It's My Party

The trouble with most people is that they think with their hopes or fears or wishes rather than with their minds.
--Will Durant

AP reports, "Bush Says New Approach Needed in Iraq." For my money, an approach would be welcome news. Bush said he was disappointed in the progress in Iraq. Would it not be more correct to say the absence of progress? Or perhaps, the regression? Of course, GWB does not get as hung up on word usage as I do (or your average middle-schooler, for all that's worth.)

However, Terence Hunt reports that Bush is still steadfastly committed to spreading democracy across the Middle East. This dedication to the cause must be based upon the stellar successes his policies have realized thus far in what would otherwise be a pretty unjustified slog. Perhaps it is dedication of the same sort he voiced toward former Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld prior to his dismissal, uh, departure.

Certainly something is spreading in the Middle East, but it's not democracy. It is Iranian and Shia dominancy. I'm sure the mullahs are voting for Bush.

Speaking of the projected democratization of the region, President Bush allowed that he did "understand that process is not as rapid as I had hoped." So now we know that his foreign policy was based upon a hope.

Further, President Bush states he will deliver a speech to the nation on Iraq in coming weeks, after he decides upon a new course. What madness--there are no new courses available using the tools in his toolkit. When the C in C must come up with new courses after 3 1/2 years, this is an admission of confusion and defeat.

"It makes sense to analyze the situation and to devise a set of tactics and strategies to achieve the objectives that I have stated." (Just don't ask me to actually state them.) Later, "And so, if the present situation needs to be changed, it follows that we'll change it if we want to succeed." I guess this allows for the possibility that we might not want to succeed.

Unfortunately, the original objectives were never stated in clearly defined military terms. During the entirety of the Iraq undertaking, a clear and achievable mission statement has never been released. In addition to being clearly stated, the mission must also be attainable with the assets available; otherwise, we're operating on presidential hopes.

It is not reasonable to expect that tactical and strategic changes will lead to success; different tactics will merely lead to new ways to achieve failure. All U.S. gyrations over the past 3 1/2 years have only created a myriad of difficulties, which cannot be addressed by the application of combat power. It is combat power which generated and released most of these problems originally.

"Countries that participate in talks must not fund terrorism, must help the young democracy survive, must help in the economics of the country." To make the invitation list to his party more exclusive, he said, "If people are not committed, then they shouldn't bother to show up." So, is this why al-Malaki didn't show up for talks in Jordan?

If countries that fund terrorism are excluded, then we can rule out Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Jordan, as well as Syria and Iran. Further, it is highly questionable whether Iraq constitutes a fledgeling democracy, as GWB asserts. Certainly a civil war seems in the making, and whichever side emerges victorious, thy name is not democracy.

The article ends on a note from Tony Blair, who said, "terrorism has basically come out of the Middle East..." Well, actually not.

A review of terrorism shows that Middle Eastern terrorism is simply a portion of that experienced worldwide. What Mr. Blair means is that British and U.S. policies are narrowly focused on a threat which our actions have produced in the Middle East. Iraq may not have been the poster child for democracy under Saddam that it is now, but it was stable and relatively free of terrorist activity aimed at the coalition of the willing. Saddam's brand of terrorism was strictly local bully-boy activity aimed at Israel.

I, for one, would prefer to see an old democracy survive. Let's concern oursleves a bit more with the welfare of the average American versus that of Iraqi personnel. After all, the President is charged with that primary function.