the former florida governor, appearing at a business roundtable here, also called for a strategy to "take out" isis but did not go into specifics. he mostly argued that the war started during his brother's administration helped create stability in iraq and since been unraveled because of obama's policies.









"the focus ought to be on knowing what you know now, mr. president, should you have kept 10,000 troops in iraq?" said bush, who's expected to announce his presidential bid in the coming months.









in december 2011, the united states withdrew its final combat troops from iraq, bringing an end to the nearly decade-long conflict that started under george w. bush. the obama administration asked for more troops to remain on the ground, but negotiations with the iraqi government did not ensure that u.s. military personnel would be granted immunity.









jeb bush argued that obama "could have kept the troops in and he could have had an agreement," adding "the united states had enough influence to be able to deal with the immunity issue."









"he made the decision to get out. i don't begrudge him that. it was a decision made based on a campaign promise," he told reporters in new hampshire. "it wasn't based on conditions in iraq at the time and i think we're paying a price for it." critics at the time warned that extremist elements would grow more powerful without a u.s. presence, and now republican presidential contenders are pointing to the rise of isis as proof that the united states should have pushed harder to stay in iraq. in his remarks at the business roundtable -- an event organized by new hampshire activist renee plummer -- bush defended his brother's leadership during the iraq war. "isis didn't exist when my brother was president. al qaeda in iraq was wiped out when my brother was president," he said. "there were mistakes made in iraq, for sure, but the surge created a fragile but stable iraq that the president could've built on and it would've not allowed isis." he called for a plan to "take out isis" with help from other countries, saying there is currently "no strategic imperative" to restore stability in iraq. asked later by reporters what that strategy should be and whether it should include combat troops in the area, bush said he would rely on advice from military advisers. "we have ground troops in iraq. i would take the best advice that you could get from the military. make the decisions based on conditions on the ground, not for some political purpose," he said. "whether we need more than 3,000 -- which is what we have now -- i would base that on what the military advisers say." panel: bush should have been prepared for iraq question panel: bush should have been prepared for iraq question bush struggled to answer questions last week about whether he would have gone into iraq knowing what's known now about faulty intelligence that initially spurred military action. after multiple days of unclear answers, he ultimately said he would not have invaded in hindsight. related: can jeb bush escape his brother's legacy on iraq? his difficulty in answering the question -- one that pits his loyalty to his brother against political calculation -- created a narrative that drew criticism from other white house hopefuls and sparked questions of whether bush was ready for prime time. at the roundtable in wednesday, however, bush was met with encouragement from voters. when one man called bush's family an "asset," the room broke out into applause. as he's done at every event, bush maintained that he loved his family, and he sought to assure the audience that he's gotten through last week's storm. "it got bumpy, but all is well now," he said. "the ship is stable." former florida gov. jeb bush waves as he takes the stage as he formally announces he is joining the race for president with a speech june 15, 2015, at miami dade college in miami. former florida governor jeb bush shakes hands with attendees after speaking at the 42nd annual conservative political action conference on february 27 in national harbor, maryland. bush takes a selfie with a guest at a luncheon hosted by the chicago council on global affairs on february 18 in chicago. bush delivered his first major foreign policy speech at the event. bush hands out items for holiday food baskets to those in need outside the little havana offices of camacol, the latin american chamber of commerce on december 17 in miami. bush waves to the audience at the tampa bay times forum in tampa, florida, on august 30, 2012, on the final day of the republican national convention. bush (left) and wife columba bush attend the 2012 lincoln center institute gala at frederick p. rose hall, jazz at lincoln center on march 7, 2012, in new york city. president barack obama (left) speaks about bush (center) while visiting miami central senior high school on march 4, 2011 in miami, florida. the visit focused on education. bush (left) speaks with brazilian president in charge jose alancar during a meeting at planalto palace in brasilia, april 17, 2007. bush was in brazil to speak about sugar and ethanol business. then-texas governor rick perry (center) testifies as bush (right) and then-arizona governor janet napolitano (left) listen during a hearing before the house committee on homeland security on capitol hill october 19, 2005. bush gives a thumbs up signal from his car as he leaves a local polling station after casting his vote in coral gables, florida, november 5, 2002. bush walks out of the west wing after meeting with his brother, then-president george w. bush, at the white house january 9, 2002. governor bush participated in the signing ceremony of the everglades protection agreement. then-mexican president vincente fox (left) and bush hold a press conference september 7, 2001, in miami. fox visited florida to attend the americas conference and deliver a speech to speak about issues such as immigration. then-president george w. bush (right) is greeted by jeb bush on march 21, 2001, at orlando international airport in orlando, florida. president bush was in orlando to attend the american college of cardiology annual convention. bush speaks during a press conference at the carandolet government palace in quito, january 18, 2006. bush and a businessmen delegation were in a two-day visit to talk about a free trade agreement. bush speaks to reporters after meeting with the florida state cabinet at the florida state capitol building november 16, 2000, in tallahassee, florida. then-president george w. bush (left) and jeb bush (right), raise their arms onstage following a rally at the florida state fairgrounds, october 25, 2000, in brandon, florida. jeb bush (left) and then-president george w. bush stand with their arms around each other's shoulders at a rally in miami, florida, september 22, 2000. then-president george w. bush (right) and jeb bush go through the line for strawberries during a stop at the stawberry festival march 12, 2000 in plant city, florida. the bush family, (left to right) former u.s. president george w., former florida governor jeb, former president george h.w. and his wife barbara, watch play during the foursomes matches september 25, 1999 at the country club in brookline, massachusetts the site of the 33rd ryder cup matches. former president george h.w. bush (second left), his wife barbara bush (left), their son jeb bush (center), then-first lady hillary clinton (second right), and former then-president bill clinton (right) look up to see the u.s. army golden knights parachute team november 6, 1997 at the conclusion of the dedication ceremony of the george bush library in college station, texas. portrait of the bush family in front of their kennebunkport, maine house august 24, 1986. pictured, back row: margaret holding daughter marshall, marvin bush, bill leblond. pictured, front row: neil bush holding son pierce, sharon, george w. bush holding daughter barbara, laura bush holding daughter jenna, barbara bush, george bush, sam leblond, doro bush lebond, george p. (jeb's son), jeb bush holding son jebby, columba bush and noelle bush.
jeb bush blames iraq unrest on obama
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