"We will continue to be flexible, and we'll make the changes necessary to succeed. But there's one thing I'm not going to do. I'm not going to pull our troops off the battlefield before the mission is complete."
"Before the mission is complete"? Excuse me, but do we remember what "the mission" really is?
Okay. I had a potent vaccination yesterday. Aftereffects: feel sick and can't move today. Is the brain working? I don't know for sure, but I just got a message from it: the reason Bush wants us to stay in Iraq for a couple of years it because, the more time elapses, the greater the possibility a withdrawal from an politically disastrous war can be reframed as an issue to destroy the Democrats.
String it out, play it out, and give the Republicans time to saddle this 2006 (temporary?) Democratic majority with violence and failure in the Middle East.
The mission is and always has been permanent Republican control of government. No?
He's nuts. Certifiably crackers.
Posted by: ken melvin | November 28, 2006 at 12:41 PM
"...i'm not going to pull our troops off the battlefield before the mission is complete..." said mr. bush, while his kids were partying like rock stars in buenos aires.
Posted by: jay k. | November 28, 2006 at 03:55 PM
Maybe like a fox, though, Ken...
Posted by: PW | November 28, 2006 at 04:07 PM
One problem in their logic (not the first-time!): unforseen events that unfold and cause massive-casualties. It's already clear that the violence will continue to escalate. Once it gets truly-horrible, this 'plan' is going to inflict irreparable political-costs to the the Bush administration and the GOP. Also: the investigations that are inevitably coming. No, you just keep-hamming a vampire (the GOP) in the heart, remove the head, then burn the corpse. Sprinkle with garlic...and serve!
Posted by: Matt Janovic | November 28, 2006 at 05:47 PM