Politics and War

How is it that people are not irate at the Bush Administration for playing politics with the war in Iraq? There is no explanation for the behavior of President Bush except politics. He did not want to admit failure before the midterm elections- fearful that it would cost his party votes. So he 'stayed the course.'

After the election, he fired Rumsfeld. Had Rumsfeld's job performance suddenly deteriorated? No. Simply politics.

Now he's consulting people at various levels of government looking for a policy adjustment regarding Iraq? Has there been a dramatic change in Iraq since the November elections? No. Again simply politics.

The situation in Iraq has been deteriorating for many months, and deteriorating very rapidly for several months. This President did nothing during that time- hoping to protect his political prospects in the midterm elections- allowing US troops to find themselves in a situation of greater danger as time passed, and allowing US security to be increasingly threatened by a destabilized region.

Now the President is going through the motions of doing something, simply because 'stay the course' has become politically unsustainable.

The supporters of the war have often accused its opponents of playing politics and of undermining the safety of the troops by criticizing the war and war policies of the Administration.

The reality is that 'politics' is driving the war policy at present, and US soldiers are simply pawns in a political game.

The nation's Robert McNamara of the 21st Century has left office with the departure of Rumsfeld. For two more years the nation must endure the 21st Century's LBJ. LBJ said he would not be the first US President to lose a war. He was. George W. Bush has become the second. It took 20 years to recover from Vietnam? How long will it take to recover from Iraq?

GP