Iraq Needs a Plan and it Starts with Bush, et al    

June 29, 2005

In a television address on June 28th, Bush encouraged Americans to support his handling of Iraq. He said we can’t leave until the job is done and that the war would be successful. He said Iraqis will eventually handle their own problems and after that, our job will be done. He also said service in the military had no higher calling thereby putting pressure on Americans to volunteer for the armed services.

In his address, he implied he had a plan. But, It doesn’t look like it; especially since more and more Americans are being killed and maimed than ever before and the costs for the war have exceeded 300 billion dollars. There does not seem to be an end in sight.

Bush needs to define his war goals, outline how we are to achieve them and then make them public. Congress and every American must keep the pressure on him to get him to do this. Americans want and expect straight talk not the same old bullshit.

Speaking of bullshit, Bush’s language and his rationalizations sounded awfully familiar,. His speech was much like Nixon's about the Vietnam War years ago. Maybe Bush realizes, at least unconsciously, this is "Iraq-nam" and could not avoid Nixonian rhetoric.

A good start for an Iraq War plan would be for war hawks to prove their solidarity with the American people. To do this, Bush, his Administration and Congress must draft all of their children aged 39 and under for a "higher calling". This means Bush must send his daughters Jenna and Barbara to Iraq. That means every person elected to Congress must send their kids to war. To do less, would be un-American, un-patriotic and undermine the war effort.

Any hesitation on their part  would mean they really don’t support the war and could care less that “other people’s” sons and daughters are dying and being maimed. Realistically, none will ever entertain the thought of sending their children into battle. Just like the Vietnam War.