strategery
step: 1 fire cheney
step: 2 resign
approval: mid 20's
his "strategy" will remain the same. He has nothing to lose. It may be described with different adjectives or hazy language. Bluntly put, there is only two real strategies available - the same thing (or a variation on it such as ISG), or leave now. Well, three, if you count a major offensive by the Militias to drive us out as a strategy. By the time Bush speaks, #3 might already be in progress. Lets face it, none of us felt Bush could go much lower than 35% due to his NutReligiousUltraRight base. But they've turned on him also. I think he might bottom out at around 20%, but not by the end of the month, more like the end of 07. Happy Trails, George.
Posted by T2 at December 8, 2006 01:39 PMHe's on his way to an approval in the upper teens.
I predict by July 4th, 2007, Little Boots will have a job approval number of 18%.
Posted by Christopher at December 8, 2006 01:49 PMHis new strategy will be more of the same.
The man is an absolute, pathetic embarrassment.
For him to actually chuckle and try to make a joke out of the fact that he read the Baker/Hamilton report is an insult to every single person whose death that man has caused.
Does anyone even believe he has read it ... hardly.
Does this idiot have any clue, at all, of what he has created?
His approval rating should be at 5% - those who he has made rich, his corrupt family, and the other religious nuts and hypocrites like him.
By the way, enough of the tears by Pappy (is he going senile, or what?). If his president son had shed 1/4 of those tears for the soldiers and Iraqis in wooden boxes ... as it is, if I never see another Bush face in my life, it will be too soon.
Posted by jra at December 8, 2006 01:51 PMJunior doesn't need no stinkin opinion polls to rule over his kingdom. (even though he was the first to claim he had a mandate after he won 51% of the vote in 2004....but I digress).
Strategery...same as the old one...pretend he's changing course and use all the rhetorical skills his writers can muster to sell it as a change or as Mehlman called it "adapt to win"...yet nothing will change.
You see,in the mind of the deluded, Junior believes all the problems in Iraq lie not in his plan or course of action, but it's the damn fault of those weak American's who lack will power to stay the course and complete the mission, those damn ungrateful Iraqi's for not being appreciative of the freedom he's given them, and the damn liberal media for not reporting the good things happening in Iraq. It's not his plan that is broken it's all those other people who are not allowing or are interfering with his plan's success.
This man is so egomaniacal and has major issues especially admitting mistakes. I think that even if he agreed with any of the ISG recommendations...he would never admit it publicly, much less implement any of them ..it's all about Junior and his frail ego at this point.
Approval ratings down to 27%..
Posted by emal at December 8, 2006 02:03 PM1. New Strategy: Military operation combining US and Hakim's SCIRI/Badr Brigade dominated Iraqi army against al-Sadr's JAM and Iraqi National Salvation Front to reclaim Anbar & Baghdad from Sunni national resistance and Sadr City & southern Iraq from JAM ending in a humiliating Cheney adminstration failure.
2. Cheney Admin Approval Rating: 25% and falling.
Posted by Pvt. Keepout at December 8, 2006 02:09 PMstrategy: Continue to "win for Halliburton."
late December approval number: 28%
President Bush has made it clear that there will be no change in strategy during the rest of his administration.
From his press conference with PM Tony Blair (Bush was in a jolly mood that day--a lot of laughter in the transcript):
We agree that victory in Iraq is important . . .And the American people expect us to come up with a new strategy to achieve the objective which I've been talking about and which is laid out in the Baker-Hamilton report. . . .what the Baker-Hamilton study has done is it shows good ideas as to how to go forward. What our Pentagon is doing is figuring out ways to go forward, all aiming to achieve our objective. . . We have made it clear to the Iranians that there is a possible change in U.S. policy, a policy that's been in place for 27 years, and that is that if they would like to engage the United States, that they've got to verifiably suspend their enrichment program. . . There is -- if we were to have a conversation, it would be this one, to Syria: Stop destabilizing the Siniora government . . . And we want our combat troops out as quick as possible. We want the Iraqis taking the fight. But it's very important to be -- as we design programs, to be flexible and realistic. And as the report said -- I don't -- got the exact words, but it was along the lines of depending upon conditions, . . .I like to remind people it's akin to the Cold War in many ways. There's an ideological clash going on. And the question is, will we have the resolve and the confidence in liberty to prevail? . . .There will be future opportunities for people to say, well, it's not worth it, let's just retreat. I would strongly advise a government not to accept that position because of the dangers inherent with isolationism and retreat.
Posted by Don Bacon at December 8, 2006 02:10 PMBush's "new" strategy will be more of the same.
To change course now, to accept the recommendations made by his father's consigliere, James Baker, to listen to the cries of the American people, would be to admit he was wrong, and cardcarrying sociopaths can't admit mistakes -- Bush is genetically programmed to not admit he made a mistake.
It's up to the Democratically-controlled Congress to clip Bush's wings vis a vis ending the Iraq war and I don't think they have the political spine to do so either.
Sadly, Iraq will drag on and the next president will get the mess dumped in his or her lap to cleanup.
Posted by Christopher at December 8, 2006 02:13 PMNothing will change. Bush is an empty suit...isn't that painfully obvious? He was put in office for the very reason that he is a dope, easily manipulated with promises of leaving a legendary legacy.
It seems plain the the original strategy was concocted by the same Israeli firsters (Wolfowitz, Pearl, Feith, Bolton, et al) who helped formulate "A Clean Break" (Isreal's new strategy to fractionalize surrounding countries into warring factions.) This explains the lack of security for anything that would preserve an Iraqi identity from day 1.
Israel eliminates a security threat and Cheney's crowd gets to control how Iraqi oil resources are exploited. As far as Israel is concerned, things are working out just great.
Unfortunately, controlling Iraq's oil industry is not going quite so well, but even the ISG has recommended that private, outside corporations should develop and market their sweet crude. You can be sure the status of the petro-dollar will be preserved at all costs.
Those enduring bases are meant to ensure that American companies will benefit from harvesting that oil and will be perpetually manned to guarantee it. The only way we will abandon those "strategic assets" is if we are ejected forcibly.
It's hard to see how a population who celebrates and cherishes their history of throwing out previous occupiers will tolerate a quasi-permanent US military presence, but that seems to be the goal. If we wait long enough, perhaps the depleted uranium munitions residue will kill/sicken enough of the population that they will no longer be capable of resistance.
Wouldn't that qualify as genocide?
Posted by brisa at December 8, 2006 02:14 PMStay the course! Or get more agressive with Iran and Syria.
If gas prices come down, low 30's. The higher gas prices go, high-mid 20's!
Posted by Seven of Six at December 8, 2006 02:19 PM.....no strategy...never had one why start now?....dumb-dumb thinks history will judge him favorably...he's totally delusional....he will always have the Hannity/O'Reilly mups so I guess 25% would be the low....btw: it is my sense that these idiots spilled a cola in the mighty wurlitzer and now only Junior can be heard droaning on...these messes are so serious and have such long term repercussions, it turns my stomach to see this fool continue to muse and snort like a fourteen year old....the world will be so lucky to survive this mutt!
Posted by Goyo at December 8, 2006 02:23 PMBush is entering a popularity level only achieved by Latin American presidents who have implemented Neo-Liberal economic policies. The only thing that is missing are the riots over gasoline price increases.
What will his rating be after the dollar crashes some more, the economy goes into recession, the stock market dumps and insurgents overrun the embassy in Baghdad? Only the oil executives, the criminally insane, nascient fascists and wild-eyed Bible thumpers will be left. 17%
Posted by Gareth G at December 8, 2006 03:06 PMGreat pic of the chimp! It used to be you didn't see those unflattering photos anywhere, Rove controlled Bush's image so well. (Remember the halo?) Now that Bush will be the fall guy for Rummy and Dick's bogus adventure in Iraq, either the media has stopped playing the image game, or Rove isn't bothering to browbeat them into submission anymore. You can always count on the GOP to throw you under the bus the moment you're no longer useful to them, and Bush is a liability. Without the machine behind him, he'll be 18% by the end of his term. It'll be in the neocon's best interest for him to "stay the course," because it'll be easier to make the Decider the scapegoat. Meanwhile, Dick and his pals will continue to bleed the treasury dry with impunity.
Posted by iamcoyote at December 8, 2006 03:22 PMIf bush is at 30, where is cheney 6,7%????
There will be no change, Iraq will get worse, and bush will be in the teens by spring.
Posted by Jerri at December 8, 2006 03:25 PMI hear Barney has high approval numbers now than does the Chimperor.
Posted by Christopher at December 8, 2006 03:27 PM1) Why is it at 30% still? whats up with folks in this country? if he continutes to be the "planning" phase even after so many months and years when is the action time? if actions produce unexpected results and no lessons learnt who is awarding all such power with no responsibilities? even a toddler gets put in a right place for wrong actions!
2) Why people expect less from him?
Posted by wondering at December 8, 2006 04:00 PMIn another sign that Junior's presidency is so over, has ANYONE read or heard ANYTHING from the MSM or even on the cheesy cablenews channels that his coming speech will produce "a bounce in the polls"?
Remember that phrase? Remember how it was almost instantly summoned whenever Junior did something "notable", such as not falling off his stupid mountain bike? Now, the "gang of 500" has collectively declared him and the remainder of his term DOA, and those polls just don't bounce as they used to.
The 30 percent must be those whose sense of history is trumped by jingoism. Like Senator John McCain.
From an AP story by Jim Kuhnhenn today:
"There's only one thing worse than an overstressed Army and Marine Corps, and that's a defeated Army and Marine Corps," McCain, a former Vietnam prisoner of war, told Baker and Hamilton during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing. "We saw that in 1973. And I believe that this is a recipe that will lead to, sooner or later, our defeat in Iraq."
We saw WHAT in 1973? So McCain believes that we could have won in Vietnam if only those liberals and the media had let them?
He is waaay more out to lunch than the media usually lets on. But again, that's where those 30 percent are at. God help us if some of them teach history.
Posted by baked ptotato at December 8, 2006 05:10 PMBush will absolutely not change course for all the reasons given above in the comments. In his arrogance, he believes that he is right. T2 is correct. His new strategy will be described in different adjectives, and a new catch phase or two, but once you decipher what is said, the message will be the same.
Smart ass remarks like "Baker can go back to his day job", tells you all you need to know about Bush's strategy. That statement about Baker shows a distain for anyone and everyone trying to save his ass. Bush is undoubtedly the most condescending and arrogant man that has ever sat in our WH. That is why he will not change course.
"We are committed to continuing to build the partnership between our two countries as we work together to strengthen a stable, democratic, and unified Iraq." November 30, pResident Bush to Prime Minister Maliki.
Low 20s right after Americans figure out that his new strategy is nothing more than an old strategy with a new face lift.
Posted by Judith at December 8, 2006 05:49 PMA lot depends on who the "decider" really is. Bush is constitutionally incapable of accepting defeat and is so disconnected from the facts that he will keep doing what he has been doing because that's what he's decided to do. Bush's rhetoric makes it sound like he is digging in, not making changes. My bet is we will hear new language for "stay the course," "plan for victory," "we won't lose unless we quit."
The ISG report pulls no punches. There is no way to connect what is now happening in Iraq with what the ISG says must happen. The ISG report is really quite insightful, but it assumes some functional institutions that simply do not exist - a cohesive Sunni heirarchy, for instance. So even though it calls for dramatic changes of approach, there is no guarantee that carrying out all its recommendations will lead to any measure of success. To its credit, it makes that point as well.
The stark contrast between the sanity that the ISG embodies an the complete disconnection from reality of the administration's approach is bound to take its toll on the administration's credibility within his own party - a process that was solidly started before the midterms.
My prediction: Bush will cling to his illusions because, in the end, that will be all he is left with. America will leave Iraq. Like a nova, Iraq will burn brightly then go out. Relations with the west in that region will not fully recover for many decades. Things in the region will be unstable.
Bush's ratings? Who can say? But the ISG report makes it clear that the Big Guns are no longer providing Bush cover. The signal to the MSM and Republican lawmakers is clear. There's no institutional interest in driving ratings up from here.
Posted by steve at December 8, 2006 06:54 PMNew strategy: better PR but stay the course.
Approval by end of Dec: I'm going with 29%. But don't dare call me "conservative."
Posted by ann at December 8, 2006 07:06 PMI am curious if any polling has been done on the following questions:
For whom did you vote in the presidential election in November 2004?
__ George W. Bush
__ John Kerry
__ Other
If you voted for George W. Bush, do you no wish you had voted for a different candidate?
__ Yes
__ No
__ Not sure
__ Not sure until Rush tells me what to think
Uh, that "no wish" should be "now wish"
Posted by James E. Powell at December 8, 2006 07:15 PMYou missed the real headline--the approval rate is down to 27% in AP/Ipsos!
President George W. Bush's approval rating on Iraq has slumped to a new low.
Just 27 percent of those questioned in a new AP-Ipsos poll approve of the way he's handling the war. At the same time, dissatisfaction has climbed to an all-time high of 71 percent.
Ohio State University's John Mueller, who is an authority on presidents and public opinion, said Bush's support is continuing to erode and added that there no reason to think it can be turned around.
The poll also indicates nearly two-thirds of the American people do not think Iraq is going to end up with a stable, democratic government.
Only 9 percent think the Iraq war will end with a clear-cut victory.
Someone give that monkey a banana
Posted by marky at December 8, 2006 07:47 PMApproval ratings mean nothing. 30% stock market addicts? More like 70% support for war in the Congress including the Blue Dog and New Democrats. Bottom line: Public opinion can be (and is) manipulated and if the public turns sour the corporate-financed Congress will still deliver more war. You can take it to the bank, which is what the Congress does under the cover of "we must support the troops"--Pelosi. Impeachment and peace are off the table but there are plenty of corporate donations to cover all bets. We have the best Congress that money can buy which is how they earned their three per cent approval rating. Or is it 2.7?
Posted by Don Bacon at December 8, 2006 08:15 PMBush is a sociopath. He'll do as he damn well please. He's the only living being on the planet.
Posted by steve duncan at December 8, 2006 08:29 PMExcerpts from Senator Russ Feingold's, "A Washington Inside Job".
When the Iraq Study Group's report was unveiled this week, it was like the opening of a blockbuster movie, with reporters counting down the minutes until it was released. But now that all the hoopla has subsided, all we are left with is a Washington inside job: a report written by Washington insiders, for Washington insiders, who share the same mindset that led us into the misguided war in Iraq...
The way to win a war against global terrorist networks is not to keep over 140,000 American troops in Iraq indefinitely. We will weaken, not strengthen, our national security by continuing to pour a disproportionate level of our military and intelligence and fiscal resources into Iraq.
Unfortunately, while the Iraq Study Group's report recognizes that the Administration's policy is not working, it doesn't correct the myopic focus on Iraq that has so dangerously weakened our national security. In the end, this report is a regrettable example of 'official Washington' missing the point. The growing threats we face in places like Afghanistan and Somalia are every bit as important to our national security as Iraq. Until Congress and the Administration recognize that, we will only perpetuate the deeply misguided policies that got us into Iraq in the first place.
Damn Russ, that's what I meant to say!
Posted by Seven of Six at December 8, 2006 08:31 PM
Unfortunately Senator Feingold has been shunned by his peers. But, really, how are we threatened by Afghanistan and Somalia? Come on, Russ.
Posted by Don Bacon at December 8, 2006 09:17 PMNothing will change in the Middle East until the problems of Israel and the Jewish Lobby at home in the USA are addressed.
The needs of Israeli are paramount to the Jewish Lobby..the US can bleed blood and money..they don't care. Israel's needs are always greater than anybody else !! ..and now all the Arab world knows this,and it will be death for the few Arab governments that still have a kind word for Bush!!Watch for the fall of many...including Musareff in Pakistan.....and that arrogance by the Israelis..I think it's called"chutzpah"
What's really scary is that while this ape's rating sink below 30%, McCain numbers are still hovering near 50%, despite the fact that McCain has been backing virtually everything coming out of the WH. Are Americans really that stupid? (Rhetorical question, of course--they did manage to make it close while voting for a complete idiot).
Posted by buck turgidson at December 9, 2006 12:03 AMthere is something seriously wrong with gw bush..and i ain't kidding..someone needs to take his toys away..and put him where he can't hurt himself..he is one spooky son of a bitch..for me watching him is like having a bad dream and you just want to wake up...the new congress needs to do something about him..
Posted by dennis at December 9, 2006 04:58 AMthere is something seriously wrong with gw bush..and i ain't kidding..
Ah, yeah. He's a sociopath.
Remember, as a child he delighted in harming animals and making them suffer. He belongs in an insane asylum -- not in the WH.
Posted by Christopher at December 9, 2006 05:41 AMdon, i believe senator feingold is referring to a resurgent taliban and a nascent civil war in somalia between a fundamentalist gov and i don't know, secular militias i guess. he's always said iraq is a distraction from the GWOT (if such a thing exists) this is how an anti-war stance dovetails with a tough anti-terrorism position. too bad he's not running.
Posted by benjoya at December 9, 2006 06:22 AMThe Mad King, idiot son of George, will soldier on. He will stand around a map moving divisions that are no longer combat ready with supplies they don't have into battles he lost long ago. The Joint Chiefs will tell him how good things are going in Iraq, despite the facts on the ground. Rove will reinforce the Mad King's thinking that for want of loyal subjects this war would have been over long ago.
It's time to be very wary of this wounded idiot. Remember what Hitler did to Germany because of his perception that the people just didn't want victory enough. The idiot sons narcissism compounded with his Peter Pan Complex and his antisocial personality disorder makes him very dangerous at this time. Be very wary.
Posted by phidipides at December 9, 2006 06:57 AMOn Jay Leno last night, they were showing an interview with Laura at the WH, when all of a sudden Bush comes riding through the room on a child's 3-wheeler. It was the funniest thing I have ever seen.
Posted by Judith at December 9, 2006 07:18 AMIs Bush imitating a monkey? Sure look like it.
Posted by Judith at December 9, 2006 08:16 AMbrian, the Turkish and the Saudi lobby are just as powerful as the Israeli lobby, if not more so. The Pakistani's aren't far behind the Israeli lobby.
Posted by Seven of Six at December 9, 2006 08:37 AMIs Bush imitating a monkey? Sure look like it.
Imitating?!
He is his own best argument for and against "intelligent design."
If Darwin is correct, how could this bloodline have procreated? and if the Fundies are correct, WTF is god thinking?
Posted by Anjha at December 9, 2006 09:35 AMStay the course. As for his approval rating, can you poll in square roots?
Posted by Daryl at December 9, 2006 12:05 PMfor his approval rating, can you poll in square roots?
As long as you use exponents and the decimal point is on the far left of the number.
Posted by phidipides at December 9, 2006 04:55 PMAnjha, thanks for the laugh. Your right.
Posted by Judith at December 9, 2006 08:09 PMHe's not going to change anything. I can see the freedom fighters in Iraq (and I call them that, because to say "insuragents" implied that we won the war) attacking the Green Zone in the not-too-distant future. There's gonna be a lot of American troops killed because Dubya's too dumb and self-centered to realize he's lost the war he should never have started.
I wish I could believe in hell. There ought to be a special place in the fire for him.
Posted by Ivyfree at December 10, 2006 10:22 AM