Bush’s “Revised” Iraq Policy
Current polls and dissent within the Republican Party are forcing the Bush administration to revise its Iraq war policy — do something, anything, to change the current situation. It appears the administration’s anticipated changes are more window dressings than substantial changes in policy. Furthermore, the President appears to have more concern about how a revised policy may affect upcoming elections and less concern for expedient improvement.
According to The New York Times, “a series of milestones [will] be pursued in the coming year.” More specifically,
“[C]racking down on Shiite militias, completing a ‘national compact’ between competing political groups, persuading Sunni insurgents to lay down their arms and settling contentious issues like the division of oil revenues.
Are these “milestones” new or innovative? This has been the “idea” for more than three years; this does not revise, “stay the course.” This new approach does not reveal critical thinking.
Moreover, James Baker not delivering his report until December or January, and milestones pursued “in the coming year,” are clearly political maneuvering. When the administration’s options are only bad to worse, they do not want any potential negative repercussions prior to the election. Why is delaying a report until after the elections and absence of immediate action more important than the lives of American soldiers and Iraqi citizens?
Without doubt, the belligerence of the President and the Vice President remain intact with wanton disregard for human lives.
