"The Escalation" and Beyond

"Bush's Speech Sets Stage for Showdown With Congress" (truthout):

Nearly four years after the United States invaded Iraq and after the deaths of more than 3,000 US soldiers, President Bush has admitted his Iraq plan was flawed and has been unsuccessful.

Yet despite the unusual admission, President Bush insisted that 21,500 additional troops must be deployed to stabilize the violence between Sunni and Shiite factions - all but guaranteeing additional bloodshed and the continued loss of American lives.

Perhaps the most startling revelation in President Bush's prime-time televised speech is the extent to which he is willing to go to achieve victory.

Dave Johnson:

Thoughts:

Surge is a focus-group word, designed to sell an escalation of the war. The strategy is to deflect the incoming Democrats' argument for winding down the war by offering the opposite. And look what we are all discussing. This places "stay the course" as the reasonable middle ground.

It is ALWAYS about appearances and political strategies not reality or the good of the country with this crowd.

EVERYone said from the start that 250-500,000 troops would be needed to occupy Iraq. Bush didn't do this because sending that many troops would undermine political support for the Republican Party.

Bush has not asked for tax increases to pay for the war, either. Because it would undermine political support for the party. Instead he offered candy - tax cuts.

Party over country.

Bush and his surrogates say we are fighting "Islamofascism" and it is the worst threat America has ever faced - and then says "go shopping." Fight the worst threat the nation has ever faced by going shopping? Because any kind of sacrifice would undermine support for the Republican Party. Meanwhile fear changes the way people thing, and leads much of the population to more easily accept the authoritarian agenda of the right.

Party over country.

In the face of the worst threat the nation has ever faced, and declining readiness of our military - "stretched too thin" - Bush does not ask for a draft to protect the country. Because that would be politically unpopular and undermine support for the Republican Party.

No draft to protect the country. No taxes to pay for the war. No lowering of oil use to cut finding to terrorists states. Nothing that might undermine support for the Republican Party.

Party over country at every turn.

"US north Iraqi raid angers Iran" (BBC):

US forces have stormed a building in the northern Iraqi town of Irbil and seized six people said to be Iranians, prompting a diplomatic incident.

Iranian and Iraqi officials said the building was an Iranian consulate and the detainees its employees.

The US military said it was still investigating, but that the building did not have diplomatic status.

The troops raided the building at about 0300 (0001GMT), taking away computers and papers, according to local media.

AFP news agency quoted Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman as saying he did not know the nationality of the six but said they were "suspected of being closely tied to activities targeting Iraq and coalition forces".