Bush Steals Good Idea, Makes it his Own

Michael over at The Reaction takes apart Bush's new front on the political war in Iraq and at home.

Divide and conquer: Bush's new strategy to win in Iraq and at home
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But here's the big problem: Is Bush even capable of finishing what he started? He may still be committed to the lofty goal of a stable, democratic Iraq and the even loftier goal of a democratic revolution in the Middle East, but it seems to me that he's torn between his stubborn pursuit of those goals on the one hand and domestic political reality on the other, namely, his own sagging approval ratings and next year's midterm elections.

And he's trying to sail between that Scylla and that Charybdis even as his own mismanagement of the war and the revelation of the untruths that sustained it hindered his stubborn pursuit of those goals and turned domestic political reality against him. All of which leaves him with no one to blame but himself. He's blown it over here and over there, and that's some accomplishment.

So what will he do? Just what he's been doing lately and what he's generally done throughout his presidency. Attack his opponents for partisan political purposes while appropriating their ideas for partisan political purposes. (Emphasis added.)

And spin, spin, spin. Change the narrative, the framing of the story. Withdraw large numbers of troops to take the issue away from Democrats and carry on the war by other means. That is, submit to domestic political reality and pursue those lofty goals in Iraq.

I agree with Michael on almost all fronts. Bush has been great at shifting his position when the political winds move him, while at the same time claiming he doesn't play politics with policy. I unfortunately tend to be a bit more cynical than Michael. I do not believe Bush had any lofty goals in Iraq. Unless you consider greed, revenge, and politics lofty goals.

Go read more of Michael's excellent piece over at The Reaction.