Ass Backwards

If this article weren't so depressing, it'd be hilarious. I'll pull out the high(low?)lights.

President Bush made clear in a private meeting this week that he was concerned about the lack of progress in Iraq and frustrated that the new Iraqi government — and the Iraqi people — had not shown greater public support for the American mission, participants in the meeting said Tuesday.

I guess it's good that he's "concerned" and that he at least noticed that, hey, Iraq's a mess. But, really, it's 2006! Some concern might have been nice a few years ago. And as for the bolded section, gimme a break. It's like a bully whining that no one likes him.

“I sensed a frustration with the lack of progress on the bigger picture of Iraq generally — that we continue to lose a lot of lives, it continues to sap our budget,” said one person who attended the meeting. “The president wants the people in Iraq to get more on board to bring success.”

Again, it's nice that he's noticed that things aren't going so well, but why wasn't he doing this a few years ago. And what happened to being greeted with roses? Did he just realize that that didn't happen?

More generally, the participants said, the president expressed frustration that Iraqis had not come to appreciate the sacrifices the United States had made in Iraq, and was puzzled as to how a recent anti-American rally in support of Hezbollah in Baghdad could draw such a large crowd. “I do think he was frustrated about why 10,000 Shiites would go into the streets and demonstrate against the United States,” said another person who attended.

Oh my. I can't stand this man. Hey, maybe they don't appreciate the sacrifices because it hasn't really worked out for them--did you ever think of that? And maybe it's not just them--it's you, with the things you've said and not done (like effectively bring democracy and security to a country you invaded on trumped up, confrused premises) and the things you've done and not said (like rendition and secret prisons).

Participants said Mr. Bush appeared serious and engaged during the lunch, which lasted more than 90 minutes, as the experts went through a lengthy discussion of the political, ethnic, religious and security challenges in Iraq.

Whew. That's a relief.

One participant in the lunch, Carole A. O’Leary, a professor at American University who is also doing work in Iraq with a State Department grant, said Mr. Bush expressed the view that “the Shia-led government needs to clearly and publicly express the same appreciation for United States efforts and sacrifices as they do in private.”

Erm, what's in it for them? Now that I think more about it, it would indeed be good if we got more credit for our good intentions. It would be good for Iraq, even. But intentions only get you so far, and an Iraqi government that's already likely unstable has no incentive to align itself more closely with an unpopular occupier.

Vali R. Nasr, an expert on Shia Islam, said the Pentagon meeting appeared to be an effort to give White House, Pentagon and State Department officials better insight into Iraq’s religious and ethnic mix.

“They wanted new insight, so they could better understand the arena in which they are making policy,” said Mr. Nasr, author of “The Shia Revival.”

This administration's incompetence and lack of preparation drives me crazy. You get that background information before you act, not 3.5 years after you've gone rampaging into a situation you don't understand. Ad hoc, improvisational policy based on a complete lack of knowledge of the surroundings practically begs to fail.

Trying desperately for optimism, I could say, "Better late than never." But, really, I think it's more "Too little, too late."

I just can't stand it. I want to do good. I want this to work out well. But with these people running things, I don't see how it can happen. And I don't see how it can happen after they've had 8 years to make a complete mess of everything.