State
of the
Union
Advice for the Commander in Chief
President George W. Bush will be giving his State of the Union speech on Tuesday. I want to give him advice on what to say about the War in Iraq and how to say it.
I understand that Bush may essentially ignore this topic in his speech. It is rumored that he wants to concentrate more on subjects on which he can agree with the Democratically controlled Congress. This would be a major mistake. It would be a tragically missed opportunity for Bush to communicate with the American people.
Let's assume that the rumors are wrong, and that Bush will speak meaningfully about the War in Iraq.
If this were so, then I'm sure Mr. Bush has heard all kinds of ideas on what to say about Iraq and how to say it, and is deeply concerned with getting it right; but that he believes he doesn't need any extra advice from the blogosphere on it.
I think he's wrong. He's needed sound advice on communicating the War in Iraq for years. In fact, much of the good that he has done in the world gets no credit precisely because of the way he has explained himself to the American people, on a host of issues
—and the way he has explained himself is the product of his judgment and his taking into consideration the advice of his advisers and handlers. They have done a miserable job of communicating all these years. Yes, there have been some good moments when Bush rose to be a good communicator, as in right after 9/11. We were all with him then. However, he has lost us many times since then.
So, Mr. President, here is some advice from a blogger, one representative of the wisdom of your people.
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Conclusion
President Bush:
- Do talk about Iraq at length.
- Level with the American people as much as you can, and give them the feeling that you have a plan for all contingencies.
- Think of a way or ways to involve the American people in the sacrifice for this war.
If you accept my advice, I expect a large check in compensation. Thanks.
Good luck, Mr. President.
Rock
(*Wikipedia is always my source unless indicated.)
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Iraq
Forthcoming and Tight-Lipped
With Iraq, the President needs to be forthcoming, and tight-lipped. He needs to give the nation the feeling that he knows the realities of Iraq. He cannot say too much, as he doesn't want to tip off our enemies about strategies and tactics. He does want to say enough, though, so that Americans know he has planned for all contingencies.A Plan for All Contingencies
This has been missing until now. Bush has always said that Iraq would be tough, but he has seemed surprised by the insurgency and its extent. He should not be surprised by anything. He and his war planners ought to have worked out in advance contingencies for every worst-case scenario that can be imagined. Then, he needs to communicate to the American people that he has a plan for each scenario. Again, he cannot be specific, but he can prepare the American people for the worst, and ask them to be mentally prepared for it.Strategies and Tactics
I must say that Bush often gives the impression that he is always going with one plan, and one plan only. He chooses this plan out of many proffered to him by his generals and experts. He does not seem to be aware of the unintended consequences of war. He seems single-minded in his pursuit of victory.It's not wrong to be single-minded in pursuit of victory. He does, though, need to know that the formula for that victory might be complicated. A good general, or war leader, will attack, retreat, adjust, surround, invade, thrust, divide the enemy—a whole host of strategies and tactics, depending on the progress of the battle and the war. Bush seems to be rigid in implementing one plan at a time, instead of being light on his feet, willing to do whatever it takes to win.
Communicating
In order to gain flexibility in fighting this war, such as in adding 20,000 troops to the field, Bush needs to level with the American people enough to gain their trust. He cannot just say, "Trust me," because the America people do not trust him anymore on the war in Iraq. They need a rationale. They need to understand the stakes. They need to be partners in the decision-making and the sacrifices.Asking for Sacrifice
This leads me to my final point. Bush has ignored a fundamental principle of waging a successful war. He has not involved the American people in any meaningful sacrifice for the war effort. His idea has been to "make it easy" on us while we fight this difficult war. He wants to keep us safe, reassure us, and let the American military do their thing to bring victory to the people.He is wrong. He needs to engage the American people directly in the war.
Whether this means National Service, or drives to make extra armor for the troops, or volunteers to fulfill nonessential duties for servicemen to free them for essential duties, whatever.
I've heard interviewers directly ask Bush about this issue, and he has a deaf ear for it. There are some issues where he is oblivious, and this is one of them.