The President outlined his plan for Iraq last night at the U.S. Army War College in Pennsylvania. It was heavy on the optimism:
The rise of a free and self-governing Iraq will deny terrorists a base of operation, discredit their narrow ideology, and give momentum to reformers across the region. This will be a decisive blow to terrorism at the heart of its power, and a victory for the security of America and the civilized world.[...]
There are difficult days ahead, and the way forward may sometimes appear chaotic. Yet our coalition is strong, our efforts are focused and unrelenting, and no power of the enemy will stop Iraq's progress.
[...]
[Iraq] is moving every week toward free elections and a permanent place among free nations. Like every nation that has made the journey to democracy, Iraqis will raise up a government that reflects their own culture and values.
Still, Bush did admit that the road ahead was difficult. He correctly pronounced the names of Iraqis and U.N. personnel and gave a verbal nod to the abuses at Abu Ghraib. He said over and over again that the Iraqis would be in charge after June 30, not the Americans. All of these were the right things to say.
The problem is, we don't believe him. To paint the American Plan and the transition to self-rule itself in such orderly and prophetic terms is reflective of the Administration's naivete throughout the entire war in Iraq. Perhaps they haven't noticed that lies were told, plans have gone awry, leaders have failed to lead.
It would be wonderful if Iraq's transition goes better than we expect it to. The Iraqis have suffered too long to begrudge them that. But the fact that Bush ended the speech by pointing to Afghanistan as his example of what should happen in Iraq --
These two visions -- one of tyranny and murder, the other of liberty and life -- clashed in Afghanistan. And thanks to brave U.S. and coalition forces and to Afghan patriots, the nightmare of the Taliban is over, and that nation is coming to life again.
-- means that he's as clueless as he's always been. The eight hundred Americans who have died fighting for Bush's foreign policy deserve better.
