Now they're just skidding out of control. Bush says everything's peachy in Iraq. The rest of the world disagrees - including his own cabinet.
Powell contradicts Bush, says Iraq 'getting worse'Whoa. "Combat Zone"? (DING!) Another contradiction of Bush's flightsuit "Mission Accomplished" speech. The wheels are just falling off.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Secretary of State Colin Powell sees the situation in Iraq "getting worse" as planned elections approach, and the top U.S. military commander for Iraq says he expects more violence ahead.
Their comments yesterday came after a week in which President George W. Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi optimistically spoke about the situation despite the beheadings of two more Americans and the deaths of dozens of people in car bombings.
In its latest report, the military said four Marines died Friday in separate incidents, adding to a toll that has topped 1,000 since the U.S.-led invasion.
Powell said the insurgency is only becoming more violent as planned January elections near.
"It's getting worse," he said on ABC's "This Week." "They are determined to disrupt the election. They do not want the Iraqi people to vote for their own leaders in a free, democratic election."
Army Gen. John Abizaid, commander of U.S. troops in the Middle East, warned that voting might not be possible in parts of Iraq where the violence is too intense.
"I don’t think we'll ever achieve perfection, and when we look for perfection in a combat zone, we're going to be sadly disappointed," he said on NBC’s "Meet the Press."
