Bush made 1 serious mistake. He wanted to avoid the mistakes of Vietnam which was screwed up by the politicians not the military. He relied upon the generals and they served him poorly because of their pride that they could do it with fewer troops. You win wars with 'OVERWHELMING FORCE" and then you negotiate from a position of strength. Think about it! How many of the current military leaders ever led in a winning war??
We have the same old politicians who believe you can negotiate everything and anything-i.e. Kennedy and Durbin. Their 'wishy - washy type were the cause of the fall of South Vietnam and the Bay of Pigs fiasco by their last minute withdrawl of support.
Most Americans would not be so anti war if the liberal news media didn't constantly push the issue. The war is NOT impacting the majority of Americans who go about their every day life oblivious to anything going on in the world. Too many are so uninformed that they couldn't tell you where Iraq is, and couldn't even give you the names of most of our public officials if you didn't tell them. They only know what YOU tell tem. Get off your "high horse" and into the real world of "terrorism". Too many of the "me generation" and "X genration" want everything instantly. Instant meals, gratification, games. They must think wars are like X-box games, but these are real enemies and real threats and I haven't seen any other real solutions offerd by any one except "negotiate". Like I said, you negotiate from strength. The UN is a useless organization which is ALL words and no action and your politicians are suggesting tht we do the same.

I like to wish the American soldiers who are still fighting in Iraq and those who will be sent, all the best and hope you will come home to those who love you. As what Carl von Clausewitz said, 'war is a continuation of politics by any other means', I just hope that the speech today will as much be on regional diplomatic efforts to get the other Middle East nations, and the UN or other countries to chip in the effort in quelling the violence in Iraq as it is as much in introducing to the US public a muscular military effort coupled with economic reconstruction of Iraq. But please like what the Baker/Hamilton bipartisan committee suggested, the US needs to go on a regional diplomatic blitz. If it means talking with Syria and Iran, and for the sake of American soldiers in Iraq and the Iraqis civilians, and a divided American public, then I would say the gamble is worth taking. God Bless us all and God Bless America!

"Brian, what is wrong with the people of Iraq that allow the carnage to continue? Why are they not rising up against the terriorists?"

Whats wrong with the people of America that they allowed the carnage of their own civil war to occur? Hundreds of thousands of Americans dead at the hands of other Americans.

That's what a civil war is. That Americans can't grasp what is taking place in Iraq is evidence that they barely comprehend their own history, in which hundreds of thousands died in a civil war sparked by differing ideologies, one in which Federal authority pitted itself against the zealots of State Rights hoping to preserve institutions that offended other States, drawing in other nations (England, France and Germany to name but a few) to a quagmire that the Empires of its time tried desperately to extricate themselves from towards the end.

That people ask questions like 'what is wrong with the people of Iraq' is a living, breathing example of why Iraq is a problem.

maybe it is ourselves that fail. we elect someone who desparatly wants a job that few would want. why can't we find the best person for the job and convince them to take it?

Hello-

It's very frustrating as a citizen to hear that information is being communicated by our elected officials (in your meeting) under the condition that none of it be relayed to the public. Your job as journalists is to research topics, uncover information, and pass it on to the public in a clear and objective light. If the press is either scared or forbidden to pass on information gained through a press conference to the public, what does it say about free press? The media should pass on EVERYTHING it hears (assuming it's not the plans for a forthcoming attack of some sort). If the government then decides to exclude a major network from future news conferences - THAT should be news as well. The government shouldn't be operating in a shroud of secrecy - we elected them, we deserve to know what's going on. If a shred of the integrity passed to the media from the likes of Murrow and Cronkite still exists, stop bowing down to the wishes of this administration and report the truth for what it is.

Speaking as someone opposed to the war from the beginning, on the grounds that we instead should have pursued more aggressively the actual perpetrator of the 9/11 attack, not a "substitute" bad guy, my fears have not been assuaged one iota. The unwarranted war has cost American lives, reputation, and military resources, plus usurped resources needed for domestic issues (example: Katrina response hindered due to depleted National Guard). The Iraq War damaged America for "generations to come."

I'm sorry guys, but this is not journalism. You are all being dazzled by Karl Rove's theatre, and you are failing to report the truth about the bloodbath taking place in Iraq. I do not want another American soldier to die for this worthless invasion.

I'm the parent of two sons in the military. One is an Iraq veteran, the other is a combat medic in Iraq right this minute. I've come to the conclusion that this president is now completely out of touch with reality. My wife and I are friends with the parents of other soldiers in Iraq...and we help each other when tragedy strikes. I don't know of even one parent who hasn't come to the conclusion that Iraq is a lost cause, that our children are being needlessly sacrificed for nothing. If you want a poll, poll us! If Congress needs to listen to someone, listen to us! Bring all of our sons and daughters home right now. If that means ignoring every other business of government, even if that means removing Bush and Cheney from office, do it. Just bring our children home right now.

It would be interesting to see the president do a speech solely for the purpose of explaining to America why our soldiers are even in Iraq and why they had to go there in the first place. I think that's why a lot of Americans, including me, are confused and frustrated and in disagreement with the whole thing.

Donald Rumsfeld. Even when he is gone he messes things up. Now Bush is so use to getting his news of Iraq filtered, he doesn't know what to do now that things have become clear. We are losing. Badly. Without Rumsfeld to tell the President "This guy's an idiot, don't listen." or, "This guy isn't a team player.", we now have him listening directly to the chiefs of staff. And they are all telling him the troop surge is a bad idea. Why would Bush be ignoring their years of military experience and judgement? Because he has a foundation of mistrust and doubt concerning these men. And why is that? Donald Rumsfeld.

President Bush has every right to be frustrated now that reality has set in. Rumsfeld is gone and Karl Rove miscalculated. All Bush knew to be true is false.

This speech can either show Bush's renewed spirit, or his continuing defiance of the hard truths.

I would like to see Congress challenge Bush on the funding for these extra troops.

Brian,

You have been conned at the pre-game show. The only thing he will do tonight is committ more of our best to the worst war ever. There is nothing he can say tonight that will justify the losses and expense this debacle has cost America. You-the media are not asking the right questions. What is the goal in Iraq? How long can we stay there at 3 billion a month? It is also time for the Democrats to do what the voters want and end this mess or they will be out in 2 year themselves.

Brian - Thank you so much for the insight into your meeting at the White House today. This is why I love this blog: the 'behind the scenes' info you provide to us.

I agree with Amanda: I detest all the media coverage before the speech. I already know what he's going to say, so why even watch it?

But, like others, I will watch. I will watch to see Bush butcher the English language and also to watch his insane arrogance.

Folks, If an individual has an extensive infestation of termites in their house, a total "WAR" is in order. A "tenting" of the whole house. That is the only way to get rid of the pests that will destroy the entire house eventually. In doing this, there are friendly spiders and creatures who may be destroyed also. But it is imperative that the HOUSE STAND. So it is with our enemies who are out to destroy us.We must fight with all our might at hand.

When is Lisa Myer going to show us the response of congressional leaders and what are they going to do about overriding army brass and deploy the weapons from Israel? How many more mistakes and stupid decisions must those in the military have to live with while fighting over in that sand pit? I certainly hope and expect that part of her story is on the way soon!

Chris Lawson:

I can't help but believe that if the Iraqi people found Sadam to be so horrible, they would have risen up and taken him out of power. Instead, they reacted like lemmings for 20 years and let Bush lead us into the trap. The Iraqi people have no personal power; unfortunately, we American people don't either, or we would remove Bush from office.

Brian,
One word in your piece spoke volumes to me. The president sees "opponents" in Congress. I wished you would have asked: Does the president not realize these opponents are the elected representatives of the people? If those representatives are the opposition, then the American People is also his opposition! They, as our representatives, are OUR voices.

Mr Bush can never say for sure there will be victory in IRAQ because that victory depends on the IRAQ nation. In a sense, it is out of the President's hands.

For anyone curious as to why the iraqis aren't "stepping up" to take control of their country, I am amazed. Perhaps it is a bit difficult to pick up the remains of a completely war torn and destroyed country, especially if you are impoverished beyond belief and defenseless to random bombings. The notioin that iraq must take control is a clever way to cut and run and take the heat off the damage we have caused. If the US army can't stabilize the country, how does one in their right mind really believe the underfunded, nearly un armed, nearly un governed iraqis can?

Brian, one question for those who simply want to 'end' this in Iraq and get our troops out: what do you think will happen next in Iraq, the U.S. and the world?

Two words solve the problem for the next generation and they are energy independence.

Brian,

I enjoyed your comments today. Your observations suggest the President is comfortable with his decisions and wwhat he has to say tonight. I only wish he surrounded himself with experienced realists instead of inexperienced ideology driven personnel in 2001. History will be harsh on this man and I suspect he is coming to recognize this.

I go along with the feeling that this war was fought in a mistaken manner from the beginning. We needed to get more troops in on day one and also to not have totally disbanded the Iraqi army. This opened up the power vacuum that resulted in the chaos which we have never recovered from. Even now Mr. Bush will not admit the initial mistakes which were made. Twenty Thousand more troops many quiet down some of the hot spots while they are there, but as past experience has taught us, as soon as we are out, the 'bad' ones are right back in.

Glad you enjoyed your ride down and back on the Acela. I hope we get more funding to sustain Amtrak at a level where it can grow and provide the alternative transportation this country needs.

i will have great joy in that day when we as americans will stop bickering among party lines,let us hear what the president has to say,then let us decide unbaisly what is good for the people of iraq and for america.

Brian,
The number of casualties listed now eclipsing 3,000 is not true. As far as I am concerned the number is soaring toward 10,000 since I count the victims of the first world trade center bombing attempt, the bombing of our embassies in Africa, the bombing of the USS. Cole, and not the least of all the final World trade center attack, and Pentagon losses. I certainly think that we had to take the fight to the enemy… The whole “If we leave them alone they’ll leave us alone” thinking is sadly not reality. I also certainly think the War in Iraq has been handled abysmally, but in this society of strained political correctness, where everyone is afraid to stand on principal for fear of public reaction. It is refreshing to have a president who stands for what he believes in-spite of the polls, in-spite of all the criticisms.

Jason Watkins Beaufort, SC
United Sates Marine Capitol of the world!