I don’t know how many people really listen to the president’s weekly radio address and the Dem response, but this week’s exchange offered a terrific contrast.
Bush’s address, which coincided with the one-year anniversary of his infamous “Mission Accomplished” speech, insisted that progress in Iraq is going well, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
“[D]aily life is improving. Electricity is now more widely available than before the war. Iraq has a stable currency and banks are thriving. Schools and clinics have been renovated and reopened, and power plants, hospitals, water and sanitation facilities, and bridges are being rehabilitated. Iraq’s oil infrastructure is being rebuilt, with the Iraqi oil industry already producing about 2.5 million barrels per day.
The Dems, meanwhile, turned to Paul Rieckhoff, who recently returned to the U.S. after a 10-month Army stint in Iraq. As my friend Poppy noted, Rieckhoff isn’t exactly pleased with his commander in chief. Rieckhoff’s remarks are definitely worth reading; they offer a first-hand account of the consequences of Bush’s failures in Iraq.
I’m giving this address because I have an agenda, and my agenda is this: I want my fellow soldiers to come home safely, and I want a better future for the people of Iraq. I also want people to know the truth.
[…]
I am not angry with our President, but I am disappointed.
I don’t expect an easy solution to the situation in Iraq, I do expect an admission that there are serious problems that need serious solutions.
I don’t expect our leaders to be free of mistakes, I expect our leaders to own up to them.
In Iraq, I was responsible for the lives of 38 other Americans. We laughed together, we cried together, we won together, and we fought together. And when we failed, it was my job as their leader to take responsibility for the decisions I made — no matter what the outcome.
My question for President Bush — who led the planning of this war so long ago — is this: When will you take responsibility for the decisions you’ve made in Iraq and realize that something is wrong with the way things are going?