"A strategy for victory"

George Bush gave a major speech today in which he outlined his "strategy for victory" in Iraq. Which consists of "staying the course" and continuing to do exactly what they've done so far, while denying that the spiraling body count, continuing lack of basic services, and declining human rights situation are any indication that that strategy might be failing (those being, apparantly, "the metrics that the terrorists and insurgents want the world to use").

Really, it's reminiscent of nothing so much as General Haig's brilliant plan for winning the First World War ("get out of the trench and walk slowly towards the enemy; repeat until everyone is dead"). Or possibly banging your head against a brick wall until your brains fall out. But what's important is that the US not be seen to back down - or at least, not until His Majesty is safely out of office so the blame will fall on someone else (preferably a Democrat).

It's even more depressing if you read the actual report in all its bullet-pointed glory. The authors clearly live in a fantasy world in which the Iraq war is going well (possibly they've been paying too much attention to the propaganda the US is planting in the "free" Iraqi press); the key message is that "our strategy is working". And that's about all it says - as Matthew Yglesias points out, problems - or rather "challenges" - are defined, but no actual solutions are presented. Surely a strategy for victory should at least contain some suggestion as to how that victory will be achieved? Instead, the Bush Administration is simply hanging on and hoping, while loudly denying that the temperature in their handbasket is rising (or even that there is a handbasket at all). Osama will be very pleased...