The long delayed deliberations about the Iraq war could be over if Bush would recognize the only option he has left is “cut and run.”

Almost everyone agrees our efforts in Iraq are failing, but Bush can’t find a new approach he likes. “Stay the course” must have meant he didn’t know where else to go. He said today, after more consultations: “the key to success in Iraq is to have a government that’s willing to deal with the elements [...]

The fresh face at Defense may not be the decider, but he is certainly a convincer. It took Rummy months to convince generals not to ask for extra troops they wanted. Gates needed just a day to make them accept additional forces they don’t want.

The New York Times gives Bush credit for trying to end illegal immigration without acknowledging that he, and his predecessors, created it by refusing to enforce laws designed to stop it. There are no jobs Americans won’t do for the right wage, but employers know there are poor people from other countries who will work [...]

Bush on Iraq: “we’re not succeeding nearly as fast as I wanted.” This isn’t news, it’s a haiku.

Transformation The world is rife with thoughts of blood and war, And little to bring space and inner peace, When suddenly a tune we heard before Brings us a new dimension and release. Familiar sounds, now better understood, Seem just created for our ears alone, The universe astonishingly good ― These intervals of sound our [...]

Bush opposes the idea of “cut and run” so he’s studying other options. At the rate he’s going he’ll be down to just plain “turn tail.”

Embedding US advisors in the Iraqi army may be a good way to help them “stand up so we can stand down,” but do we really want to turn our soldiers into crutches? The ISG and the Pentagon seem to think this improves Iraqi readiness, but is it worth the price? What do we get [...]

Consensus and bipartisan, two words that have been ignored for six years, are now touted as what America wants. I don’t think so. I think we voted to find a way out of this mess, and the Republicans who created it have proven they don’t know what they’re doing. Bush fought the wrong war, the [...]

They conclude that nothing we’ve done worked, so we do the same things again. We should also try to get other countries to stop making trouble and start helping, and try to persuade the Iraqi government to do all sorts of things they haven’t done. We should spend more money and send more equipment and [...]

The long-awaited Baker/Hamilton report was presented to the president this morning. Reaction ranged from “bleak” to “grim.” “If the president is serious about the need for change in Iraq, he will find Democrats ready to work with him,” said Nancy Pelosi. “The president has the ball in his court now … and we’re going to [...]

Before attacking Iraq Bush refused to listen to General Anthony Zinni, who predicted the war would turn out exactly as it has. Now the general says we can’t leave yet ― he endorses McCain’s recommendation. Democrats don’t want to send more troops or support the likely Republican nominee, but only this plan offers a hope [...]

The Times 1,600 word article about Rumsfeld’s 800 word letter clarifies and lends substance to a lack-luster laundry list. The almost ex-secretary seems to stake a claim-to-credit for anything his successor proposes, and however we eventually get out of this mess. As the years go by this belated sign of planning and flexibility will loom [...]

Finally recognizing trouble with government contracts, Bush appointed an experienced new leader for the GSA. As a former vender Lurita knew the problem: Inspector General audits were “terrorizing” her people, so she cut the IG’s budget and created Doan’s law ― if waste, fraud and abuse aren’t found, they don’t exist.