Sob Stories

"Mr. Bush accused the Congress of planning to 'pull the rug out from under' American troops. He said the American pullout from Vietnam more than 32 years ago was to blame for millions of deaths in Cambodia and Vietnam, and for putting a dent in American credibility that lasts to this day."

Sooo...we shouldn't have pulled out of Vietnam? Are we going to refight that war now, too?

Oh, and remember how Bush expressed frustration with Maliki on Tuesday? And therefore people concluded that he was ready to cut and run on his ally? What a difference a day makes.

"To beat back that perception, Mr. Bush told the audience at the veterans' convention that the prime minister was 'a good guy, good man with a difficult job.' "

The Washington Times says POTUS gave a "fiery" speech:

"President Bush yesterday warned lawmakers not to try to 'pull the rug' out from under the U.S. military in Iraq just as troops are making progress against insurgents."

The Chicago Tribune gives the critics equal billing: "But his remarks to a VFW convention in Kansas City, Mo., also invited stinging criticism from historians and military analysts who said the analogies evidenced scant understanding of those conflicts' true lessons.

"What is more, the speech opened a new vein of attack from Bush's political opponents, including the man he defeated in 2004, Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), a Vietnam veteran who called the president's words 'irresponsible' and 'ignorant.' "

Boston Globe: "Bush's bold decision to compare Iraq to Vietnam, a conflict that took more than 58,000 American lives, caused a stir among political analysts and historians. They said most Americans regard the US involvement in Vietnam, which lasted for more than a decade, as a historic blunder and stinging military defeat."

Interesting move by Hillary, jumping into the Maliki-must-go camp. Not many pro-Maliki voters here in the States. And how loudly can the White House complain after Bush's own bout of frustration with the Iraqi PM?

" Hillary Sandbags the Antiwar Movement," says this post from...Mike Gravel.

The senator has also been catching it from the left for daring to say that in some places, such as Anbar province, the surge is working, even though it's too little and too late.