Dubya gives us some of the benchmarks and goals he and the administration are using to measure success in this front of the GWOT. Check out the whole document for yourself
Victory in Iraq Defined - As the central front in the global war on terror, success in Iraq is an essential element in the long war against the ideology that breeds international terrorism. Unlike past wars, however, victory in Iraq will not come in the form of an enemy’s surrender, or be signaled by a single particular event – there will be no Battleship Missouri, no Appomattox. The ultimate victory will be achieved in stages.
Victory in Iraq as a Vital US Interest - [1] The terrorists regard Iraq as the central front in their war against humanity. And we must recognize Iraq as the central front in our war on terror. [2] What happens in Iraq will influence the fate of the Middle East for generations to come, with a profound impact on our own national security.
The Consequences of Failure - If we and our Iraqi partners fail in Iraq, Iraq will become [1] a safe haven for terrorists as Afghanistan once was, only this time in some of the world’s most strategic territory, with vast natural resources to exploit and to use to fund future attacks [2] a country where oppression – and the brutal imposition of inhumane practices, such as those of the Taliban in Afghanistan – is pervasive [3] a failed state and source of instability for the entire Middle East, with all the attendant risks and incalculable costs for American security and prosperity. If we fail the terrorists will have [1] won a decisive victory over the United States, vindicating their tactics of beheadings, suicide bombings, and ruthless intimidation of civilians, inviting more deadly attacks against Americans and other free people across the globe [2] Placed the American people in greater danger by destabilizing a vital region, weakening our friends, and clearing the way for terrorist attacks here at home. The terrorists will be emboldened in their belief that America cannot stand and fight, but will cut and run in the face of adversity [3] called into question American credibility and commitment in the region and the world. Our friends and foes alike would doubt our staying power, and this would damage our efforts to counter other security threats and to advance other economic and political interests worldwide [4] Weakened the growing democratic impulses in the region. Middle East reformers would never again fully trust American assurances of support for democracy and pluralism in the region – a historic opportunity, central to America’s long-term security, forever lost.
If we retreat from Iraq, the terrorists will pursue us and our allies, expanding the fight to the rest of the region and to our own shores. |
Tons of good stuff. Make sure you read the whole thing. Look for updates with Democrats responses to the strategy.
UPDATE: Here's some analysis of Bush's speech as it relates to the strategy
Portions of the document have been in place since 2003, though it hasn't been released until today, according to National Security Council spokesman Fred Jones.
The strategy "says the U.S. is still heavily dependent on the competency of the Iraqi government and security forces before we can withdraw our troops, and for restless members of Congress, that explanation probably won't be enough," said Ted Carpenter, vice president of defense and foreign policy at the Cato Institute, a research group in Washington that generally supports the White House.
During his 43-minute speech, Bush said that a year ago, there were "only a handful" of Iraqi battalions ready for combat. Today, there are over 120 Iraqi army police combat battalions, typically between 350 and 800 Iraqi forces, he said.
Of these about 80 battalions are fighting with coalition forces, while 40 others "are taking the lead" in the fight against terrorists in controlling their own territory, he said.
"They're helping to turn the tide, and the struggle, in freedom's favor," Bush said, though he added that their performance is "still uneven" in some areas.
The number of U.S. forces in Iraq will depend on progress in Iraq and the assessments of military commanders, Bush said.
"Decisions about troop levels will be driven by conditions on the ground in Iraq and the good judgment of our commanders, not by artificial timetables set by politicians in Washington," Bush said. |
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