More on Bush in Iraq - Be Afraid

To quote Bush, as reported by the New York Times, "…when we begin to draw down troops from Iraq, it will be from a position of strength and success, not from a position of fear and failure. To do otherwise would embolden our enemies and make it more likely that they would attack us at home."

One could conclude that this position of strength and success that Bush postulates is possible only due to the surge of troops added to the Iraq mission. Or perhaps, it was due to a change in tactics that only the surge of troops could implement. Or perhaps, the success is more hype than reality. In any case, regardless of what produces success, the lack of it supposedly will embolden our enemies and make it more likely that they would attack us at home. Will someone please explain to me how that works? A lack of success in Iraq somehow reduces our ability to maintain internal security. How? A lack of success somehow improves the ability of al-Qaida in Iraq to obtain the logistical resources to attack the U.S. mainland, or Hawaii or Alaska or Puerto Rico. How? In other words, we are supposed to believe that al-Qaida's strength is inversely proportional to ours. If we are stronger, they are weaker. If we are weaker, they are stronger. This type of relationship between them and us is nonsense, just as the idea that withdrawal from Iraq will make us less secure at home. It's the same old story, drive a wedge of fear between our common sense and our critical-thinking ability so they don't work together. Of course, the success may be illusory, just as Bush's fear-mongering is an attempt to create an illusion of al-Qaida prowess. Be wary of those who would confuse you. By the way, wouldn't drawing down troop levels, weaken our position and embolden the enemy. Sounds like quagmire to me.