William Pfaff: "Can Bush Forestall Defeat?" (IHT)
probably with Israel interposed. Israel and its friends have been
pressing for such an attack, or threatening that Israel might make such
an attack itself.
He has proven to be a gambler. To have invaded Iraq on the
mass-destruction alarms and promises of military success, provided by
Washington neoconservative amateurs, and by ignoring the professional
assessments of CIA and State Department bureaucracies, he made an
incredible gamble, which has gone wrong for the predicted reasons.
TO: Distinguished Recipients
FM: John Whitbeck
Transmitted below is Bill Pfaff's analysis of what this week's "New Way
Forward" speech is likely to bring us in the new year.
International Herald Tribune <http://www.iht.com>
*Can Bush forestall defeat?*
*William Pfaff
Tribune Media Services *
Friday, January 12, 2007
PARIS
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/01/12/news/edpfaff.php
President George W. Bush's speech on expanding the U.S. troop presence
in Iraq was the most sober and reasonable speech that he has given since
taking office.
The inflated rhetoric and unbelievable claims of progress in dealing
with the insurrection were gone, although there was a fleeting reference
to an old threat: Unless the terrorists are routed in Iraq they will
attack Americans in the streets of San Francisco or Des Moines.
Another Karl Rove touch was the suggestion, made during the
administration's advance touting of the speech, that the "long" war will
go on for at least another two years. Of course by then a new
administration will have taken office.
( Collapse )