Article: Mr. Bush, Put Your Presidency Where Your Mouth Is

January 12, 2007 Dear President Bush, So many politicians, respondents, reporters, pundits, and bloggers have chimed in on your new "Surge" strategy, including yours truly. Just after your speech on Wednesday night I published my blog articulating my vision of what will be happening over the next two years, the culmination of which will be the Democrats taking the White House in 2008 after Sen. John McCain's reputation is further tarnished by being associated with this plan. Instead of just reaching out to my readers, I'd like to take an opportunity to reach out to you directly. Here's my message. Mr. Bush, everyone in this country and abroad knows that you've leveraged your presidency on your conquest of Iraq. After nearly 4 years of the initial shock-&-awe and subsequent occupation, after losing over 3,000 American lives, after spending nearly one half trillion dollars we don't have, and after losing countless hundreds of thousands of Iraqi lives, you've finally admitted that your strategies thus far have failed. However, you expect us to trust you for yet another ill-advised decision. A decision which will essentially escalate the conflict in Iraq. A decision which has & will most assuredly escalate the conflict in America as well. What are the benchmarks? I've heard it said so many times that the mission must have a clearly defined objective. But thus far, all I've really heard of your objective is to succeed, win, obtain victory, and avoid defeat. When asked of your definition of success, you've essentially articulated that success entails:

"...a free Iraq which can defend itself..."

So here's what I don't get. Firstly, how are you working towards a "free Iraq" by essentially declaring Martial Law in Baghdad? Do you really think that after nearly 4 years of this American occupation, the people of Iraq are free? And secondly, the country of Iraq able to defend itself, by definition, means that if U.S. troops were not there, Iraq's own defense and police could maintain order. How does sending tens of thousands more troops into Iraq lead to that country able to defend itself? Seems to me you're making them more dependent on US. Mr. Bush, you've hedged your presidency on your conquest of Iraq, and you've hedged your conquest of Iraq on this escalation of the conflict. As Commander-In-Chief you've already started the troop build-up, and I'm sure you'll get the 'surge' you're asking for. At the same time, I'm hoping the Democratic-controlled Congress will deliver a vote of no-confidence. You and your right-wing, neo-con shills will be all alone on this. Impeachment or Resignation - it's up to you Let's revisit this in November. Let's take a look then at the frequency of violence, the casualty count, and the ability of Iraq to "govern itself, sustain itself, and defend itself". Let's take a look at what a difference this 'surge' decision has made over all the other disastrous decisions you've put us through. If by November this situation has not shown signs of improvement, I expect you to hand in your resignation. Between now and then, I anticipate the Senate and House of Representatives will be holding all sorts of hearings to ferret out the origins of this conflict, as well as many other questionable decisions you've made to subvert the U.S. Constitution. Some have suggested Congress should cut off funding as a means of ending this senseless conflict. I'd rather see a regime change. Sincerely, Scott Shuster American Citizen