to follow up on my last post, the independent has an article about bush's "secret plan" to establish a permanent military presence in iraq before he leaves office. (some secret)
anyway, the article doesn't address all my questions, but it does give the theory that bush would use such an agreement to "declare victory" in iraq before the 2008 elections, allowing mccain to follow up on that theme and somehow profit off of the declaration in his election campaign. maybe that is what is running through bush's mind and explains bush's efforts to seal the deal right away.
but if that's what bush is thinking, it also makes me realize that the guy is even more clueless than i thought. as i mentioned in my prior posts, any actual treaty would have to be ratified by both the congress and the iraqi parliament. neither is likely to ratify the measure. if somehow bush completes the deal this summer with maliki, i don't see how having iraq explode with protests against the measure, demanding the right to vote it down, while democrats make hay about the matter in congress will do anything but highlight how little iraq resembles bush's version of "victory."
plus, didn't he already try the "mission accomplished" announcement ploy five years ago? if i were mccain, i wouldn't be looking for any more help from this administration.
