Bush: I’ll bring troops home on JetBlue

>Archive - PWW Print Edition Archive - 2007 Editions - March 3, 2007


 

No exact timetable, president says

Under increased pressure to announce an exit strategy from Iraq, President George W. Bush revealed plans today to bring U.S. troops home on the budget airline JetBlue.

Bush received praise for his decision to withdraw American troops, but his choice of JetBlue to transport them raised more than a few eyebrows.

According to most official estimates, with its recent spate of scheduling problems and flight delays, JetBlue could take up to seven years to bring U.S. troops home, and possibly 10 years in the event of inclement weather.

But at a press conference at the White House today, the president argued that the selection of Jet Blue was “crucial” to the success of his latest exit strategy.

“Setting an exact timetable for a withdrawal from Iraq would be playing right into the enemy’s hands,” Mr. Bush said. “By going with JetBlue, our enemy will have no idea when we’re leaving.”

To emphasize his point, Mr. Bush added, “And neither will we.”

Across Iraq, U.S. GIs were hopeful that the news about JetBlue meant that they would be home by Christmas, or at least by Easter 2012.

At JetBlue headquarters in Forest Hills, N.Y., CEO David Neeleman said that it was “flattering” to be chosen to play such a critical role in President Bush’s new exit strategy, but wondered if his embattled airline has what it takes to bring troops home from Iraq.

“We’re still having a hard time getting people home to Fort Myers,” Mr. Neeleman said.

Elsewhere, Britain and Denmark announced that they were joining “The Coalition of the Leaving.”

Andy Borowitz writes a daily humor column at borowitzreport.com.