Is there anything Bush can say about Iraq today that he hasn't already said?

[bigtree]

I know he's looking to tear down Democrats today. That's his thing. He's so power hungry that he can't fathom giving up an inch of the false authority he enjoyed with his republican enablers in place for most of his term. It's a measure of how much of his self-esteem is invested in his autocratic use of our nation's defenders that he would try again to plead with Americans to let him have his way in Iraq.

For four years since he organized his coalition against the suspected perps of 9-11, Bush has seem his support dwindle down to all but a handful of folks - like Blair and Howard in Australia - whose own political and personal relevance is tied to their embrace of Bush's militarism, in Iraq and elsewhere. There is no hunger in the country for any more vengeful assaults across sovereign borders. There are no more illusions that our military forces are capable of dominating less-defended nations into passivity through demonstrations of the 'shock and awe' of our advanced weaponry as we imagined watching 'smart bombs' turn corners in Iraq and 'patriot' missiles shooting scuds out of the blue sky.

More importantly, there is no fear anymore in America which would allow Bush to stifle criticism by merely uttering the words, national security. Truth is, Bush is afraid. He's afraid that the al-Qaeda he let escape in Afghanistan will capitalize on the 'safe haven' he's allowed them by diverting our nation's defenses to Iraq, because bin-Laden told him it was to be the 'center' of his contrived 'terror war.'

Bush is afraid that the Iraqis he's directed to be indiscriminately killed and maimed because they actively resist the imposition of his Iraqi junta will 'follow out troops home' and exact revenge. He knows that if he ends his occupation now, there'll be millions of Iraqis who haven't yet been intimidated by our military into submission to the U.S. compliant, Maliki regime.

Moreover, Bush is afraid that he's destined to serve out the remainder of his term dictated to by a Congress who is determined to carry the will of the American people to his mortal desk, and determined to demand accountability at every turn. What can he really say to Congress and the American people that we haven't already been subjected to, repeatedly? Not a thing.

Those who have criticized Bush's militarism have already been labeled 'traitors' and 'terrorist' enablers by his administration. Those who have dared to suggest pulling back from Iraq have been labeled 'defeatists' by this White House obsessed with 'winning' some undefined victory there.

There is one thing Bush could say . He could tell the American people that he's heard the demands of their overwhelming majority, and intends to work with our leadership toward a withdrawal. But he won't. He's still hanging on to the illusion that he's the 'decider', above all others.

That's his message today: Contempt for our legislators and contempt for the expressed will of the American people. That's what most of us will hear. He really has nothing else that he wants to say to us, and most Americans have just stopped listening.


http://journals.democraticunderground.com/bigtree

[TheBaldyMan]

1. We're leaving n/t

[silverlib]

2. A liar alway has one more to tell...

It's all he has, but he has plenty.

[bigtree]

3. It's all the same message

"I'm the decider" and you are my subjects

[DCKit]

4. IraK is Lollipop Land where the Teddy Bears have their Picnik

Too bright for a teleprompter. I'm saving this speech.

He's actually doing very well today, think it might be the reading that screws him up?

[bigtree]

10. desperation is a good motivator

rove's dictating through his earpiece

[nealmhughes]

5. al Qaeda in Iran funded by Iraq poisoned our pets?

[radfringe]

6. speech writers came up with new catch phrases

"Caldron of Chaos Embolding Extremists" according to a boldly bombastic bush

although I think a kettle of ka-ka or a pot of poo-poo is more accurate

[bigtree]

9. "kettle of ka-ka"

:rofl:

[waiting for hope]

7. Oh My - 9/11

was just mentioned....pull it ALL out of your ass Mr. Shit Head.

[MiniMe]

8. No, and he said it all over and over again today ad naueum

[bigtree]

11. no one is really listening

Poll Finds Americans Losing Confidence in Military Solutions to Crises
Washington
03 April 2007

A new poll shows that declining American public support for the war in Iraq is leading to an increasingly negative public opinion of resorting to military force to settle global conflicts. The findings come in the fourth survey conducted jointly by the non-profit organization Public Agenda and Foreign Affairs, one of America's most influential publications on foreign policy. VOA's Stephanie Ho reports from Washington.

Public Agenda's president, Ruth Wooden said the main finding was the so-called anxiety indicator, which is a composite of answers to five different questions. "For example, 84 percent are worried about the way things are going for the United States in world affairs. Eighty-two percent say the world is becoming more dangerous for the United States, 73 percent say the United States is not doing a good job as a leader in creating a more peaceful, prosperous world, and 68 percent believe the rest of the world sees the United States negatively. Actually, one third, 34 percent, say very negatively. And 67 percent, two out of three, say that U.S. relations with the rest of world are on the wrong track," he said.

She called the current anxiety indicator "very high" at 137 points, out of a total possible 200 points.

An overwhelming number of the people polled linked the U.S. image around the world to global security. They urged the United States to improve its reputation by taking a more positive leadership role in issues like reducing global warming and controlling diseases.

As an example of this, she said only eight percent of the respondents supported possible military action against Iran. At the same time, 70 percent of the respondents favor a U.S. withdrawal from Iraq within 12 months.

Meanwhile, the survey finds that three out of four Americans are increasingly concerned about nuclear proliferation. "When asked about foreign policy priorities that they believe should drive policy in the United States, the public put preventing the spread of nuclear weapons at the very top of the list," he said.

The managing editor of Foreign Affairs, Gideon Rose, called the results "striking" for the future of U.S. foreign policy. "This is fascinating to me, because again it represents a kind of loss of trust in its own executive branch, and it may well constrain, not just the Bush administration, but also some future administrations for some time," he said.

http://www.voanews.com/english/2007-04-03-voa62.cfm