"Five years after 9/11, the worst attack on the American homeland in history, the Democrats offer nothing but criticism and obstruction and endless second-guessing. The party of FDR," President Bush told an audience at a Republican fundraiser for Alabama Gov. Bob Riley, "The party of Harry Truman has become the party of cut and run." But the truth is that Bush's plan is to 'cut and run' -- as he defines the term -- eventually. We're training iraqis to fight iraqis, so civil war is the exit strategy. This means that we'll be leaving Iraq 'before the job is done' -- whatever 'the job' is. That's never really explained to us, but leaving Iraq while there's still shooting would seem to be 'cutting and running'.
Bush's rhetoric is actually hurting diplomacy by limiting our options in Iraq. "It could [backfire]," political analyst John Dickerson told FOX News, "Because part of the president's strategy relies on withdrawal. In negotiation with Iraqi leaders, the president has said, his ambassador in Iraq has said, 'look, if you don't shape up, progress a little faster, we're going to move on or you're going to lose the support of the United States.' Well, under the framing of the president and his party, that would be tantamount to cutting and running."
Bush's rhetoric is undermining his threats. It's hard to get people abroad to believe you'll take your ball and bat and go home when you're telling voters in the US that you'll never leave 'as long as I'm President.'
To the rescue rides Jim Baker...
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Tags: news politics Iraq war disaster Bush diplomacy James Baker
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
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