Swompdonkey

I'm trying to wrap my head around the whole Iraq thing...

I'm willing to accept the necessity of bringing the enterprise to a successful conclusion on the U.S.'s terms, for all the good that will do --as a Canadian, my support or opposition means exactly jack squat to American pollsters and politicos. But I can't help but notice the glaring inability of the Bush administration to provide a solid rationale that will connect with the American public for their ongoing presence there.

The whole "honouring the sacrifice of those who have already fallen" set of talking points does not seem to be getting across as a justification for continuing the struggle, notwithstanding the protestations of die-hard hawks. Ever since David Frum, an Iraq war supporter if ever there was one, posted an article critical of the administration's current approach to selling (and conducting)the war on August 23, 2005, his online diary has been deluged with readers who share his frustration. The current concern of the neo-cons is that Bush is losing the Public Opinion war in the U.S. to Cindy Sheehan, Michael Moore and their ilk through simple inertia. This is a fight they cannot afford to lose.

Articles like this can provoke an angry reaction from jingoistic chest-thumpers, insensed that some of the right-wing intelligensia appear to be flagging in their support of Bush, but they should also provoke some soul-searching and reflection.

Why is the Bush White House struggling to get a positive message across? Some may think that is because there is nothing positive to report on, but a quick survey of several Warblogs and soldierblogs written by those on the ground in that country paint a compelling picture of some very significant achievements amidst the the litany of setbacks and deterioration that the media has been deluging us with.

Still, there is no denying that we have a mixed bag of good news/bad news/very bad news coming out of Mesopotamia. To me, the increasingly prominent role of Iran in the sectarian violence is particularly troubling. Also, there does not appear to be a long term plan and set of clearly defined objectives --at least none that I can see --just a rather arbitrary timetable for achieving democratic government in what currently appears to be a very unstable country. It remains the task of Bush, Condi, and company to convince the U.S. public to stay the course in a place where everything seems to be falling apart.

As someone in the communication biz, I watch with interest, waiting to see whether or not the Bush administration can come up with a rationale and "storyline" that will convice Americans that what they are doing in Iraq is worth doing, and that the sacrifice of American blood and treasure will pay dividends in the long run.

What happens next in Iraq will set the tone for the prosecution of the War on Terror --or whatever they are currently calling the struggle against radical islamism-- for years to come. Everything hangs in the balance...