I most definitely agree with Pat Lang on this one. It seems virtually everyone agrees at this point that the findings of the Baker-Hamilton Iraq Study Group will lead to a major change in US policy in Iraq.
But that is, to put it politely, nuts. What in this president's past performance suggests he is willing to admit his past policies have been failures? What makes people think he is suddenly going to support some form of withdrawal? Or that he will suddenly be willing to negotiate with Iran and Syria? Does everyone really expect that some time next year he's going to admit that the policies he's steadfastly implemented for 6 years have been a failure?
Nevertheless, that seems to be what everyone expects. I, for the record, do not. I would, of course, love it if it happened, but I see absolutely no reason to suspect it will.
Which makes me wonder... with these expectations set, what is going to happen when Bush doesn't make any serious changes? How will that decision be framed? And how will the ensuing debate be covered? The Dems better be ready, because if he doesn't make major changes, the domestic political opportunities will be enormous.
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