President's Speech was Like a Fast-Food Ad

People know that French fries aren't food for the health- or weight-conscious. Still, fast-food ads habitually show thin, healthy-looking, beautiful people chowing down on what is largely mysterious mixes of trans fat, sodium, and unpronounceable chemicals.

That's what I think of when the Bush Administration says things that seem inconsistent with its own prior statements. Today's Washington Post reported:...

"Bush said progress on the ground means he can pull out by next summer the additional combat forces he sent in January -- roughly 21,700 troops -- and he opened the door to further troop reductions if conditions improve. Although the president offered no forecast for how long it will take, Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, told Washington Post reporters and editors yesterday that current U.S. projections anticipate Iraq reaching nationwide "sustainable security" by June 2009....."

I'm confused.  In June 2006, the Administration envisioned withdrawing half of our troops from Iraq by December 2007.  In June 2007, officials envisioned withdrawal "by late 2008 or early 2009" (BN-Politics). Also in June 2007, officials said it would likely become a long-term occupation -- like Korea, which lasted 50+ years (Washington Post).  Which is it?

Comments

[Sparky Duck]

Its whatever will get him to stall out the longest, since public opinion has never turned his way

[Damozel]

test

[The Crux]

Sparky Duck: that's certainly a plausible explanation.