Survey Says...

The jury appears to be in on Bush's speech today and the victory "strategy" and the verdict is... *yawn*

As a caller on NY1's 'The Call' just said "When the newspapers come out tomorrow, the headlines all should read 'More Of The Same'."

What was interesting for me to observe was how, as the day went on and people thought about it more, they realized just how pointless the whole thing was. Nothing new, no coherent plan, just taking the long way to say "stay the course".... Case in point- the AP stories. I check Yahoo several times a day and kept track of what the top story was on the whole thing.

First take on the story (morning)- Bush asks for patience over Iraq

Second take (afternoon)- Bush fails to allay doubts about US Iraq policy

Third take (this evening)- Bush Attempts Hard Sell on Iraq Progress

This current AP article is a good take on the story. It's pretty skeptical of the strategy, because well, they read it. I find this noteworthy because they're just a wire service, and not an editorial, and even they can't take it. The opening passage:
President Bush's depiction of Iraqi security forces as "helping to turn the tide" is difficult to square with persistent setbacks in handing control of the country back to its own people.

His suggestion that Americans are solidly behind the mission also understates opposition at home, and his hard sell on the rising quality of Iraqi forces overlooks complexities on the ground.

And the last three paragraphs completely smack down his 9/11/war on terror talking points...

As he did before the invasion, Bush tied Iraq to terrorism, to make the case that a stable Iraq would make for a safer America.

He declared, "The terrorists have made it clear that Iraq is the central front in their war against humanity. And so we must recognize Iraq as the central front in the war on terror."

Iraq was not, however, the terrorists' chosen battlefield until Saddam was defeated and extremists poured across unsecured borders.

Sorry, George, even the AP isn't gonna reprint your lies at face value and that's almost kind of their job.

PS- I also like this headline, which says it all, from Yahoo Asia News:
Bush pitches war strategy, more dead in Iraq