Iraq - the same words, just said louder

It's well known that Americans in a foreign country tend to handle the language barrier by simply repeating the same words, just louder.

So, "which way to the railway station" becomes "WHICH ... WAAAY ... TOOO ... THE … RAIL ... WAY ...STAYYY ... SHUN."

Today George Bush showed the presidential version of this tendency when he responded to his lack of effectiveness in Iraq, not with a change in strategy, but with the same old strategy escalated by the assignment of another 20,000 troops.

Perhaps Bush will come out and say why he thinks these extra troops will solve the hostility that exists between Iraqis. However, this looks like a lousy idea that is, sadly, the only idea.

It seems unlikely that Iran or Syria would be happy to work with America to stabilise Iraq as that would free up American military resources. And that freed capability could be used to menace Tehran or Damascus.

They’d probably prefer America to continue to be bogged down in a messy conflict that will sap the American public’s tolerance for casual invasions. This way, when the US has to finally leave Iraq in failure and disgrace, they can be confident that whoever is in the White House at the time will think twice before gamble his political future on another oil war.