It's Your War, George

Photo Courtesy AP

Today we heard a President that sounded more like a blind man trying to find his way in a dark room with a flashlight, then a commander in chief. In a prime time address, his 8th since the beginning of the war in Iraq; Bush again reiterated his desire to pass on this calamity of American presence in the middle of a Civil War to the next president. And while Army and Marine Corps forces are being slowly broken in a war zone far from the sources of Al Qaeda's strength in South Asia and in Saudi Arabia, a recalcitrant President continues to defy the will of the American people.

Via the Washington Post:

But the president said such progress is enough to justify the beginning of a modest pullout, starting with 5,700 troops by Christmas. "Now, because of the measure of success we are seeing in Iraq, we can begin seeing troops come home," he said from the Oval Office. "The way forward I have described tonight makes it possible, for the first time in years, for people who have been on opposite sides of this difficult debate to come together."

He coined a new slogan to describe his latest strategy, "Return on Success," meaning that further progress will enable further withdrawals. "The more successful we are, the more American troops can return home," Bush said. "And in all we do, I will ensure that our commanders on the ground have the troops and flexibility they need to defeat the enemy."

At the same time, Bush warned that substantial numbers of U.S. troops will be in Iraq for years to come. Iraqi leaders "understand that their success will require U.S. political, economic and security engagement that extends beyond my presidency," he said, although he said such a scenario "requires many fewer American troops."

It has become clear that this President does not have the knowledge and fortitude to lead America internationally in our fight against fanatical terrorists. When one is more beholden to his political keepers, donors and less concerned with the future of our military and our ability to respond quickly to a network of terrorist cells with little or no contact, we the people must act to preserve our country for future generations.

In what may be a first in Presidential politics, a candidate has issued a challenge to a sitting President.

John Edwards: