People in the Washington media keep saying that the Democrats are making a mistake by being too extreme in demanding to set a timetable for getting the troops out of Iraq, but that is what the Democrats were elected to do. Putting into law a specific date to get the troops out of Iraq is a very blunt-force effort, and far from the ideal way of determining how to end the war in Iraq in the manner that is best for both the nation and people of Iraq as well as what is best for America. But to get that ideal solution requires that Bush be willing to work with Congress to get us out of Iraq.
That was what the Baker - Hamilton Report last fall was supposed to accomplish. It set up conditions that would allow Bush a face-saving way to compromise with the incoming Congress and do what the American public (and much of the Iraqi public for which thousands demonstrated yesterday) wants done. The result? Bush threw the report back into Baker and Hamilton's faces (figuratively speaking, of course.) and found a new commander who would escalate a losing war. [No intelligent military person will reinforce a losing position, but that is what the surge amounts to.]
The Washington media, represented today by David Ignatius on the Dianne Rhem Show on NPR and by David Broder states in today's OpEd, thinks that now is the time for a compromise between the Democratic Leaders of Congress and the Bush White House. Broder specifically states "What ought to happen is clear. There ought to be direct talks between them -- with senior administration officials on one side of the table and leaders of the House and Senate on the other."
Well, Bush called Broder's bluff today. He called the Democratic Congressional Leaders to come over to the White House to tell them to support his decisions. Think he plans to compromise any? Here's White House spokesperson Dana Perino today.
What do you think? Is Bush likely to even discuss the situation, let alone compromise with the Democrats? She is throwing down the gauntlet if I ever saw anyone do it, and she is thoroughly enjoying telling the press, the Democrats and the public where to go.
When the surge fails, Bush is going to attempt something else and demand another six to nine months for it to fail. The goal for Bush is no longer to win in Iraq. It is to stay in Iraq until after January 2009 so that the Democrats will have to withdraw. That way the Republicans can play the political game of "Who lost Iraq?"
Addendum April 11, 2007
Greg Sargent points out that the Democrats have several times asked Bush to sit down with them and discuss the funding bill on Iraq, to no avail. Copies of the letters are shown at the sit I have linked to. The replies cannot be linked to, since they don't exist.
But now that Bush wants to lecture the Democrats in public, he wants them to visit him in the White House. It's still a waste of time, because Bush refuses to negotiate.
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