Despite acknowledging that the 2003 invasion of the country was his “biggest regret”, the former president has again insisted the solution to Islamic extremism in the Middle East is “boots on the ground”.

Mr Bush took the US to war in two separate conflicts over his eight-year presidency – first in Afghanistan in 2001 and then in Iraq two years later.

The Iraq invasion was widely condemned at the time as being ill-thought out – and it resulted in a huge cost both financially and in human lives.

My position was that you need to have boots on the ground

George W Bush
But in an interview with an Israeli magazine, he appeared once again to be on the warpath.

Asked about how the US should tackle ISIS, he said: “My position was that you need to have boots on the ground."

He added: “A fair number of people in our country were saying that it was impossible to defeat al-Qaida -- which is ISIS as far as I am concerned. 

“They said I must get out of Iraq. But I chose the opposite - I sent 30,000 more troops as opposed to 30,000 fewer. 

“I think history will show that al-Qaida in Iraq was defeated. And so I chose the path of boots on the ground. 

“We will see whether or not our government adjusts to the realities on the ground."

Almost 4,500 Americans died during the eight-year war, while 179 British soldiers lost their lives. 

The huge losses were reflected upon in an interview shortly after he left office, when the 43rd US president suggested the 2003 invasion had been a mistake. 

He said: "The biggest regret of all the presidency has to have been the intelligence failure in Iraq.

"I wish the intelligence had been different, I guess."

Mr Bush, whose father – also called George – was the 41st US president, also warned about the deadly threat of nuclear or chemical warfare to the West.

He said: “The biggest threat to our homeland...is the use of chemical or biological weapons or dirty bombs.”

However, Mr Bush took a more diplomatic approach when questioned about tensions with Iran.

He refused to be drawn on what path current US president Barack Obama should take, describing it as a “delicate subject” and an issue he was “not going to comment on”.




http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/584434/George-Bush-call-boots-ground-Iraq-defeat-ISIS

hope he will b in d front

Uncle Bush and war, i think the only option is war. ISIS ve gain ground duo.

ricsman:
hope he will b in d front