President Responds to Study Group

For anyone who missed President Bush’s address last evening, I encourage that you take a serious look at the video or official transcript. Without getting into partisan politics in this piece, I am encouraging those following current events and modern history to take note of the next few months. Among the notable aspects of the speech, it was hard to miss the definite overtones from the Iraq Study group. The failure to “clear and hold” troubled areas was mentioned as a crucial stumbling block that requires immediate attention. Study group recommendations #26 thru #28 regarding constitutional review, de-Baathification, and oil revenue sharing were addressed almost verbatim, as was mention of the troubling attempts with training and embedding military leadership with Iraqi forces.

While everyone freely admits the answer is not clear-cut by any means, the President is showing the ability that this nation has to draw upon our resources of a qualified intellectual base. Regardless of political affiliation, Americans, all humanity, should be encouraged by the development of a process to resolve a painful and inhumane situation. While the trouble in Iraq with sectarian violence, poverty, and limited expectations may not be resolved overnight, there is hope that by analyzing the trouble openly and devoting resources globally, we may be able to provide a positive influence in 2007.

The President has used political verbiage to address a strategy; it is now up to the global society to listen to the words and respond to the actions in an attempt to move forward in 2007 and beyond.