Hypocricy Reaches Fever Pitch

One of the things that really blows about living overseas is that when something happens at 9pm EST, I'm asleep. I don't get to see things like President Bush's speech in real time. I also miss out on all the immediate analysis that is sure to follow. So I settle for watching sober analysis (not mac friendly) on CNBC in the morning. But now that I have read the damn speech, I feel it my duty to tear the thing apart, bit by miserable bit.

Ignoring the obvious fact that a 21,500 increase in troop levels will not represent the maximum troop levels in this war, and thus has little chance of truly changing the face of this war; ignoring the fact that an increase of 21,500 troops does not represent an escalation on an order of magnitude that former General Shinseki said would be required; ignoring the fact that the overall suggestion is for a change that is less substantial than what we have seen in the past, let's look at the hypocricy that has been unleashed on the American people and the world.

But before I go headstrong into the hypocricy contained in the speech, I have to take pause that the president has actually taken some responsibility for the mistakes made.

Where mistakes have been made, the responsibility rests with me.

So what were the mistakes? First and foremost is obviously the lack of sufficient troops to secure the country. After the looting, the insurgency raging out of control, the sectarian violence, and the general lack of security over the last 3 1/2 years, the president is in some respects admitting that he made a mistake by not having enough boots on the ground. But let us not forget that the original estimate for the cost of the war was $60-$70 billion. Now at $350 billion and counting, there can be little doubt that this war will cost American taxpayers a minimum of $1 trillion before it is all said and done. Let us not forget that Paul Wolfowitz predicted that Iraq would be able to fund it's own reconstruction "virtually immediately." Let us not forget that billions of dollars have been stolen and tens of billions wasted on projects that will never be finished or that have been completed so poorly that they are useless.

Yes, Mr. President, these things, and the undue loss of life that has resulted from the inept and foolish way this war has been executed from day one rests upon your shoulders and yours alone. I'm glad you finally realize that, or at least are paying some lip service to that undeniable fact. I guess it is just too bad for those who are now dead because of your incompetence.

Now, getting to the hypocritcy in your thinly veiled call to further war, I will start with the following gem:

On September the 11th, 2001, we saw what a refuge for extremists on the other side of the world could bring to the streets of our own cities. For the safety of our people, America must succeed in Iraq.

So although a safe haven for terrorists in Afghanistan is what caused 9/11, we are now going to pull troops away from Afghanistan and into Iraq before the people who executed that diabolical plan are brought to justice. Furthermore, before we invaded Iraq, there was no safe haven for al-Qaeda in that country, but something close to that is approaching now. Why don't we work on eliminating the safe haven for terrorists that have already attacked America before we start making new ones? Oh, wait, too late. So now al-Qaeda has two safe havens, and neither one looks to be threatened significantly.

Only the Iraqis can end the sectarian violence and secure their people.

If this is true, what point is there in increasing American troops?

America's men and women in uniform took away al-Qaida's safe haven in Afghanistan — and we will not allow them to re-establish it in Iraq.

Wrong on both points. al-Qaeda is still alive in well in Afghanistan (and Pakistan) and is now operating with impunity in Iraq, thanks to the United States.

The biggest problem of all, of course is the combination of these quotes...

A successful strategy for Iraq goes beyond military operations. Ordinary Iraqi citizens must see that military operations are accompanied by visible improvements in their neighborhoods and communities. So America will hold the Iraqi government to the benchmarks it has announced.

.....

I have made it clear to the Prime Minister and Iraq's other leaders that America's commitment is not open-ended. If the Iraqi government does not follow through on its promises, it will lose the support of the American people

.....

In our discussions, we all agreed that there is no magic formula for success in Iraq. And one message came through loud and clear: Failure in Iraq would be a disaster for the United States.

So just like in the ISG report, the message is that success in Iraq is essential, but in the end it is all up to the Maliki government to achieve that success. We are in a place now where (if you believe the president's rhetoric) our very lives depend on the efficacy of the Maliki government who is backed by the likes of Moqtada al Sadr and whose ministries are filled with death squads, criminal gangs, and Iranian agents.

These are the people we now rely on for our very lives. Let us not forget who got us into this situation and who takes the full blame for what happens as a result. By his own admission, it is none other than the president himself.

Finally, the most disturbing part of the speech (which many have touched on) was the hard-line talk vis-vis Iran...

Iran is providing material support for attacks on American troops. We will disrupt the attacks on our forces. We will interrupt the flow of support from Iran and Syria. And we will seek out and destroy the networks providing advanced weaponry and training to our enemies in Iraq.

Wasting no time, U.S. forces raided the Iranian Embassy in Iraq just hours after the speach was delivered.

I recently ordered the deployment of an additional carrier strike group to the region. We will expand intelligence sharing — and deploy Patriot air defense systems to reassure our friends and allies.

Again, this is not original thought on my part, but clearly this means that strong action agains Iran is imminent, and steps are being taken to prepare for that.

Two unfinished wars, and he wants to start a third. It is nice that you admit that you have made mistakes and you take responsiblility for them, Mr. President. It would be nice, however, if you would actually learn from those mistakes and take steps not to repeat them over and over and over.

It has been a while since anything has really gotten me fired up, but this speech has done it. It is the culmination of years of failed policy, tired rhetoric, and belligerent arrogance, all wrapped up in a 15 minute speech. This indeed is the defining moment of your Presidency, Mr. Bush.

This is how you will be remembered.