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Length: 2:39
WOLF BLITZER: President
Bush, meanwhile, says U.S. troops are making progress
in Iraq, arguing that an early pullout would turn
Iraq into a "caldron of chaos." Joining us now from
New York, CNN's Michael Ware. He's been on the ground
in Baghdad from the start. He's spending some time
back here in the United States for the time being.
What would be the impact in the short term, Michael,
of this debate here in Washington, this veto the
president's going to undertake, the continuing
struggle to come up with a war funding bill?
MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the reality on
the ground, Wolf, is that nothing will change.
Everyone knows that this is just pure political
theater. I'm sure even those pushing for an immediate
withdrawal must know rationally that that's simply
impossible.
Whether you were for this war or against it, whether
you've supported the way that this war has been
executed or not no longer matters. Iraq is broken.
Iran is stronger. Al Qaeda is stronger. America's
enemies have benefited from this U.S. intervention in
Iraq. It's backfired miserably. Democracy has taken a
slide, rather than a lurch forward, as was the grand
design.
So there's absolutely no chance in the world that, in
real terms, U.S. forces can withdraw. So all that
this politicking does is send a message to America's
enemies, advertising America's domestic weakness.
BLITZER: Well, having said all that, how worried are
Iraqis that, when the dust settles, the U.S. is
simply going to pull out?
WARE: Well, ordinary Iraqis don't want the U.S. to
leave. They don't like the U.S. forces. They don't
like the occupation, but they know that it's the
devil or the deep blue sea. At least the U.S. forces,
as limited as their powers are, are at least some
kind of a hedge against the multitude of warring
factions. And they know that, should America pack up
tonight and leave tomorrow morning and be gone with
empty bases, the blood would flow. And, obviously,
the ordinary people, the men and women with their
families don't want that.
However, there's many parties in Iraq, particularly
the major power blocs, the factions within this
government, would be more than happy to see America
leave, no matter what they say publicly, because they
know that once the U.S. forces leave, there's no one
to keep them in check. And as it stands, all the
cards are in their hands and their backers in Tehran.
BLITZER: Michael Ware, thanks very much. Michael Ware
joining us from New York.