Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Cue the rhapsodic screams of ecstasy


Canadian Cynic aptly points out that the September progress report on Iraq, to be issued by General David Petraeus and US ambassador, Ryan Crocker, will result in jubilant cheering by certain segments of the population. Petraeus is expected to announce that a pullback is possible, the "surge" having gone so well to that point. (We're not there yet, but what could go wrong?)
Intent on demonstrating progress in Iraq, the top U.S. general there is expected by Bush administration officials to recommend removing American troops soon from several areas where commanders believe security has improved, possibly including Al Anbar province.
But it won't be a report by Petraeus and Crocker. When Bush repeats that everyone must wait for the report by those two, he has omitted the fact that the authorship of that September progress report will come from within the White House.
Despite Bush's repeated statements that the report will reflect evaluations by Petraeus and Ryan Crocker, the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, administration officials said it would actually be written by the White House, with inputs from officials throughout the government. And though Petraeus and Crocker will present their recommendations on Capitol Hill, legislation passed by Congress leaves it to the president to decide how to interpret the report's data.
Given the in and out movement and the fact that we can now virtually predict the climatic outcome, if you close your eyes and think about it, you could be excused for believing that the Bush administration is producing a porn movie, including the director's demand for loud cries of exaltation, "Yes, yes, YESSS!" in the moments before the final credits roll.

Pete Townshend could get away with that while most of us just smiled and understood.


Bush, however, doesn't have the traction to sneak this one by. While the 26 percenters, paying no attention to the actual words, continue to bob their heads to the Bushco beat, the majority of us won't be the slightest bit amused.

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