I’m just getting to President Bush’s What Sadrist Intifada? speech from yesterday. It’s predictably stupid. (Since the surge began, business registrations
“„Some, however, seem unwilling to acknowledge that progress is taking place. Early in the war, they said the political situation wasn’t good enough. Then, after Iraq held three historic elections, they said the security situation wasn’t good enough. Then, after the security situation began to improve, they said politics, again, wasn’t good enough. And now that political progress is picking up, they’re looking for a new reason.
“„But there’s one thing that is consistent. No matter what shortcomings these critics diagnose, their prescription is always the same — retreat.
“„They claim that our strategic interest is elsewhere, and that if we would just get out of Iraq, we could focus on the battles that really matter.
“„This argument makes no sense. (Applause.) If America’s strategic interests are not in Iraq — the convergence point for the twin threats of Al Qaeda and Iran, the nation Osama bin Laden’s deputy has called “the place for the greatest battle,” the country at the heart of the most volatile region on Earth — then where are they?