Bush Explains

President Bush in an interview with CBS NEWS reporter Scott Pelley attempted to
explain his decision to send another 21,500 troops to Iraq, against Public Opinion and Congressional outrage. In the 20 minute interview he answers many questions regarding his feelings about the hanging of Saddam Hussein, the meetings with families who have lost loved ones in the war, past mistakes in conducting the war and other related topics:

“Most Americans at this point in time don’t believe in this war in Iraq. They want you to get us out of there,” Pelley says.

“I would hope they’d want us to succeed before we get out there. That’s the decision I had to make. I mean, there is, you know, Scott, there… I thought a lot about different options. One was doing nothing, just kind of the status quo. And I didn't think that was acceptable, and I think most Americans don't think it's acceptable......

Asked if the war has caused more instability in Iraq than under Saddam Bush replies:

"Our administration took care of a source of instability in Iraq. Envision a world in which Saddam Hussein was rushing for a nuclear weapon to compete against Iran. My decision to remove Saddam Hussein was the correct decision in my judgment. He was a significant source of instability."

When Pelley remarks that it is more unstable now than under Saddam Bush continues:

"Well, no question, decisions have made things unstable. But the question is can we succeed. And I believe we can. Listen, I’d like to see stability, a unified Iraq. A young democracy will provide the stability we look for,”

Asked whether he saw the video of Saddam's hanging, Bush admitted to seeing some of it:

“You know, obviously could have handled this thing a lot better. It’s important that that chapter of Iraqi history be closed. They could have handled it a lot better,” he says.

See below for the complete interview:

[youtube="http://youtube.com/watch?v=kYkHJ7JgxAU"]