With King George’s poll ratings heading further down the toilet, it won’t be long before Republicans start heading for the exits en mass. The thinking within the Bush inner circle once was that he could ride out the war in Iraq until his term mercifully comes to an end. The chance of him now being able to ride things out seems slim to none. If sufficient progress in the war in Iraq isn’t made by September 2007, Mr. Bush will have to give up the ghost, and come up with a speedy exit strategy, having rejected the Democrat’s planned phase out.
Each day that we remain in Iraq, American and Iraqi casualties go up significantly. Our troops have been redeployed two, three and in some instances, four times and they are being stressed beyond human endurance. What they are experiencing is the equivalent of being forced to play Russian Roulette over and over again, all the while hoping the bullet won’t be in the chamber the next time. The Republican Party faithful find all of this troubling as they head towards election ’08. Mr. Bush barely rated a mention at the recent Republican Presidential Candidate Debate, which was held in the Ronald Reagan Library. The late President’s name became a mantra, evoked numerous times by all who participate in the debate.
Sitting President Bush barely rated a mention. His failings both domestically and internationally are obvious. Mr. Bush gives high marks to incompetence, as most recently demonstrated with Alberto Gonzales, his beleaguered Attorney General who has politicized the Justice Department into the just-us-Republicans Department. Hurricane Katrina still hangs over our collective heads like a bad dream, and now we find there are not enough National Guards available in Kansas and elsewhere to handle local emergencies. We are so weak at home that six Islamic extremists planned to attack Fort Dix in New Jersey, in order to relieve them of their weapons cache.
None of this looks good for Republicans aspiring for any elective office. The latest polls would suggest that any Republican chosen, as the presidential standard barer would lose to the Democratic nominee, no matter whom that nominee turns out to be. Is there any wonder why there may be a stampede towards the exits come this fall? Under Mr. Bush, the Republicans are losing the one thing they used to be able to hang their hats on, the national defense argument. If the six recently captured extremist are any indication, the terrorists are already here. Ayman Zahieri al-Qaeda’s second in command recently congratulated Mr. Bush on his insistence in keeping the troops in Iraq. Mr. Zahieri hopes to kill 100.000 soldiers to make as he puts it, “an unforgettable example.” The American people are becoming painfully aware that this President has sold them a bill of goods. It will be interesting to see how many Republican, who heretofore marched lockstep will be abandoning ship by September.
050807cm--Copyright © 2007. All rights reserved.
Cedric McClester is an award winning journalist who has written for local, national and international publications. He has a Masters of Science Degree in Education from New York's Fordham University. The Boston born journalist is married and resides in New York. Mr. McClester is the author of the leading selling book on the topic of Kwanzaa, the African-American cultural holiday. His latest effort is a childrens book entitled: The Legend of Nia Umoja, on the Gumbs and Thomas imprint.
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