The Speech

President George Bush's speech tonight was better than I had expected. I've been on board with the liberation of Iraq and the whole forward strategy of freedom thing since the summer of 2002 when anybody who was paying attention knew what was coming and why.

I was concerned that tonight's speech would be another one filled with rhetoric that soars over the details. To those of us who have bought into the war strategy such soaring rhetoric is not necessary. To those who are wobbling such rhetoric sounds like blather disconnected from the reality of the facts on the ground.

So it was heartening to hear the President came through in a big way with a speech built on a skeleton of idealistic rhetoric but fleshed out with details and facts. It was especially heartening to hear him detail how the strategic goals of Al Qaeda in Iraq continue to be thwarted, a point this blog made in February. (Click here for post.) For more hopeful news from Iraq read this story (here) that shows more evidence of the political maturity of Iraq's leaders as they continue to reach out to Sunnis, this time by considering federalism to ensure fair representation for all.

No doubt the nitpickers will fill the airwaves, cable TV and the opinion pages with their criticisms and accusations of the President's speech and strategy. But anyone who heard that speech and still doesn't understand how the Iraqi campaign fits into the Global War on Terror isn't paying attention or doesn't want to understand. Anyone who heard that speech and doesn't support the Iraqi campaign simply doesn't want to support it.

-tdr