for our nation. But it is in the vital interest of the United States that we succeed." Bush urged the nation to persevere against gnawing fears of recession and stay patient with the long, grinding war in Iraq. He pressed Congress to quickly pass a plan to rescue the economy. "We can all see that growth is slowing," Bush said in a blunt acknowledgment of rising food and gas prices, increasing unemployment and turmoil in the housing and financial markets. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Painful lessons The IDF has already learnt lessons of the Second Lebanon War. Brothers in guilt 'We are all guilty; is an effective summary of the final Winograd report.   1.   Bush stop talking about peace with the Palestinians. This 09:23  |  b 29/01/08   2.   A democratic state? 09:30  |  Steve 29/01/08   3.   Bush thinks that he created a democratic Iraq.Now he wants 10:02  |  Vittorio 29/01/08   4.   Earth to George W.Bush 10:02  |  Clickfool 29/01/08   5.   We need to push much much more 10:28  |  Danny Eagleblade 29/01/08   6.   there WAS a DEMOCRATIC pal state 10:55  |  VIPER 29/01/08   7.   return return 10:56  |  roberta 29/01/08   8.   Danny eagleblade 10:58  |  pal 29/01/08   9.   Realism, humanism or politics. 11:09  |  Harold Lane 29/01/08   10.   Olmert did you hear what the President said? 11:15  |  Akram Zekaria 29/01/08   11.   the time has come 11:16  |  scanadu 29/01/08   12.   Democracy in the Middle East?? a joke ! 11:19  |  Aaron 29/01/08   13.   The World is Better Off When Islamic States Are Dictatorships 11:26  |  Efox 29/01/08   14.   Bush trying to move Israel toward peace is like .. 11:27  |  Natallie Durson 29/01/08   15.   Bush doesn`t live in the real world. 11:37  |  Deborah 29/01/08   16.   HE IS PLAYING WITH PEOPLE LIVES 11:39  |  indrajaya 29/01/08   17.   With the Stroke of His Pen 11:40  |  Mark of Lewiston 29/01/08   18.   Bush Vision , Condhimmi Comparison 11:42  |  Joseph . E 29/01/08   19.   N.DURSON.More like trying to push someone into a hail of Qassems 12:06  |  PETER SM 29/01/08   20.   DEMOCRACY & ISLAM ARE INCOMPATIBLE 12:15  |  Iskander 29/01/08   21.   #17, Mark of Lewiston 12:18  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 29/01/08   22.   Roberta 7 12:19  |  Guido 29/01/08   23.   16# indraja Bush: "playing with people lives". 12:20  |  Akram Zekaria 29/01/08   24.   Peter SM 12:22  |  Guido 29/01/08   25.   18# Joseph E. "Bush Vision` is as good as any 13:06  |  Akram Zekaria 29/01/08   26.   indrajaya, How do you feel about dictatorships? 13:11  |  Virginia 29/01/08   27.   Fairy tales from Washington. 13:12  |  Stephen. 29/01/08   28.   Josep E. If Haaretz have it in its heart to print my 13:13  |  Akram Zekaria 29/01/08   29.   Aren`t those WONDERFUL words? 13:20  |  Clickfool 29/01/08   30.   I watched last night. A little of the flat side. Yet much good 13:22  |  Virginia 29/01/08   31.   VIPER #6 13:26  |  talking back 29/01/08   32.   A Palistinian State=A Big Mistake 13:28  |  Al Matthes 29/01/08   33.   Guido@ 24 13:37  |  love to read 29/01/08   34.   george will there be a sign from heaven ? 13:38  |  v hardman 29/01/08   35.   Steve, Clickfool, Danny Eagleblade, VIPER, indrajaya, et.al.... 13:51  |  akiva (zionist) 29/01/08   36.   He also called for a democratic Israel. When is that gonna happen 14:28  |  POP 29/01/08   37.   are you sure ab. what bush meant when he 14:31  |  bozhidar balkas 29/01/08   38.   # 30, VIRGINIA 14:33  |  indrajaya 29/01/08   39.   Palestinians 14:34  |  Fred 29/01/08   40.   Mid east peace ? big joke 14:37  |  Roger 29/01/08   41.   What democracy means to the Palestinians 14:41  |  Yonatan 29/01/08   42.   Playing with people`s lives 14:41  |  Roger 29/01/08   43.   To Al Mattes 14:45  |  Fred 29/01/08   44.   Yeh, right. And He Says Social Security Should Be Abolished Too. 15:21  |  Yaakov Sullivan 29/01/08   45.   Footnote to Bush`s call for a democratic Palestine 15:23  |  Natallie Durson 29/01/08   46.   Bush is draming 15:31  |  thomas 29/01/08   47.   42 - (this should be funny) On what charge?? 15:49  |  Steve 29/01/08   48.   A long way. 15:50  |  Vital 29/01/08   49.   @5, danny, an indian. i think it is better for you 16:09  |  vladimir 29/01/08   50.   Democracy will never be in Islamic world 16:10  |  Stranger 29/01/08   51.   LOL! BUSH CAN HAVE OTHER SWEET DREAMS!!! 16:12  |  Dodi Maker 29/01/08   52.   Peace with Pals LOL Very funny 16:12  |  Petra 29/01/08   53.   indrajaya, I am sorry, I don`t get it [?] How many died at the 16:28  |  Virginia 29/01/08   54.   Relentless Hate, No Security, the Task? 16:42  |  Joseph E . post 1 29/01/08   55.   Relentless Hate, No Security, the Task? 16:43  |  Joseph E . post 2 29/01/08   56.   No Israel, No Palestine...ONE STATE Israelistine! 16:43  |  YES! 29/01/08   57.   Relentless Hate, No Security, the Task? 16:45  |  Joseph E . Post 3 29/01/08   58.   Relentless Hate, No Security, the Task? 16:45  |  Joseph E . Post 4 29/01/08   59.   Relentless Hate, No Security, the Task? 16:47  |  Joseph E . Post 5 29/01/08   60.   A democratic "palestine" ? 16:49  |  Uzziel 29/01/08   61.   It is not what he said, it is what was left out! 16:54  |  Michael N 29/01/08   62.   Agein and agein,the same mistake,asking 17:32  |  TOMY 29/01/08   63.   A Democratic Palestine is only SECONDARY 17:48  |  Dagma 29/01/08   64.   Gaza Wrapped in Flour, head to toe 18:01  |  Shibolet 29/01/08   65.   Bush`s Remarks Unhelpful 18:10  |  Don 29/01/08   66.   Joseph E.: fanaticism is dangerous; even the Jewish one! 18:31  |  perplexed 29/01/08   67.   re 14 natalie 18:39  |  mark 29/01/08   68.   # 64 Shibolet " They don`t even speak english " 18:40  |  Joseph . E 29/01/08   69.   What an idiot. Thank God it`s the last year. 18:45  |  Fortuna Benmayor 29/01/08   70.   I watched the speech by mistake 18:50  |  Paul Wood 29/01/08   71.   #45 Natallie,When Bush call for democracy 19:42  |  TOMY 29/01/08   72.   # 66 perplexed " Be Not Over-Righteous" 19:58  |  Joseph . E 29/01/08   73.   How droll 20:00  |  Mark Lincoln 29/01/08   74.   21 Cipora - All True 20:28  |  Mark of Lewiston 29/01/08   75.   The Important Concept 20:37  |  Mark of Lewiston 29/01/08   76.   Hamas 20:51  |  j10 29/01/08   77.   #72 Joseph E: practise no "schopenhauerism" on me! 21:00  |  perplexed 29/01/08   78.   Bush read my lips "no Democratic Pal" and this is why!! 21:00  |  not Ignorant 29/01/08   79.   Still blabbering about democracy 21:15  |  Tosefta 29/01/08   80.   #21 Kohn of germany/Mars 21:18  |  Labhras 29/01/08   81.   Its offensive and arrogant 21:20  |  American Muslim 29/01/08   82.   Bush`s wisdom on Slowman`s education 21:21  |  Agence Bush 29/01/08   83.   #79 AM-Moslem; WHY do you live in Am and not in a Moslem country? 21:53  |  perplexed 29/01/08   84.   # 74 Mark of Lewiston 21:55  |  Joseph . E 29/01/08   85.   # 81 Offensive huh? Read post #78 everybody 22:01  |  not ignorant 29/01/08   86.   What this idiot `President` won`t understand is that.. 22:10  |  Don Camillo 29/01/08   87.   We must stall until he`s out of office 22:19  |  Versaya 29/01/08   88.   # 77 perplexed "be lucid " 22:24  |  Joseph . E 29/01/08   89.   Mark of Lewiston #75 22:28  |  Danite 29/01/08   90.   Don Camillo 22:30  |  danite 29/01/08   91.   #19 Peter SM Squatter from daan unde supports more land theft 22:39  |  Labhras 29/01/08   92.   AMERIAN MUSLIM 22:40  |  TOBIA 29/01/08   93.   To D. Eagleblade 22:42  |  sfg 29/01/08   94.   to PAL 22:49  |  sfg 29/01/08   95.   #36 POP 22:51  |  TOBIA 29/01/08   96.   Cipora - Lewiston Mark 23:06  |  tadchase 29/01/08   97.   Democratic PA elected Hamas; democratic Germany elected Hitler. 23:09  |  Dr. L. Brnd 29/01/08   98.   Sorry, Palestine was democratic 23:17  |  Jan Elshout 29/01/08   99.   To #81 23:21  |  sfg 29/01/08   100.   I wonder if Bush regrets cowaring to Sharon... 23:27  |  Ibrahim 29/01/08   101.   To all Muslims Living Outside Islamic Countries 23:28  |  sfg 29/01/08   102.   Has Bush forgotten he does not always like... 23:34  |  Edith 29/01/08   103.   #4 Clickfool, I think you are right 23:36  |  Edith 29/01/08   104.   American Muslim..... 23:55  |  Lynn 29/01/08   105.   Please stay with the programme, stick with the lies! 23:56  |  PADDY 29/01/08   106.   EDITH WHO IS STAVING 00:15  |  TOBIA 30/01/08   107.   Joseph E. - you are lucid and I admire it! 00:30  |  perplexed 30/01/08   108.   Dr. Brnd 00:32  |  tadchase 30/01/08   109.   Islam incompatible with democracy, read koran and get educated 00:44  |  Johnny 30/01/08   110.   #92 SFG- GO NOW, ISRAEL NEEDS YOU 01:06  |  PADDY 30/01/08   111.   Bush and fantasyland 01:06  |  Brod 30/01/08   112.   Islam is being questioned all over Europe, new awakening 01:07  |  Johnny 30/01/08   113.   84 Joseph E - Couldn`t Disagree More 01:07  |  Mark of Lewiston 30/01/08   114.   US turnabout? 01:25  |  Colin Wright 30/01/08   115.   #96, functioning democracy killed just as nazi democracy was 01:26  |  Johnny 30/01/08   116.   Ibrahim 01:28  |  Danite 30/01/08   117.   Democratic Palestine only in dream 01:41  |  e.m.Jordan is Palest 30/01/08   118.   Democracy in palestine? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA 01:42  |  Aram 30/01/08   119.   #31, talking back 01:45  |  VIPER 30/01/08   120.   DANNY EGLEBLADE 01:47  |  TOBIA 30/01/08   121.   #35, AKIVA, still doesn`t get the meaning of a demo election 01:50  |  VIPER 30/01/08   122.   #99, SFG, the same reason as americans 01:55  |  VIPER 30/01/08   123.   Bush - 2 Democratic States 01:58  |  Reid 30/01/08   124.   Bush ought to be hehind bars... 02:00  |  Dutch 30/01/08   125.   to Aram #110 02:03  |  Colin Wright 30/01/08   126.   re #20 DEMOCRACY AND ISLAM ARE INCOMPATIBLE 02:05  |  Colin Wright 30/01/08   127.   talking back and viper 02:13  |  jj 30/01/08   128.   viper and talking BS, oops i mean back 02:29  |  jj 30/01/08   129.   Danite and "DUAL LOYALTIES" 02:45  |  Palestinian Prince 30/01/08   130.   Democracy in Israel is a greater joke. 02:55  |  Dutch 30/01/08   131.   Democracy will come to Palestine,Is bush a stand-up comedian? 03:05  |  Anna Mantovani 30/01/08   132.   Danite 03:19  |  Ibrahim 30/01/08   133.   Fortuna Benmayor #69 04:19  |  TonyL 30/01/08   134.   silly Pres, "democratic palestine", and add Jew-Free ! 04:48  |  Freedom Fighter 30/01/08   135.   For TonyL # 133 05:03  |  Fortuna Benmayor 30/01/08   136.   The greatest thing that ever happend to arab terrorism 05:12  |  Mark Lincoln 30/01/08   137.   #21 Let`s run thru your points, Cipora 05:36  |  Johnboy 30/01/08   138.   Pal Democracy:One Man, One Vote, ONCE 06:01  |  Bernard Lewis 30/01/08   139.   christian Mormons allow their household wifes one vote each ! 06:42  |  wise camel 30/01/08   140.   Palestinian Prince 06:52  |  danite 30/01/08   141.   Ibrahim 06:52  |  Danite 30/01/08   142.   to Bush: let Arab immigrants solve the housing buble in the US. 06:55  |  ehud 30/01/08   143.   GOD IS AN UNDEMOCRATIC ENTITY 07:44  |  indrajaya 30/01/08   144.   #128, jj to VIPER... 08:24  |  Silvienne 30/01/08   145.   139 Wise Camel - WHAT????? 08:27  |  Mark of Lewiston 30/01/08   146.   indrajaya, surely you see the difference between God`s rule & 11:29  |  Islamic rule? 30/01/08   147.   #127, JJ, what a load of BS 00:31  |  VIPER 31/01/08   148.   # 101 20:41  |  Chicago Arab 31/01/08   149.   Free Palestine 19:23  |  Chicago Arab 01/02/08   150.   to Indraja 20:01  |  Ali 01/02/08   151.   ALL JEWS 22:18  |  Chicago Arab 01/02/08

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