PoliticsPolitics war in iraqGeorge W Bush

George W. Bush Says Americans Just Need To Have More Patience With Iraq

George W. Bush Says Americans Just Need To Have More Patience With Iraq
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Senior Politics Reporter, HuffPost

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Former President George W. Bush said Thursday that America must remain vigilant in the fight against Islamic terrorism because a healthy democracy may take decades to take root in Iraq.

"I know the nature of the enemy. Anybody who kills 3,000 innocents and beheads people because of their religion or because of their point of view is dangerous, and there is a short-term strategy which is to bring them to justice and a long-term strategy which is to encourage free societies to prevail so as to marginalize their ideology," Bush said in an interview with Fox News.

"The long-term strategy takes time," he added. "And I tell people all the time, off the record, by the way, that [former Secretary of State Condoleezza] Rice's relatives were enslaved in the greatest democracy ever for 100 years, and democracy takes time to take hold. And yet there is an impatience with that process, and Americans have got to understand that the lesson of 9/11 is still important today as it was right after 9/11, and that is the human condition elsewhere matters to our national security."

Bush said he agreed with Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in his assessment that the U.S. should have left a residual force of 10,000 to 15,000 troops in Iraq -- prior to the rise of the Islamic State. But the former president declined to criticize President Barack Obama for the current situation in the war-torn country.

"I'm not going to second guess our president, I understand how tough the job is," Bush said. "To have a former president bloviating and second guessing, I don't think is good for the presidency or the country. He and his team will make the best informed decision they can make."

Bush signed the status of forces agreement in 2008 setting a deadline for withdrawing from Iraq no later than December 31, 2011. Discussions between the Obama administration and the Iraqi government on another status of forces agreement later fell through after the Iraqis balked at a provision granting U.S. troops immunity from prosecution after 2011.

In the Fox News interview, Bush recalled how he would phone his predecessor, former President Bill Clinton, for advice while in office. Asked whether Obama did the same, Bush said he did not.

"Well, he called me to tell me that SEAL Team 6 got Osama bin Laden," he said. "He has not [called] on a regular basis. Which is OK, it doesn't hurt my feelings."

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Before You Go

George W. Bushisms Over The Years
(01 of23)
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"I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully." -- September 2000, explaining his energy policies at an event in Michigan.Source: The Associated Press (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File) (credit:AP)
(02 of23)
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"Rarely is the question asked, is our children learning?" -- January 2000, during a campaign event in South Carolina.Source: The Associated Press (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds, file) (credit:AP)
(03 of23)
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"They misunderestimated the compassion of our country. I think they misunderestimated the will and determination of the commander in chief, too." -- Sept. 26, 2001, in Langley, Va. Bush was referring to the terrorists who carried out the Sept. 11 attacks. Source: The Associated Press (AP Photo/Doug Mills) (credit:AP)
(04 of23)
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"There's no doubt in my mind, not one doubt in my mind, that we will fail." -- Oct. 4, 2001, in Washington. Bush was remarking on a back-to-work plan after the terrorist attacks. Source: The Associated Press (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(05 of23)
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"It would be a mistake for the United States Senate to allow any kind of human cloning to come out of that chamber." -- April 10, 2002, at the White House, as Bush urged Senate passage of a broad ban on cloning.Source: The Associated Press (MANNY CENETA/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(06 of23)
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"I want to thank the dozens of welfare-to-work stories, the actual examples of people who made the firm and solemn commitment to work hard to embetter themselves." -- April 18, 2002, at the White House.Source: The Associated Press (Photo by Stefan Zaklin/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(07 of23)
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"There's an old saying in Tennessee -- I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee -- that says, fool me once, shame on _ shame on you. Fool me -- you can't get fooled again." -- Sept. 17, 2002, in Nashville, Tenn.Source: The Associated Press (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(08 of23)
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"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we."-- Aug. 5, 2004, at the signing ceremony for a defense spending bill.Source: The Associated Press (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) (credit:AP)
(09 of23)
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"Our most abundant energy source is coal. We have enough coal to last for 250 years, yet coal also prevents an environmental challenge." -- April 20, 2005, in Washington.Source: The Associated Press (MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(10 of23)
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"Too many good docs are getting out of business. Too many OB/GYNs aren't able to practice their love with women all across this country." -- Sept. 6, 2004, at a rally in Poplar Bluff, Mo.Source: The Associated Press (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(11 of23)
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"We look forward to hearing your vision, so we can more better do our job." --Sept. 20, 2005, in Gulfport, Miss.Source: The Associated Press (MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(12 of23)
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"I can't wait to join you in the joy of welcoming neighbors back into neighborhoods, and small businesses up and running, and cutting those ribbons that somebody is creating new jobs." -- Sept. 5, 2005, when Bush met with residents of Poplarville, Miss., in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.Source: The Associated Press (JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(13 of23)
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"It was not always a given that the United States and America would have a close relationship. After all, 60 years we were at war 60 years ago we were at war." -- June 29, 2006, at the White House, where Bush met with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.Source: The Associated Press (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds) (credit:AP)
(14 of23)
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"Make no mistake about it, I understand how tough it is, sir. I talk to families who die."-- Dec. 7, 2006, in a joint appearance with British Prime Minister Tony Blair.Source: The Associated Press (MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(15 of23)
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"These are big achievements for this country, and the people of Bulgaria ought to be proud of the achievements that they have achieved."-- June 11, 2007, in Sofia, Bulgaria.Source: The Associated Press (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds/file) (credit:AP)
(16 of23)
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"Mr. Prime Minister, thank you for your introduction. Thank you for being such a fine host for the OPEC summit." -- September 2007, in Sydney, Australia, where Bush was attending an APEC summit.Source: The Associated Press (TIM SLOAN/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(17 of23)
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"Thank you, Your Holiness. Awesome speech." -- April 16, 2008, at a ceremony welcoming Pope Benedict XVI to the White House.Source: The Associated Press (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File) (credit:AP)
(18 of23)
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"The fact that they purchased the machine meant somebody had to make the machine. And when somebody makes a machine, it means there's jobs at the machine-making place."-- May 27, 2008, in Mesa, Ariz.Source: The Associated Press (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) (credit:AP)
(19 of23)
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"And they have no disregard for human life."-- July 15, 2008, at the White House. Bush was referring to enemy fighters in Afghanistan.Source: The Associated Press (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds, File) (credit:AP)
(20 of23)
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"I remember meeting a mother of a child who was abducted by the North Koreans right here in the Oval Office."-- June 26, 2008, during a Rose Garden news briefing.Source: The Associated Press (Photo by by Ken Cedeno-Pool/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(21 of23)
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"Throughout our history, the words of the Declaration have inspired immigrants from around the world to set sail to our shores. These immigrants have helped transform 13 small colonies into a great and growing nation of more than 300 people."-- July 4, 2008 in Virginia.Source: The Associated Press (JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
(22 of23)
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"The people in Louisiana must know that all across our country there's a lot of prayer _ prayer for those whose lives have been turned upside down. And I'm one of them. It's good to come down here." -- Sept. 3, 2008, at an emergency operations center in Baton Rouge, La., after Hurricane Gustav hit the Gulf Coast.Source: The Associated Press (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File) (credit:AP)
(23 of23)
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"This thaw -- took a while to thaw, it's going to take a while to unthaw." -- Oct. 20, 2008, in Alexandria, La., as he discussed the economy and frozen credit markets.Source: The Associated Press (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds, File) (credit:AP)
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