Just got out of the shower and turned on CNN. I was just in time to hear Bush invoke 9/11 in the first minute of his "Plan for Iraq". So far all he has talked about is the GWOT. Notice also that this another speech if front of captive audience. How long has it been since he has spoken in front of a civilian audience?
Now we get the invocation of Al Qaeda and Osama as part of the justification and once again 9/11 is brought to the fore and the murder of children. Uh oh there is the appeasement word and the insistence on "complete victory". Please define Mr. Bush.
Here comes the strategy. Build a democracy, Iraqi forces to lead the fight and reconstruction. So far nothing new.
Still harping on the terroists even after he just said that they are the smallest group of people we are fighting in Iraq. Now comes the pump up of the Iraqi forces and how much progress they have made. Wow 30 Iraqi battalions have now taken charge of many areas of Iraq and as much as 90 square miles of the capitol. Spending an awful lot of time talking about how the training of Iraqi troops and police has been improved and I would imagine this will be used to justify a drawdown plan in a few minutes. Still taking about how well we have trained them.
Now he is beginning to talk about bringing troops home and reiterating that the military commanders are driving troop strength but there is still no clear timetable or benchmarks.
All decisions are for the military to make and not by politics.
Now he invoked Lieberman as justification for not setting any deadline for withdrawal so I guess that clinches it. Joe has blessed the plan so we are gold on staying the course.
Gotta get dressed and get out of here but I will be surprised if there is any new information or a clear plan forward.
So much for this opportunity to show leadership. I am not so sure this is the speech the American people want to hear. We'll see.
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