Bush Reveals Bold New Strategy for Victory in Iraq

Plan looks strikingly similar to older, timid strategy

Special to The WitList
30 November 2005

ANNAPOLIS, MD -- In a defiant yet optimistic speech, President Bush outlined his plan to win the war in Iraq for the 327th time today, saying he would settle for nothing less than "complete victory." The president later defined "complete victory" as the day the first Starbucks Cafe opens in Baghdad's Green Zone.

Once again Mr. Bush refused to set a timetable for troop withdrawals, saying he would not be intimidated by the "terrorist tactics" of Gallup, Harris, Zogby and other pollsters that put his approval numbers in the low 30s.

Mr. Bush declared he would allow conditions on the ground to determine when U.S. soldiers would return home. White House aides estimate conditions on the ground will become extremely favorable in early October 2006, approximately 30 days before next year's midterm elections.

The president declared, "To all who wear the uniform, I make you this pledge: America will not run in the face of car bombers and assassins." Instead, troops will be instructed to walk backwards at a rapid yet dignified clip, waving and smiling as they enter a C-147 transport plane.

In a departure from his usual text, the president mentioned the September 11 attacks only twice in the 35-minute speech. He also failed to use the phrases "Islamic radicalism," "militant Jihadism, or "Islamo-fascism," possibly because he found them too difficult to pronounce.

Earlier in the day the White House released a 35-page document titled "National Strategy for Victory in Iraq." The WitList obtained an early draft of the paper, in which the words "Viet Nam" had been erased with Liquid Paper and "Iraq" written over them in ballpoint pen.

Bush spoke to cadets at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was his 3,479th appearance before a military audience this year, tying him with Bob Hope for second place on the all-time list. Joseph Stalin holds the record with 10,672 military appearances.