Bush On Iraq

Note: This was written before his speech

Before George W. Bush ever mentioned Jefferson, Wilson or the glorious spread of democracy, we were told that Iraq must be invaded to disarm a tyrant of weapons of mass destruction. The intelligence that Iraq possessed WMD, we were told, was a slam-dunk. Within minutes Saddam could launch an attack of some form with WMD on his neighbors or once again on his own people. After 9/11 it was a risk a majority of Americans did not want to take.

Before 9/11 it was a risk Bush was determined to attain. It is no secret that after Ronald Reagan quit arming, funding and supporting Saddam, and since Bush’s dad and the Butcher were no longer pals, Saddam was enemy numero uno after January 2001.

Today we are told that we must fight terrorists in Iraq so that we won’t have to fight them at home. But certainly not every fighter in Iraq is a terrorist and certainly Iraq has not centralized this war on terror.

It is true that Iraq is now a breeding ground for terrorism and it is also true that we must continue the fight in Iraq. Needless to say the reasons for invasion are but a mere backdrop to the current situation of Iraq. Because of the rush to war, and the inability of the Bush administration to thoughtfully plan for a post-Saddam government, Iraq is in worse shape than need be.

The president’s speech on Tuesday evening, and notice that it’s a speech and not a press conference because how dare Bush be asked a question about Iraq, will rightfully focus on the progress our troops are making in Iraq. The president, however, should not ignore the other reality either: that the insurgency is still thriving and that our strategy to secure Iraq has turned into a plan of managing chaos.

I am sure the president will speak about the blooming democracy taking hold not only in Iraq but also all over the Middle East (aren’t we responsible for all that?). I am sure the president will mention that Iraq was returned its sovereignty-- that Iraq is an independent country experimenting for the first time with democracy. Bush will encourage Iraqis to hurry with their new constitution and he will push the people to ratify it as soon as possible. The president will paint a progressive picture of a war-ravished nation, but will suggest that we must stay the course to ensure the future of freedom.

To mention that the insurgency is in its last days would be wrong, hopefully the president would stray from anything as error prone. Still, my biggest disappointment with the president will be the fact that he will not be asked one question. I would not care if he fed us the biggest line of propaganda ever, as long as he was asked questions and able to back up his claims.

The president would also do well to once again thank our brave troops for their dedication and defense of liberty. No other fighting force on Earth could do what the American military has done. For over 27 months the American military has unceasingly held together the most unstable region on the planet, which was entirely more than they were asked to do. It’s time to acknowledge their sacrifices and make Iraq safe for our future. We have to succeed.

President Bush has the lowest approval rating of any president since Nixon. Also, 53% of Americans now disapprove of what Iraq has turned into. The administration, and those who jump at the chance to defend Bush, will say that the president does not look at polls and doesn’t base his governance on such. The reality is that the very reason Bush is giving the speech tonight is because of the polls. Bush wants to redefine the current debate and refocus attention where he thinks it should be. Thus, the decision to give a primetime speech has nothing to do with Bush wanting to talk to the American people about a very serious situation, but rather everything to do with his diving poll numbers. Every elected official cares about poll numbers. Let’s just hope Bush finally begins to care about making Iraq secure and easing the burden on our troops and their families. There are two realities in Iraq, we will hear one tonight.