Bush White House Goes Round and Round on Iraq
With eroding support from both the public and now some key Republicans in congress, the Bush White House is understandably in a tizzy over Iraq and seems to be chasing its own tail in trying to quell the calls for withdrawal.
A report this weekend in the New York Times said that there is intense debate within the White House over whether the President should announce a "gradual withdrawal of troops in high-casualty neighborhoods in Baghdad and other cities" in an attempt to pacify Democrats and the recent spate of Republicans in Congress who have stepped up calls for a new Iraq policy that includes redeployment from the area.
Today, The Snowman denied those reports and said, "There's no debate right now on withdrawing forces from Iraq," which I find hard to believe. Sure, the President may be stubbornly avoiding reality on the ground in his refusal to even entertain the idea of withdrawal, but you can bet your ass the rest of his staff is debating it. Karl Rove, as chief political advisor to the President, is leading the discussions.
Of course, in Karl Rove's delusional state, Iraq won't even be an issue in the 2008 Presidential election. What's interesting is why he thinks that. Rove, who spoke Sunday at the Aspen Ideas Festival, reportedly said "Iraq may not be a big issue in the next election because, he hopes, troops will be coming home by then."
Really? Really?!?!?
He may want to talk to his boss about that. President Bush has repeatedly stated that this war will not be over by the time he leaves office and that he would not withdraw troops so long as he's president.
UPDATE:
Bob Novak seesm to think the new Bush plan is to blame a depleted military for our failure in Iraq:
Novak adds that Hadley's visit to the Hill "increased latent fears of the U.S. military being made the fall guy — a concern shared by many retired and some active senior officers, including a current infantry division commander."
VIA ThinkProgress
You just KNOW that Bill Clinton will take the heat for that despite the fact that Don Rumsfeld made it his priority to "make lean" the military as Sec of Defense before Sept. 11.
This song has new meaning:
"Round & Round (It Won't Be Long)" by Neil Young
Round and round and round we spin,
To weave a wall to hem us in,
It won't be long, it won't be long
How slow and slow and slow it goes,
To mend the tear that always shows.
It won't be long, it won't be long.
It's hard enough losin'
the paper illusion
you've hidden inside,
Without the confusion
of findin' you're usin'
the crutch of the lie
To shelter your pride when you cry.
Round and round and round we spin,
To weave a wall to hem us in,
It won't be long, it won't be long
How slow and slow and slow it goes,
To mend the tear that always shows.
It won't be long, it won't be long.
Now you're movin' too slow
and wherever you go
there's another beside.
It's so hard to say no
to yourself and it shows
that you're losing inside,
When you step on your pride and you cry.
Round and round and round we spin,
To weave a wall to hem us in,
It won't be long, it won't be long
How slow and slow and slow it goes,
To mend the tear that always shows.
It won't be long, it won't be long.
How the hours will bend
through the time that you spend
till you turn to your eyes,
And you see your best friend
looking over the end
and you turn to see why,
And he looks in your eyes and he cries.
Round and round and round we spin,
To weave a wall to hem us in,
It won't be long, it won't be long
How slow and slow and slow it goes,
To mend the tear that always shows.
It won't be long, it won't be long.
