Staying The Course

The following two, separate headlines are both currently on the main page of Yahoo. When put together, they tell you all you need to know about the effects of The Decider's decisions.

AP: 'Bush rejects most dramatic Iraq options'

AP: 'U.S. troops prepare for third tour in Iraq'

Elsewhere, Talking Points Memo looks at the the myths and realities of the Iraq war discussion in the aftermath of the elections. I'm not sure how much the media and public truly comprehend just how little the President cares what people want and advise; he'd run this country right it into the ground if his gut told him that was the right call. I think the latter gets it better than the former, though.

A McClatchy Newspaper report on Thursday said "Bush appears to have been emboldened by criticism of its proposals as defeatist by members of the Republican Party's conservative wing and their allies on the Internet, the radio and cable TV." Translation: Election, schmelection; Iraq Study Group be damned. The Sean Hannity crew (an increasingly smaller base) are the only advisors he needs.

[PS- In related news... Over in the U.K., there's a lot more accountability occurring for the lies that led to this war. Newly uncovered documents appear to reveal Prime Minister Blair knew the WMD intelligence-- as well as the alleged threat from Saddam Hussein-- was at least exaggerated, if not outright fabricated. The document also reveals that British officials warned U.S. diplomats of the dangers that the invasion would lead to regional chaos. I wish I was reading U.S. articles on the same subject as well.]