Fineman: A Crisis of Confidence (Bush Looked Scared)

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16568507/site/newsweek/

George W. Bush spoke with all the confidence of a perp in a police lineup. I first interviewed the guy in 1987 and began covering his political rise in 1993, and I have never seen him, in public or private, look less convincing, less sure of himself, less cocky. With his knitted brow and stricken features, he looked, well, scared. Not surprising since what he was doing in the White House library was announcing the escalation of an unpopular war.

The president may well be right that we cannot afford to leave or lose in Iraq . He makes profound sense when he observes that a collapse of Iraq would mean the rise of a giant version of the Taliban's Afghanistan—with a million times the oil in the ground.

But if he was trying to assure the country that he had confidence in his own plan to prevent that collapse, well, a picture is worth a thousand words. And the words themselves weren't that assuring either. Does anyone in America or Iraq , or anywhere else in the world for that matter, really think that the Sunnis and Shia will make peace? Does anyone think that embedded American soldiers won't be in danger of being fragged by their own Iraqi brethren? Does anyone really think that Iran and Syria can be prevented from playing havoc in Iraq and the rest of the region by expressions of presidential will?

George Bush had the look of a man who knew he had made a royal hash of things in reaching for what most enlightened people would say was a noble goal: a stable, antiterrorist Iraq.

[neoblues]

1. Being embedded in an IRAQI Army division...

even as an Advisor (or maybe especially as an advisor); what a nightmare... not for the faint of heart (or anyone who can avoid it; alas). Even as a volunteer... (gulp). Alas, what can be done--they aren't going to take our advice and/or end the occupation anytime soon.

[lapfog_1]

5. Takes a minimum of a squad as anything less...

well, it wouldn't be pretty.

Even a squad (12 to 15) would be at risk and not very effective (only 2/3rds of the squad alert at any time, and you really can't prevent the RPG or IED attack from wiping out everyone.

I would rather do convoy escort duty on the highway of death (road to the airport).

our military advisers are really just unofficial hostages.

[Faux pas]

2. I think he got sincere and fear mixed up. It's hard to fake

emotions when you're a sob/hitler/napoleon type, ya know?

[tblue]

3. Heh heh heh. Let me for this night relish his discomfort. God knows we've had ours.

[eShirl]

4. no Howie, he looked more scared when he accepted the Supreme Court's selection of him as president.

Deer in headlights.
My thoughts at the time were, "Dear god we are f*cked."

[rodeodance]

6. Jr was Robot like last evening. No passion, nothing.

[Nostradammit]

7. Shock & Awe didn't result in a stable, antiterrorist Iraq?

- Who knew?