Chapterhouse

I watched Bush last night. "Even if our new strategy works exactly as planned," he said, "deadly acts of violence will continue. And we must expect more Iraqi and American casualties. The question is whether our new strategy will bring us closer to success. I believe that it will." In other words, more of his tragic, failed stay-the-course nonsense. Remember, just ten weeks ago, Bush was telling us that "we are winning in Iraq."

Bush continues to obstinately ignore the political reality that if there is to be a democracy in Iraq, the Shia and the Sunnis are going to have to figure out a way to work together. He continues to overlook the fact that the Iraqi Prime Minister's power came from 30 Sadr militia votes, the very people Bush tells us Maliki will send his army against, side-by-side with American troops. (Can you say double-cross? Hostage situation? Bloodbath?)

Bush, still trying to tie this war with the "war on terror," warns us about the danger of an al qaeda stronghold in Iraq, neglecting to mention that he created this situation in the first place. Al qaeda never set foot in Iraq until Bush invaded that sovereign country.

There were no weapons of mass destruction.

Saddam Hussein, who "tried to kill my [Bush's] Daddy," is dead.

Bush wants to help Iraq rebuild its infrastructure, which was intact before he invaded. Speaking of infrastructure, New Orleans is in shambles, yet Bush is building a state-of-the-art, self-contained embassy in Iraq that is larger than Vatican City.

Despite all evidence, Bush continues to tie this war with 9/11. He had our full support, and indeed the support of most of the world, when he sent our troops against Osama bin Laden and the Taliban. Remember that? Now the Taliban is regaining its strength, Osama is still at large, the goodwill we enjoyed after 9/11 from other nations has been destroyed, and Bush is losing support even within his own party. Nice going.