Iraq: Republicans Offer More Photo-Ops

Photo-Ops and publicity stunts do not constitute a plan to win the war in Iraq and spread democracy throughout the Middle East. Actually, I'm not sure Bush knows what his goal is at this point except to repeat the usual slogans he has no ability to deliver on. I wish someone in the White House press corps would start asking the president what his plan is. As far I can tell, Bush's plan is simply to let the next guy clean up his mess. Americans need to start asking why we should remain in Iraq at full force for the next three years—what does that accomplish? Iraq is tying down our nation, our military and our economy while things are changing very rapidly in the world. We need to move on and reposition ourselves. And Bush needs to tell a half dozen of his most incompetent officials that they've done a heckuva job and then he needs to replace them with people who do know what they're doing.

And it would help if the media would notice that Democrats have a plan for Iraq and that the usual slogans out of the mouths of right wing Republicans do not describe the reality of Iraq or Democratic proposals.

S.W. Anderson of Oh!Pinion has some excellent things to say on the matter:

The much-repeated rap on Democrats is that all they can say about the Iraq war is what a mistake it was and what a mess it is — all criticism, no plan for going forward. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi made a strong floor speech during this week’s sham closed debate on the Republicans’ crepe-hanging resolution. Read ... what Pelosi had to say, then tell us whether she offered an alternative to President Bush and the Republicans’ “stay our failed course until hell freezes over” plan....

All I can say to the media is: stop repeating Republican talking points on Iraq and read what Pelosi said. It would be a useful exercise.