Despite President Bush's words to the nation concerning Iraq, the public and Congress remain rightly skeptical about the administration's new plan to send more troops.
Bush's call for escalating the war by sending 21,500 additional U.S. troops to Iraq leaves the president virtually alone with little support anywhere.
Skepticism about the Iraq war is growing at an alarming rate on both sides of the aisle. "Sending even more American troops is not ... (what) Iraq needs to halt its civil war," said Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn. "Success in Iraq requires reconciliation between Shiites and Sunni," said Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn. "I do not believe a troop surge is the answer."
These views were echoed across America Thursday.
Bush's strategy now appears to be more about not losing the war in Iraq, rather than giving the U.S. troops the right tools or strategy to win.
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While Bush finally took ownership of his administration's mistakes with a realistic assessment of the Iraq quagmire, it is far too late.
Bush said America failed to secure Baghdad properly because there were too few troops. Iraq critics have been saying this for years, but Bush foolishly continued to back former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's claim there were enough troops.
Not only has Bush waited far too long to admit the mistakes of his administration in Iraq, he has failed to lay out a workable and winnable strategy for Iraq.
While we may criticize Bush's Iraq policy and plan, this is in no way criticism of our armed forces or their performance. Minnesota troops are among those now having their tours indefinitely extended in Iraq.
The Bush plan to date has been implemented costing America billions. Yet, the same implementation has been plagued by greed, incompetence, corruption and naivete.
America and its troops are weary of this war, one that has lasted longer than World War II.
Thus, the president and his administration have a lot of convincing to accomplish before America supports the Bush surge.
Bush promises this time the results from his plan will be different. Stability in Iraq is surely worth one more try, but the president better make sure this plan works.
