The Prez and the Press

Contrary to what you may have heard, the Prez offered some helpful information at his press conference on Monday. Asked about his strategy in Iraq and whether or not he should rethink it, he replied, "If I didn't think it would work, I would change -- our commanders would recommend changing the strategy. They believe it will work." So he's not taking about changing the strategy that seems to get us more and more mired in Iraq, because the one we've got is doing just fine. Yes, this has been asked before, but how dire would the situation have to get for us to think maybe things weren't working out so well?

He was also asked about a timetable for ending the occupation of Iraq and getting the military out of there. He answered, "We're not leaving, so long as I'm the President. That would be a huge mistake." That leaves only two years and about four months before some other president might order the troops to come home, but that's only if everybody cooperates.

And the question (and answer) we've all been waiting for was dealt with, as well. What exactly did Saddam Hussein have to do with al Qaeda? "Nothing, except for it's part of -- and nobody has ever suggested in this administration that Saddam Hussein ordered the attack. Iraq was a -- the lesson of September the 11th is, take threats before they fully materialize, Ken. Nobody has ever suggested that the attacks of September the 11th were ordered by Iraq." And there you have it. Case closed. The 9/11 attack has nothing whatsoever to do with our invasion of Iraq. That makes the question of why we did invade Iraq still unanswered, but maybe the Prez'll get around to explaining that in a couple years' time when he holds his next press conference.