Lacking spirit and loss of reason, tonight’s speech had echoes of Johnson’s announcement that he would not seek reelection. Bush showed no spirit because he has lost his “gotta believe” tact. In postulating an illogical premise that 21,000 troops will squash the resistance, even though he admitted in years to follow it would still be bloody, is simply a cry of desperation.
Strategically with so few troops there was no need for a speech or thinking of it as a “new strategy.” Actually it is but a minor decision that could have been made by the command in the Green Zone while on a coffee break. With the troops already in Iraq, a regimental attachment could easily be sent to Anbar to reinforce the marines. And if in fact, al Qaeda is there, then why not an air strike like the one going on in Somalia? With this apparently pressing terrorist zone held in check or demolished, the Iraqi and American teams could concentrate on less sweeping tactics in Baghdad until sensible troop withdrawal is put in place, or the 21,500 fresh troops to replace those on their second or third tour. Remember Clinton’s 100,000 cops on the beat? Double that is what it would take to end the " rioting" in Baghdad.