Bush on the war
A Times EditorialThe closest thing to an exit strategy the president offered in his televised address Tuesday: "As the Iraqis stand up, we will stand down."
Published June 30, 2005
Although President Bush missed an opportunity to level with the American people about some of the hard truths of the Iraq war, in one sense his nationally televised address to the nation Tuesday, staged before a military audience at Fort Bragg, N.C., was as close to a reality check as the nation is likely to get from its commander in chief.
The war we are fighting against Islamic terrorists in Iraq today is not the war his administration set out to fight but a war of its own making - and one that has made the terrorism problem worse. Even so, it's hard to see any real alternatives to staying the course, as Bush vowed to do. He said setting a deadline for withdrawal would be a "serious mistake," and he is right. The reality is that U.S. forces are going to be needed on the ground until Iraqi security forces can defend their country, which is likely to be years after Bush leaves the White House and returns to his Texas ranch. His only exit strategy at this point: "As the Iraqis stand up, we will stand down."
That's about the best the president could do, even though the American people were probably hoping to hear a more encouraging report.
The president, trying to bolster falling public support for the war, once again tried to meld Iraq into the 9/11 attacks and the war against terrorism. "We fight today because terrorists want to attack our country and kill our citizens, and Iraq is where they are making their stand," Bush said. He didn't explain how the war to disarm Saddam Hussein, who was believed - mistakenly, as it turned out - to possess weapons of mass destruction, morphed into a fight against Islamic terrorists. That would have required an honesty we have yet to hear from Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney whose mistakes and miscalculations in planning the occupation of Iraq created the opening for terrorists to move in.
The public also could have used some straight talk about the need for more troops in Iraq. The president said he would not send more soldiers to battle the insurgency unless U.S. commanders asked for reinforcements. To do otherwise, he added, would "undermine our strategy of encouraging Iraqis to take the lead in this fight." Bush must know the military would have a difficult time increasing troop strength beyond the 140,000 soldiers currently in Iraq. Army and Marine units are feeling the stress of second and third tours of duty in Iraq, as are Reserve and National Guard forces. On the home front, meanwhile, military recruitment is lagging well behind Pentagon goals because of the unpopular war.
It's hard to begrudge the president what good news he had to report. The training of Iraqi security forces is under way, although no one can say when they will be ready in sufficient numbers to replace American troops. Iraq held free elections in January and its interim government is in the process of writing a constitution that will go to the voters later this year. But despite the political progress, the insurgency, which has increased in its intensity, has made life hellish for the Iraqi people and complicated reconstruction efforts.
The president sought to assure the public that while the road ahead will be "difficult and dangerous," the sacrifice in American lives "is worth it, and it is vital to the future security of our country."
Bush spoke to an American public more interested in how he plans to get us out of Iraq than how he got us into the war. If he failed to answer that question, it may be because he does not have an answer.