Demosophia

May Be Bush's T.R. Impression

This 'talk' of a change of direction on Bush's part may just be Bush's version of T.R.'s maxim 'Speak softly and carry a big stick.' The consensus among most warbloggers is that the real 'shift' in US policy is to regard what's going on in Iraq as a continuation of the war, rather than a counter-insurgency. The Sunni triangle, in other words, was never really subdued (as John Moore points out in a comment). The pro-Iraqi-Freedom bloggers seem to think that what's going to be happening for awhile is a ramp up of force in the area that includes not just 'iron hammer' kinds of exercises which are as much theater as effect, but Special Forces hunter-killer teams that roam around and take out groups of insurgents as they form up. Apparently a lot of these Jihadists who entered Iraq through Syria having left their friends behind in a celebratory mood have vanished without a trace. Meaning not that they're in hiding, but that they're dead. Executed. The impression left among the would be Jihadists is that their friends have just dropped into a black hole, and they've decided to forego plans of entering the fray themselves for awhile. And we'll keep fighting this war until things are sufficiently safe to provide security for elections and referenda that are required to legitimate a turnover to an Iraqi government. The Bush administration, in other words, is using rhetoric to misdirect its enemies, both here and in the Middle East. It's damned sophisticated, if true. Like I said, this should shake out better in the next few days. So far I can't find a single pro-war blogger who thinks Bush really intends to pull out quickly. But a large number of UK citizens I've talked to recently think that's a fait accompli. Check out Belgravia Dispatch. It's pretty well reasoned, and representative of the consensus. And thanks again to John Moore at Useful Fools.