The Speech and the Media Elite

CNN reports that the President will state that the USA will not stay forever in Iraq.

Speech, Parts released by the White House, via CNN ( Adobe Reader Required ) One last throw of the dice, and the results could be with us for years.

Slate on the lack of action by the Democrats when it comes to Iraq. In essence since Vietnam they have gone so left they cant afford to be seen in the same company as Ted Kennedy, well not those those that want to run for President, and as of NOW that is half the Democratic Senate at the moment

The Washington Post on the Surge and the Costs at home and in Iraq. Very intersting, the article looks at what needs to be done in Iraq and the political backing needed at home. If you only read one link, read this link.

Speech, Aspects of the Speech on RCP

New York Times on the Speech. The Tone of the article " But the plan described by White House officials today, and by other administration officials in recent days, may fall short of what many experts inside and outside the government believe may be necessary. " If you read by Blog you now my views of NYT.

The White House
An interesting Review of Iraq by the National Security Council.

The New Policy for Iraq

The White House has released the outline for the President's Speech Tonight: Six Aspects of Policy:


1. Let the Iraqis lead;
2. Help Iraqis protect the population;
3. Isolate extremists;
4. Create space for political progress;
5. Diversify political and economic efforts; and
6. Situate the strategy in a regional approach.

On a quick read, its aspect 6 that shows how much more influence the State Department has under Condi, more of a push for regional talks, but with who is the question?

The Speech Preview

Well folks the President must come up with a corker of a Speech tomorrow, Iraq will define his two years left in the White House. On reading the American Press there seems almost an aghast that he will risk more troops and more money on a War most of the Foreign Policy elite thought was a mistake in the first place and have seen their concerns develop in to reality. Those that have supported the War and still want the USA and UK to win in Iraq are fast becoming a minority in both the United States and the UK. But failure is not an option, as stated many times before, Iraq is not Vietnam, a failure in Iraq and the region would have after effects for not just years but could last the Century. The Political and Media Elite hate Bush 43 so much that it blinds them to the real world. They think if you are nice to those that want to harm you all the world will thank you, Richard Nixon had his flaws but he was tough in the Foreign Policy field, Reagan has a simple view when it came the Soviet Union, " We Win, they lose " and he was right, the Political and Media elite if they had their way would have allowed the Berlin Wall to still stand, Freedom comes with a cost. Thus we come to today, the Bush White House has to make sure that they win in Iraq, thus Views argues that the President should send at least twenty thousand men to Iraq, more if possible, secure the Capital, break up the armed groups, secure the border, develop the economic structure of Iraq, the same policy that was followed after WW2. On the covert side, get the CIA and Special Military in to Iran and cause havoc, make Iran have the same fate as Iraq, hitting military, research establishments. If Iran gives peace to Iraq they can have peace, if they want HAVOC to let lose the dogs of war, hit their nuclear establishments before Israel gets in to the act, this is the turning point, the West either wins or loses there is no middle ground, that was lost on 9/11.

Iraq versus Vietnam

Views is waiting for the President to give his speech on 10 January from the Oval Office, comment all about the place, is a surge short or long term policy and will the Congress causes problems for the President, till then Views has been reading some interesting articles on Iraq.

The UK Guardian. In essence want the Congress to act on Iraq, same views as the New York Times.

RCP on the relationship between the Parties as the year goes ahead in the context of Iraq.

The speech is the turning point, it will be like 1968 and the speech by LBJ when he removed himself from the race in the drive for peace. The plan failed and Vietnam and the Democrats lost in the election of 1968. Bush 43, if he wins in Iraq, the the Republicans should win in 2008, if not then the Democrats will take the White House and keep Congress. The stakes and rewards are high.

New York Times and The Real World

The New York Times has lost the plot, the West is at WAR, WAR, 9/11. 7/7. This is not Watergate or Vietnam, this is worse, 9/11, three thousand dead, over 50 killed in the UK, last time we suffered something like that was in WW2. NYT get in to real World, our world of the 9 to 5 guy, security first, your liberal agenda never.

The Letter

The Democrats have not wasted their time, they have sent a letter to President Bush that states the the USA should start a phased withdrawal from Iraq and not place more troops in to combat operations. Are we seeing another re - play of Vietnam, but in many respects this time the costs are much higher, USA and the UK can not afford to lose Iraq like Vietnam, the Viet Cong did not come to attack the West, the terrorist groups in Iraq if they win could use Iraq as a base of operations to attack the West, e.g USA and UK. The President has to stand tough, weakness is never appreciated while courage of your ideas is always applauded.

The Democrats ride in to town!

Courtesy of the White House
Archive File: 9/11/06

Nancy Pelosi has became Speaker, it will be interesting to see the First Hundred Hours, will she work with the President or is this pay back time.

Here are some of the articles from the American Media on the Event:

Drudge Report

The Washington Post

Newsweek

New York Times

Also the Office of the Speaker, As of this time Web Page still under construction.

The Majority Leader, Web Page Up and Running, the Majority Leader is on the ball.