President Bush Says He Has a Plan. Oh, Really?

The President was off today attempting to sell the idea that he and the Republicans have a plan for the fiasco in Iraq. The Washington Post has all the information about the speech. David Sanger of the NY Times also has a piece on it tonight. There are a couple of issues here to discuss.

The first is Bush’s struggle to explain what the plan is for our involvement in Iraq. It looks like a strategy of long-term containment, where the US could be in Iraq for years and years. To me, it looks like this administration is making it up as they go along.

My second issue is how the military has become totally partisan and Republican. And the Republican Party is fostering and supporting this relationship and support. Sanger in his article says the midshipmen at the US Naval Academy were “cheering”. They wouldn’t be cheering if they were a Walter Reed with out an arm or leg wondering to themselves, why this had to happen? This partisan military is an issue the country and military leaders in the future will have to face.

Republicans don’t give an inch with respect to military factors. Congresswoman Jeannette Marie "Jean" Hoffman Schmidt spoke on the House floor and was very insolent towards Congressman Murtha, who is a Congressman and someone who’s greatly sacrificed for our country. “Mean Jean Schmidt” knew exactly what she was doing and so did her Republican handlers. They wanted to be aggressive towards anyone who disagrees with them, to the point they threaten and insult. Republicans are also very territorial when it comes to the military. They know they’ve done the military poorly. They’ve sent men and women into combat ill prepared, they’ve attempted to reduce military benefits, and then, look at all the casualties from the Iraq conflict. They know, if the military guys figure it out that they’ve actually been ‘had’ by the Republicans, the military will turn on their party. No more sweet contracts paid for by honest taxpayers.

There is good news however, Howard Dean on next year’s elections.