Ugh, never enough time

Okay, my original post was to be a detailed discussion about the Baker-Hamilton Iraq commission report. However, I spent the time with Beth, watching TV and then, uh, cuddling with Beth some more, and ran out of time.

Instead, here is another post of Aaron random thoughts:

• I saw the Jim Lehrer show tonight on PBS with James Baker and Lee Hamilton taking questions on the report their Congress commissioned Iraq Study report group released. Great interview; click here for the web link to Jim Lehrer's show and audio of the interview. I was very impressed by both Baker and Hamilton, they are very smart and very articulate. I hope one of them runs for President.
• They released the report in book form for purchase. I think I am going to buy a copy. I like what they had to say. Their recommendations are solid, pragmatic and achievable. Their arguments for their plan were well thought and detailed. They linked high level strategy with on the ground tactics and offered a solid plan for moving forward. The problem is their recommendations are very different then what Bush is currently advocating. Despite the study group we could just be in for more of the same.
• An argument I didn't hear them make against "staying the course" which I think is important involves our troops: sure, our troops want to know their fight was not in vain, but do you think they want to hear they will be Iraq indefinitely while we wait for the Iraqis to get their acts together?
• Which brings me to another random thought - when did this become an Iraqi problem? If we hadn't messed things up so badly we wouldn't even be having this discussion. Isn't it nice how American officials blame the Iraqis for our current quagmire?
• Anyway, lots of great recommendations in the report; read it!
  
• The administration was represented by White House counselor Dan Bartlett. I find it interesting the WH message is being delivered by a lawyer and wonder what the WH is trying to say by having one of their main spokespeople be an attorney. By the way, has anyone seen Condi?
  
• One of the more interesting statements Bartlett made is that the President had not yet read the full Iraq Study Group report. I wondered, will he read the full report? Seems like something a President would do. Seems like a question a reporter should ask.
  
• It seems to me Bush's style, whether conscious or not, is to play people against one another, with Cheney doing the leg-work. I can imagine a scenario where in the initial stages Bush plays all nicey-nice with someone until that someone begins to feel close to the President. The President makes a bunch of promises about how the new person will be part of the inner-circle. Then, Cheney comes in and starts to put a wedge in between said person and the President. A subtle wedge based on telling said person that another new person has more influence or contact or is better liked by the President. Said person, say Condi or Snow or Paulson, then begins to worry more about courting the President's favor then doing their job. It becomes about competition for the President's approval. Or, on the other extreme, he just completely ignores what you say and so you rail against him. You end up with one group who wants his approval and attention and another group that hates him and either way, people are then pitted against one another. It has happened with his Cabinet, Congress, the Armed Forces, the American people and the world. Everyone hates him but can't do anything about it. Except for Cheney; he loves him, for whatever reason, and he can do something about how the President acts.
  

Okay, I think that is it for now.

By the way, I have been in self-portrait mode. I will post some pictures this weekend, but until then, here is a preview:




PS - Tonight I also watched a couple "Growing Pains" reruns. You know the show with Kirk Cameron; I love that show! It was fun; so wholesome, sweet, yet endearing. They have some great family conversations.

Alright, enough already - off to bed with me!