NEW WHITE HOUSE STRATEGY

A NEW STRATEGY
After the Downing Street Memo Reveals All That Bush Deceived the Nation on in Regard to the Planning of the War in Iraq and the Subsequent Post Major Combat Disaster, This What We Can Look for as a New Direction:

Q The question is, is there a new direction, though, or not?

MR. McCLELLAN: You're going to hear from the President tomorrow night. I think we have a clear strategy for success. He's going to be talking in a very specific way about what that strategy is. It's an opportunity for the American people to hear about the strategy. We've all seen on the TV screens the images of bloodshed and violence. They are disturbing. The President is disturbed by those images. The terrorists have inflicted great suffering. There have been tremendous sacrifices. But the cause for which we are in Iraq is an important one, and there is great progress being made on the ground.

The terrorists' only alternative is to spread violence and chaos and destruction because they know that when a free Iraq takes hold, a democratic Iraq, that it will be a major defeat for their ambitions. You've heard terrorists talk publicly about the importance of trying to stop the progress that is being made in Iraq.

Q Isn't the message really more patience? Isn't that really what the President is going to be requesting, something he's --

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I think if you go back to September 11th -- remember, on September 11th the threats of the 21st century were brought to our shores. We saw in a very clear way the threats that we face on that day.

[WHITE HOUSE]

The president has been doing a lot of thinking on Iraq lately  He must still be thinking: We must all be fools. MORE ON THIS LATER TONIGHT.

Comments

[Shakespeare's Sister]

The President is disturbed by those images.

He thinks about them every day.

Right between his other daily thoughts: I need a crap and What happened to that bald fella in the press corps? I liked to rub his head. Heh heh heh.

[Richard Cranium]

The Donald was hitting on the 9/11 theme in a big way today, too. Between Rove's remarks last week, little Scottie's today, and Rummy this afternoon, I'm seeing a theme emerge - THE RETURN TO 9/11.

Q Mr. Secretary, back during the Vietnam War, the general in charge of the forces in North Vietnam, Defense Minister General Giap, once said that they have patience; Americans do not have patience.

You give a good message here, as does General Casey and other of the military brass, and yet, there are attacks now, almost hourly. We're briefed by generals here who say that they are increasing, they are using new weapons -- (inaudible) -- charges, and there is no lack, apparently, of people willing to give their lives for the jihad. How do you intend to convince the American people to continue having patience with this loss of life that goes on continuously?

SEC. RUMSFELD: It seems to me that it's important to understand that since September 11th, we've been engaged in a struggle, a -- some call it a war. It is a war in many respects. It's also a struggle within a religion, and it is a difficult one. There are violent extremists that are determined to topple governments in various parts of the world and to -- and many of them hoping to re-establish a caliphate, and their weapon of choice is terrorism. And those people are engaged in violent, extremist acts. They were on September 11th in this country; they have been in dozens of other countries. And what's taking place in Iraq is a part of this global struggle between moderate Muslims and between extremists -- violent extremists. It is hard, I understand, for people to connect all of the pieces, but the reality is we're an awful lot better off fighting against the extremists and the terrorists in other parts of the world than having to do it here at home.

And anyone who thinks about this understands that if you go into a defensive mode and simply think you can play defense against a terrorist that has the enormous advantage of being able to attack at any time, at any place, using any technique, and particularly if you're willing to give up your own life -- you can't defend in every place against every technique at every moment of the day or night. And therefore, you have no choice but to be on the offense against these people, and that is in fact what's taking place in Iraq. And I don't doubt for a minute but that the American people remember September 11th well, and that they understand that what's taking place is a global struggle against people who are determined to destroy our way of life, as they've announced and indicated -- and publicly indicated.

[Richard Cranium]

Oops - forgot to add the linky.