Wednesday December 13, 2006 Listen to Who?

What do you want to bet that George isn't going to listen to anybody else but his buddies and “Stay The Course”?

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As stated in the Iraq Study Group Report:

“The United States has made a massive commitment to the future of Iraq in both blood and
treasure. As of December 2006, nearly 2,900 Americans have lost their lives serving in Iraq.
Another 21,000 Americans have been wounded, many severely.
To date, the United States has spent roughly $400 billion on the Iraq War, and costs are
running about $8 billion per month. In addition, the United States must expect significant “tail
costs” to come. Caring for veterans and replacing lost equipment will run into the hundreds of
billions of dollars. Estimates run as high as $2 trillion for the final cost of the U.S. involvement
in Iraq.

Despite a massive effort, stability in Iraq remains elusive and the situation is deteriorating.
The Iraqi government cannot now govern, sustain, and defend itself without the support of the
United States. Iraqis have not been convinced that they must take responsibility for their own
future. Iraq’s neighbors and much of the international community have not been persuaded to
play an active and constructive role in supporting Iraq. The ability of the United States to shape
outcomes is diminishing. Time is running out.”

The Iraq Study Group recommended most combat troops be withdrawn by early 2008 and the U.S. mission changed from combat to training and support of Iraqi units. It also called for an energetic effort to seek a diplomatic solution to Iraq's violence by engaging its neighbors, including Iran and Syria.

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Bush, cool to both of the commission's central ideas, had been expected to follow his information-gathering with a pre-Christmas announcement of his own altered blueprint for U.S. involvement in Iraq. But the White House, citing the president's request for more time to refine and game out new policies, said Tuesday that Bush would wait until early next year.

The message to Bush, the defense specialist who requested anonymity said, is that the U.S. cannot withdraw a substantial number of combat troops by early 2008, as suggested in the Iraq Study Group report, because the Iraqis will not be ready to assume control of their country.

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"It has been six weeks since the American people demanded change in Iraq. In that time Iraq has descended further toward all-out civil war and all the president has done is fire Donald Rumsfeld and conduct a listening tour," Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev. Incoming Senate majority leader said. "Talking to the same people he should have talked to four years ago does not relieve the president of the need to demonstrate leadership and change his policy now."

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Meanwhile, George and friends had plenty of time to produce a nice video about his dog, Barney.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/holiday/2006/barneycam.html

You just have to take the time to work on the important things.

Besides, he already made up his mind long ago and he never admits to making a mistake.