In the midst of bloodshed and turmoil in Iraq, Bush is playing political games rather than offering a strategic shift in foreign policy and the tactics used in gaining the upper hand in Iraq. The American, Iraqi, and people from all over are desperately crying for a plausible solution. We are sick and tired of having to witness a President who continually walks around blind without a cane.

By sending 21,000 more troops into the Middle Eastern theatre, Bush is essentially daring the Democratic Congress to cut funding for the war since they will not be able to stop the President from sending more troops. He knows that he can then turn around and blame Democrats for not supporting our troops overseas and any future failures his administration suffers in the Iraq conflict. This would ultimately give his party a fighting chance in the 2008 elections.

The Democrats already know that Bush’s new troop surge is more of the same and that historically similar levels of deployment have proven to be nothing but ineffective. Terrorism is a global threat. Instead of fighting the same guerilla type fighters in multiple hotspots around the world, Bush decided to use conventional and outdated tactics to hold the peace after major conflict had resided. Yet we now find ourselves on some aimless imperial quest.

The global threat of terrorism needs to be addressed by a global response, not just the United States alone. Acting in a stubborn and unilateral fashion in regards to this specific issue will not win us the military or financial support we had during the first Gulf War. In order to rally the world to our cause there can be no question as to the justification and morals of the mission. We need leadership that not only values the lives of Americans, but citizens in our worldwide community as well because our fates are more closely tied together than ever before.

If the Democrats continue to fund this war, Bush can once again make the argument that his decisions were justified because the opposition party, at least in part, were on board as well. Democrats were a minority party who based their votes on the evidence presented before them by a Republican Congress. Not only was the information provided in question, but the post September 11th vote was only to give the President the authority needed to respond, not specifically invade another country. Who could blame them, at that point in time Americans were looking for answers and we wanted them immediately.

It is a game of Political Chess. Thus, a maneuvering in which the Democrats find themselves with the upper hand in Congress, yet unable to make a strategic move. Right now, they have the political capital and support from the majority of the American people. What is needed is the ability to reframe the arguments and justly pin responsibility of this war on the President and the Republican lead 109th Congress that was just voted out for having lost the public trust and leading the nation to war. We need to refocus our attention on issues such as alternative energy, education, health care, internal terrorism security, budget deficit, environment, rebuilding New Orleans, Social Security, etc. These are a growing list of problems right here at home that will not go away unless we face them together, one at a time.

Unfortunately, the biggest catalyst for change may not be until the national elections of 2008. In the meantime expect more indecision and use of the political middle finger from both parties.