What a surprise. Bush and minions have a new strategy for Iraq.

“Our Strategy is Clear…We will help the Iraqi people build a new Iraq with a constitutional, representative government that respects civil rights and has security forces sufficient to maintain domestic order and keep Iraq from becoming a safe haven for terrorists. To achieve this end, we are pursuing a comprehensive approach that involves the integrated efforts of the entire United States Government, the Iraqi government, and Coalition governments, and encourages the active involvement of the United Nations, other international organizations, and supportive regional states. “

We are helping the Iraqi government build stable, pluralistic, and effective national institutions that can protect the interests of all Iraqis, and facilitate Iraq's full integration into the international community.

We are helping the Iraqi government clear areas of enemy control by remaining on the offensive, killing and capturing enemy fighters and denying them safe-haven and hold areas freed from enemy control by ensuring that they remain under the control of a peaceful Iraqi government with an adequate Iraqi security force presence and build Iraqi Security Forces and the capacity of local institutions to deliver services, advance the rule of law, and nurture civil society.”

Sounds like a reasonable approach. Unfortunately, this was Bush’s blueprint for Victory in Iraq published in November 2005. And you know how successful this strategy has been.

What are new ingredients that make this forthcoming plan for victory he and his neo-con dunderheads are announcing on Wednesday? Let me guess what will be proposed:

Increasing US troop levels. Generals Abizad and Casey are out. Why? They too thought this was a stupid idea. Let’s increase the number of US troops to ensure more body bags come home under the cover of night at Dover AFB.

Stepping up our training of Iraqi security forces. That’s a novel idea that has worked so well over the past 4 years. Most of the security forces, police and army, are so infiltrated with Shiite militia; they have no credibility with the Sunni minorities. Even at the execution of Saddam, members of Sadr’s private army assisted and hurled verbal assaults at the deposed dictator as he dropped through the gallows.

Increasing our financial support to bolster the economy. That’s has been an abject failure from the beginning. Millions of dollars are unaccounted for, squandered, wasted, or spirited out of the country by corrupt Iraqi officials. There are fewer basic services in Baghdad today than before the war.

They lied about the reasons for the war. They hired sycophants and political operatives to run the war. They continue to lie about the numbers of attacks and casualties in Iraq.

It was not for bad judgment; they would have no judgment at all. Where is the outrage? Who will speak out against this madness? Beltway pundits apparently have amnesia. Or they have actually benefited from their misjudgments. Our friends at Radar provide some interesting examples. http://www.radaronline.com/features/2007/01/betting_on_iraq_1.php.

The so-called beltway pundits can’t or won't remember how many times Bush and his minions have trotted out their tired and dishonest new approaches to win in Iraq over the past 4 years. Yogi Berra said it best, “It is déjà vu all over again.” Unfortunately, this repeat performance costs lives.