SF Gate: "Politically weakened president gives no signs of altering course of Iraq war "

[Anthony Soprano]

Bush digs in at pivotal point in Iraq war
Politically weakened president gives no signs of altering course



Carolyn Lochhead, Chronicle Washington Bureau

Monday, December 4, 2006

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/12/04/MNGD9MOPG61.DTL

Events in Washington this week -- confirmation hearings beginning Tuesday for designated Defense Secretary Robert Gates and the release Wednesday of findings by the bipartisan Iraq Study Group -- bear all the markings of a turning point in the Iraq war.

But like the war itself, now 3 1/2 years long, the shift is likely to prove a slow and agonizing slide toward an inevitable retreat, rather than the decisive pullout many voters thought they might get last month when they handed Democrats control of Capitol Hill.

As politically weakened as President Bush is, as open to fresh eyes as he said his nomination of Gates to replace Donald Rumsfeld indicated, and as much political cover as the Iraq Study Group offers, Bush seems to be digging in.

Twice last week he declared his intention to "accept nothing less than victory for our children and our grandchildren."

[Mark E. Smith]

1. Just going to have to hold old Georgie's feet to the fire

I guess we can start by refusing to further fund his war in Iraq. That ought to bring him around.

[Imagevision]

2. Bush: claims he hasn't seen Iraq Study Group report, but decides he won't be using it???!!!

[Kelly Rupert]

3. I never borrowed your lawnmower.

Besides, it was broken when you gave it to me. And either way, I gave it back after I mowed my lawn with it.

[PurityOfEssence]

4. Colbert put it best:

"He believes the same thing on Thursday that he did on Tuesday, regardless of what happened Wednesday."