It's hard, you see
Oh George...
I wake up early, hoping to have a nice relaxing bowl of granola while I listen to NPR. To my chagrin I learn that el jefe was having a press conference to explain the latest goings on in Iraq; read: the highest causalities in over a year and a schism betwixt the Prime Minister and American forces.
If you missed it, here are the highlights.
Bush was hardly in top form. His primary argument seems to be that all previous wars were a piece of cake. In World War II, you see, we could attack their armies and boats. This time they don't have armies and boats so it's completely different.
He then got into with a reporter who was brave enough to call him out for his abuse of semantics. The President was left to prattle on about how we are talking about benchmarks not timetables even though we called 'em timetables and we have to work together with the Iraqis even though our Ambassador and military commander announced independent benchmarks 'cause it's all about benchmarks not timetables... etc.
It was embarrassing. Fortunately for the election but sadly for our troops on the ground, this ship is clearly rudderless. What the President essentially admitted to is that he is staying the course on goals by refusing to consider leaving until Iraq is essentially Sweden but it cutting and running on the tactics by undermining the exact plan announced yesterday by his own men on the ground.
What a mess!
UPDATE To get an idea of just how big this mess see the report out this week from the U.S. Institute of Peace titled The Long Slog to Overcome Ethnic and Sectarian Politics. They project three basic scenarios:
- "The Long Shot to Overcome Ethnic and Sectarian Politics": "This is an Iraq that slowly, in fits and starts, trudges down the difficult road of creating a functioning state."
- "Lebanonization": "Unable to maintain control, the United States is itself a target when it becomes involved. ... U.S. troops largely retreat behind fortifications, distant from population centers, and head north to Kurdistan."
- "Descent Into Hell": Most of Iraq\x82\xC4\xF4s neighbors are drawn into open regional warfare, and it ends with Iran conducting strikes against Saudi Arabia\x82\xC4\xF4s oil industry.
The report concludes that "avoidance of disaster and maintenance of some modicum of political stability in Iraq are more realistic goals" than Bush's stated goal of "an Iraq that is peaceful, united, stable, democratic, and secure."
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Who is this guy?
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