Presidential Press Brief 4/13/04 How My Do'in?

JM, Sincerity has very little value when the pres says nothing and shares nothing. "Stay the coarse" is easy for him to say; he's not sacrificing anything by this very huge boondoggle he's created for the American People. Tell me what good this war in Iraq has accomplished; if you give a good answer, maybe I might feel a little of what you're feeling about this "president's performance" yesterday.

C.I., Thanks for the reply. The performance referred to was, of course, that in the Press conference not the Iraq conflict. Indeed, I have openly questioned why this administration seems adverse to finish the job of nation building it has taken on. I have gone on to suggest what efforts might be undertaken to make Iraq more likely to be a self forming entity displaying a high degree of libertarian democracy, but security is first in this list.

However, all I have witnessed is an administration that has tried, initially, to convince us that the soldiers would have to beat off those Iraqis trying to stick flowers in their gun barrels (this is of no value when listing reasons for invasion). Subsequently, there seems to have been little attempt to secure the country. Instead we have seen the Pentagon's continued insistence on trying to do this on the cheap. That rationale worked with the hostile actions allowing coalition forces to complete regime elimination but seems of little value when in pursuit of "Hearts and Minds" which would allow completion of regime change.

Regarding the judgment towards this conflict's "accomplishments", it is way too soon to make such decisions. The only judgment that can be made so far is that this administration has completed only the easy part and has yet to come up with a plan to allow the citizens of a secure Iraq to govern themselves. It is only after we find an Iraq endowed with self determination that the regional changes can possibly be looked forward to. Indeed, I suspect that is one of the reasons we now see this "insurgency" encompassing so many different groups. Remember there is only one government presently in power in the region that will benefit from a democratic Iraq: Israel.

JM