Bush's Folly

The Associated Press headline this morning said: “4 Bombs Kill 160 People in Baghdad”

AP’s article went on to report: “Four large bombs exploded in mostly Shiite areas of Baghdad on Wednesday, killing at least 160 people and wounding scores as violence climbed toward levels seen before the U.S.-Iraqi campaign to pacify the capital began two months ago.”

How many more Iraqis and Americans die before we finally recognize the folly of George Bush’s so-called “plan for victory?”

Oh, I know what the Republican apologists will argue, “The surge needs time to work.” To which I ask, “What part of the fact that your ‘time’ translates as ‘dead’ innocent Iraqis and dead American young men and women don’t you understand?”

You watch, in another month or so, when it is finally becoming clear that the “surge” is not bringing any meaningful reduction in violence in Iraq, George Bush will say he needs another “surge” of American troops.

Because, if “victory” as Bush defines it is to stop the sectarian violence in Iraq, then the only way that can be accomplished is if the United States becomes an occupation power, with not 160,000 troops there, but double that number or more. Then there will be no difference between us and Saddam Hussein, and we will have radicalized hundreds of thousands, if not millions, more Islamists, thus making us less safe instead of more safe.

I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again here: George Bush is the best recruiter al Qaeda has.