Bush recasting the war as not just about Iraq
His recent speeches cite Iran and Al Qaeda as reasons the US must not pull out.
from the September 5, 2007 edition
Page 2 of 3
The reasons for this shift in justification for the "surge" strategy are basically two, analysts say. First, the original goal of promoting Iraqi political action and national reconciliation has not been met, even from the White House perspective.
The second reason for the shift has more to do with convincing a war-weary US public and restless Congress that the stakes in this war go well beyond uniting uncompromising Iraqi politicians.
With US soldiers dying as a result of the troop buildup but the US not seeming to get much back from Iraq's political leaders, associating the surge more closely with widely accepted US national interests – that is, defeating Al Qaeda and containing Iran – has a better chance of support. That goes for Congress as well as for the public, analysts say.
"The administration is tailoring its arguments to those most likely to achieve resonance with the American public, and focusing on Al Qaeda and Iran certainly strikes a responsive chord in the country that transcends the Republican base," says James Dobbins, director of international security and defense policy at the RAND Corp. in Arlington, Va.
A Government Accountability Office (GAO) study released Tuesday shows the Iraqi government failing 15 of 18 goals for security and political progress.
In disputing the negativity of the GAO report, the White House is emphasizing gains made at grass-roots levels and playing down the Iraqi government's inertia.
A number of other reports Congress will begin to take up this week conclude that few political goals have been met by Iraqi political leaders since the troop buildup began. Some even cast doubt on the extent to which violence has been reduced.
Gen. David Petraeus, commander of US forces in Iraq, and US Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker will offer a comprehensive review of Iraq to Congress Monday. Also, a White House report to be delivered by Sept. 15 is expected to conclude there is only limited political progress, but less violence in areas where the US has boosted its presence and significantly enhanced cooperation with Sunni tribal leaders.
In the run-up to the imminent focus on Iraq, signs are growing that Bush's change in emphasis has borne fruit, both in Congress and with the general public. Some polls show support for the war effort has rebounded, in particular after recent speeches Bush has given on the dire consequences he sees of a quick withdrawal form Iraq. And after what may have been a high-water mark for "change the course" and "set a timetable for withdrawal" advocates in July, the White House appears more confident that Congress will go along with a continuation of the troop buildup into early next year.
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