>>>Tonight, I am announcing an immediate reduction of . ., . . . U. S. troops currently stationed in Iraq. Applause, applause, standing applause, applause, standing foot-stomping applause.
Delete "immediate", it's too specific. Iraq can't completely blow up before the 2006 US elections. Bush needs room to maneuver and I think he's still going to try to preserve his "legacy". I'm not convinced that Bush has it in him to sacrifice himself for the good of the party.<<<
In my opinion, there must be an "immediate" but nominal reduction to have the necessary dramatic political effect. I think 10,000 troops or a 10 percent reduction is just right. In no way could there be an immediate removal of all troops. It would be a collapse.
>>>You're much better than the current set of speech writers.<<<
I assume the ideas for the speech are being tossed around now. If they miss the chance for announcing an immediate nominal troop reduction and subsequent small timed reductions (to be identified later), then they will miss a golden opportunity to turn Mr. Bush's approval ratings around.
>>>I'm not convinced that Bush has it in him to sacrifice himself for the good of the party.<<<
I think you misunderstood my intentions for the number of troops to be reduced. I think there are 133,000 troops there now. If an immediate withdrawal of 10,000 is made in January with further declines of 2,000 each month (9 months) prior to November 2006, we have a total reduction of 28,000 troops before November. If I am correct about the 133,000 troops there now, a 28,000 reduction would leave us with over 100,000 troops in Iraq. This is not sacrifice for Mr. Bush it is political resurrection.
>>>Bush needs room to maneuver and I think he's still going to try to preserve his "legacy".<<<
Mr. Bush is the politician who continues to state that troops will remain until the job is done. Mr. Bush, the politician, is going to decide when the job is done enough and when troops can be reduced. Once Mr. Bush's popularity ratings are on the move up, his legacy will be resurrected.
There is one potential problem that I can think of now. That is Mr. Libby. Mr. Fitzgerald hung him out so that he could slowly twist in the wind. It gets lonely twisting in the wind by oneself. If Mr. Libby wusses out, all bets are off. |
