Iraq: The big lie---By Sidney Blumenthal

[kpete]

Iraq: The big lie
Bush and Rumsfeld robotically repeat their Iraq talking points, ignoring the fact that their ambassador and generals are contradicting them.

By Sidney Blumenthal

President Bush delivers remarks on the Iraq war to the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies in Washington on March 13, 2006.

March 16, 2006 |
On the eve of the third anniversary -- March 20, 2003 -- of the invasion of Iraq President Bush began the fourth of his series of speeches in his second term attempting to articulate his strategy for the war. None of his previous explanations had succeeded in bolstering public confidence, so he tried again. His speech on Monday was a reiteration of the theme he had elaborated in his last round. Bush is rigidly adhering to the guidelines suggested by public opinion specialist Peter Feaver, a professor at Duke University recently hired to serve on the National Security Council. He has advised the president that he must insist that the difficulties in Iraq are the price we must pay for victory and that just as Bush stands for "victory" his critics by implication represent defeat. In his peroration, Bush reached for that last point, his high note, sounding the clarion bell of certainty that is most familiar and comfortable for him. "The battle lines in Iraq are clearly drawn for the world to see," he said, "and there is no middle ground."

Yet Bush's speech provided a text contradicting his own key officials. On the crucial issues of Iranian involvement in Iraq, the worthiness of Iraqi security forces, the democratic nature of the Iraqi government, the cause of human rights, U.S. intentions about staying or leaving, long-term strategy and even the origins of the war, the words of the president and his men clash. The president contradicts U.S. ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad, while the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Peter Pace, and the U.S. commander in Iraq, Gen. John Abizaid, contradict the president. At the same time, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld blithely contradicts the Joint Chiefs on the entire strategy.

.....................

Bush promises to deliver more speeches on Iraq. Rumsfeld will undoubtedly provide lessons in history. They have condemned themselves to their Sisyphean labors, endlessly pushing the rock up the hill, because they will not or cannot politically explain the actual mission in Iraq today: tamping down sectarian violence sufficiently to begin the withdrawal of U.S. troops on a strict timetable dictated by the convening of the Iraqi assembly and the approach of the American midterm elections. Whether that is possible and about what happens next, the administration is clueless. But none of that can be articulated. Time and again, Bush asks for demonstrations of faith and will in place of logic and strategy.

MORE AT:
http://www.salon.com/opinion/blumenthal/2006/03/16/iraq_anniversary/

[Octafish]

1. As a candidate, Bush said he wouldn't have another Vietnam.

SO he's given us two and plans for more.

[EFerrari]

2. Ralph Peters, shill, is on WJ right now lying his @ss off

about how wonderfully things are going in Iraq.

Ret. Lt. Col. I wonder who he lobbies for.