Reply #22: Here's my take on this

[fizzana]

Cheney & Rumsfelt are like the bad guys in a James Bond movie - they're both evil and insane. Carl Rove, on the other hand is equally evil but is both a lot smarter and inderstands some of the realities of politics.

I also think they know full well that the situation in Iraq is bad and is only likely to get worse if they stay on the current course. The military in Iraq are putting on a brave face and the generals are "officially" being very optimistic. At the same time they didn't become generals by being stupid and the reality on the ground is a lot more of the same unless they more than double the amount of troops in Iraq, something that isn't feasible.

If things are the same or worse in Iraq this time next year Rove knows full well that Bush is toast. To save his Presidency, they have to extracate themselves from Iraq and save face at the same time. If they have to make sacrificial lambs out of Rumsfelt and Wolvowitz they will. The one thing they cannot afford is for Bush to take the rap and lose in '04.

Rove will do whatever it takes to preserve the Presidency. Of this I have no doubt.