Why Bush's Splurge Is Doomed To Fail

All that Bush is doing is trying to stall for time. That's been his style all of his life. If you asked his mother, she would probably tell you that his entire childhood was a series of "just 5 more minutes"-excuses.

In six months, when Iraq is no closer to stability or normalcy or able to provide for its own security, Bush will argue to increase the money for the Iraq war and want to keep U.S. troops there (Bush never had any intention of pulling troops and U.S. bases out, not ever) because, he will insist, "the surge is working."

The proof of the surge's success would be if no security forces, not U.S. and not Iraqi forces, were needed to prevent violence. Meeting violence with more violence has never been a winning formula; it only creates more insurgents and makes them more determined.

Until we have a government with policies that are populist in approach and environmentally sensitive, we are never going to be able to relax and be free from concern over our safety and security.