On the Speech

Due to work constraints have to do this piecemail--but the complete text of the speech is readily available.

"For a generation leading up to September the 11th, 2001, terrorists and their radical allies attacked innocent people in the Middle East and beyond, without facing a sustained and serious response. The terrorists became convinced that free nations were decadent and weak. And they grew bolder, believing that history was on their side."

In case your are unclear as to what President Bush meant; he was saying that this mess is all Clinton's fault.

" . . . we are committed to expanding international cooperation in the reconstruction and security of Iraq, just as we are in Afghanistan. Our military commanders in Iraq advise me that the current number of American troops -- nearly 130,000 -- is appropriate to their mission."

Both John McCain and Joseph Biden disagreed yesterday on Face the Nation. Both have been in Iraq since the invasion, and both have a sense that what is needed is more forces one the ground. They made the comment that of coures loyal troops aren't going to gainsay the administration. Makes you wonder which direction the "fact" that more troops are unnecessary is going. Up from Iraqi command or down from Karl Ro . . I mean President Bush.

"I recognize that not all of our friends agreed with our decision to enforce the Security Council resolutions and remove Saddam Hussein from power."

Translation: France and Germany, I'm looking at you.

"Yet we cannot let past differences interfere with present duties. Terrorists in Iraq have attacked representatives of the civilized world, and opposing them must be the cause of the civilized world."

Translation: Are you part of the civilized world or not?

"Members of the United Nations now have an opportunity -- and the responsibility -- to assume a broader role in assuring that Iraq becomes a free and democratic nation. "

Translation: Remember earlier this year when the UN was irrelevent? That's nothing compared to what's going to happen if you don't bail me out of this mess I've created.

"Later this month, Secretary Powell will meet with representatives of many nations to discuss their financial contributions to the reconstruction of Afghanistan. Next month, he will hold a similar funding conference for the reconstruction of Iraq. Europe, Japan and states in the Middle East all will benefit from the success of freedom in these two countries, and they should contribute to that success. "

Translation: You'd damn well better give us the money, or I might have to consider raising taxes.

That guy who runs the McCaughlin group, who is really annoying (and is quite possibly named McCaughlin), says that having to go to the UN at this point, after all we said last year about then, is on the humiliation scale (1 to 10, 10 being the most humiliating) a 10. We are as humiliated as it is possible to be. And by we, I mean President Bush and the Neocon Hawks who dragged us into this mess. But he could be wrong.