The American Mind

Reading between the lines from President Bush’s speech you have to gather this is Iraq’s last chance. Bush was more forceful on Prime Minister Maliki than ever. He mentioned Iraqi benchmarks that have to be met: an oil-sharing law; $10 billion in Iraqi-funded reconstruction programs; provincial elections; allowing more ex-Baathists to take part in the government; and amending the Iraqi constitution. In exchange, 20,000 more U.S. troops will come to help secure Iraq, mostly in Baghdad. Newsweek reports it will be “more of a stagger than a surge.” But there is a report that the influx of new troops has begun.

The big question: why is this any different? One reason, the President said, is “This time, Iraqi and American forces will have a green light to enter those neighborhoods — and Prime Minister Maliki has pledged that political or sectarian interference will not be tolerated.” Does that mean Muqtada al-Sadr has a target on his head? And will Iraq’s Shia stand for him being a target? Challenging him and his followers will be the biggest obstacle.

In response to President Bush’s speech Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin offered up a brief retort:

t’s time for President Bush to face the reality of Iraq. And the reality is this: America has paid a heavy price. We have paid with the lives of more than 3,000 of our soldiers. We have paid with the sacrifice of our men and women in uniform. And we’ve paid with the hard-earned tax dollars of the families of America.

And we have given the Iraqis so much. We have deposed their dictator. We dug him out of a hole in the ground and forced him to face the courts of his own people. We’ve given the Iraqi people a chance to draft their own constitution, hold their own free elections and establish their own government.

We Americans, and a few allies, have protected Iraq when no one else would.

Now, in the fourth year of this war, it is time for the Iraqis to stand and defend their own nation. The government of Iraq must now prove that it will make the hard political decisions which will bring an end to this bloody civil war, disband the militias and death squads, create an environment of safety and opportunity for every Iraqi, and begin to restore the basics of electricity and water and health care that define the quality of life.

In other words, Iraq is on its own. The consequences be damned.

Durbin got disingenuous by patting the United States on the back saying, “We Americans, and a few allies, have protected Iraq when no one else would.” Durbin wasn’t one of those. He voted against the resolution to go to war in 2002. It was a vote he said he considered “as one of the top votes when it comes to what I call street-corner reaction.”

With Durbin’s remarks and the statement from Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid we see the Democrats abandoning Iraq. They won the election on the war and by golly they’re going to push to the end. They prefer American defeat and it’s reputation damaged further instead of giving Iraq one last chance. Cindy Sheehan should be happy.

“Bush’s Last Stand: Stability in Iraq, Credibility in US”

“Bush’s Address on New Policy in Iraq”

“Bush Surge Speech Open Thread And Liveblogging”

“A Symbolic Look at a New Way Forward in Iraq” [via Bill’s Bites]

“Reaction to the President’s Speech”

UPDATE: Sen. Hillary Clinton, who has gotten little Presidential attention since Sen. Obama went on Christmas vacation to think about running for President, stands up and opposes the increase of troops to Iraq:

The President’s Iraq policy has been marred by incompetence and arrogance as his Administration has refused to recognize the military and political reality on the ground. American troops continue to serve and sacrifice in Iraq, performing magnificently and bravely. But as our commanders have said repeatedly, Iraq requires a political solution, not a purely military one, and we did not hear such a proposed solution tonight.

Did Sen. Clinton even bother watching or reading Bush’s speech? Bush said, “The situation in Iraq is unacceptable to the American people — and it is unacceptable to me. Our troops in Iraq have fought bravely. They have done everything we have asked them to do. Where mistakes have been made, the responsibility rests with me.” Hillary then prattles on about redeployment and an Iraqi Oil Trust. Hmm. What about Bush’s call for the sharing of oil revenues did she miss? [via Hot Air]

The California Yankee offers his take:

So what do I think about this way forward in Iraq? Well, as one of those still unrepentant supporters of the war, what choice do I have? If the changes detailed by Prime Minister Malaki and President Bush mean the militias will be eliminated, if the warning to Iran and Syria is backed up with meaningful actions, if the Iraqi forces stand up with this additional help, well, then there is a chance we can achieve victory in Iraq. If not, the Democratic leadership will have its way and the troops will be “redeployed.” Then we will find out what an Iraq civil war really looks like. Then we will find out what additional havoc a triumphant Iran will wreak. Then we will see how formidable al-Qaeda will become when it can brag that it kicked the U.S. out of Iraq just like it kicked the Soviets out of Afghanistan, causing the evil empire’s destruction.