Bush likes to play the resolute War Leader, and he has never been known for admitting mistakes or regret. But that does not mean that he is free of doubt. For the past three years, Bush has been living in two worlds; unwavering and confident in public, but sometimes stricken in private.
In the New York Times a plea for someone to awake and notice that the war is, in fact, over.
A president can't stay the course when his own citizens (let alone his own allies) won't stay with him. The approval rate for Mr. Bush's handling of Iraq plunged to 34 percent in last weekend's Newsweek poll - a match for the 32 percent that approved L.B.J.'s handling of Vietnam in early March 1968. (The two presidents' overall approval ratings have also converged: 41 percent for Johnson then, 42 percent for Bush now.)
In these pieces, I am reminded of a line from the Early 70's.
How Do You Ask a Man to Be the Last Man to Die in Vietnam?
I think this now applies to Iraq, and I wonder how Bush will comfort the family of that last man or woman when it happens.
Thanks to Lynne at Big Fat Liberal for posting the NYT editorial
2 comments:
For the United States the war in Iraq is in fact over. Finally, the White House has understood that the time has come to draw down troops and transfer operations to the Iraq military. Surely the US military will continue to advise, yet one must remember that Iraq is the Iraqi’s’ nation and not that of the United States. The true test of the United States leadership will be to understand that the time has come to relinquish affairs of the Iraq nation to the people and government of Iraq. To honor the Iraqi’s requests and ideas of how their nation shall exist. In the not to distant past the United States did not want to be British and eventually many British Loyalists were sent packing back to England. So I say to thee, is it not time for the "United States Loyalists" to be sent packing back to North America, there true home. My friend, the job is finished, and the landlord has requested that the tenants depart in good order.
"that they are advancing the cause of world freedom and democracy to make the world a better and safer place for their families and loved ones. If we don't fight this war on the terrorsits turf and bring the fight to them in such a way tha they never think to do something like a September 11th scenario ever again, we will certainly fight it on our own soil...again."
That's very good. Right out of Bush's War Rhetoric book. Unfortunately it has no bearing whatsoever on anyone's freedom or democracy. Our world is not safer since we invaded Iraq, in fact quite the opposite. The number of terrorist events has risen sharply since we invaded Iraq. And lest you forget, Iraq had NOTHING TO DO WITH 9-11.
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