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I also want to make clear that I'm not blaming Bush personally for all of this.

I think there's a bunch of stuff that happens that he isn't really involved in

But as President, I do think he needs to ask questions:

Is the State Dept really serving our interests as best as possible?

Is the CIA on my side or are they out to get me and do they have a fundamentally different worldview when it comes to terrorism and Jihad?

Was letting the Mahdi Army off the hook in Najaf the right call?

Was letting Saddam and his top guys live and extending this trial for 3 years the right move?

Are there enough troops to carry out the strategy I set?

Have we dealt with Iran and Syria in the right manner?

Is the al--Maliki govt reliable? or are they in Tehran's pocket?

Is Maliki on my side?

Was an immediate transition to democracy the right approach?

Did we underestimate the depth of sunni-shiite violence and hatreds and have we adapted to it effectively?

Asking these and other questions will only help us achieve what I think all of us on Fr want toachieve, and achieve it in the best way possible

You asked a series of questions, and even though the questions are rhetorical, and I can't speak for the President, but here's my take:

"Is the State Dept really serving our interests as best as possible?"

The State Dept. is full of Clinton appointees who have used every opportunity to undermine the Administration.

"Is the CIA on my side or are they out to get me and do they have a fundamentally different worldview when it comes to terrorism and Jihad?"

The CIA--when it isn't being glaringly incompetent executing its charter--is using every opportunity to undermine the Administration. And yes, they have a world-view, which is predicated on the CIA maintaining its independence, influence, and bureaucratic clout.

"Was letting the Mahdi Army off the hook in Najaf the right call?"

Yes, it was a bad call--Sadr and his men should have blown to the winds.

Was letting Saddam and his top guys live and extending this trial for 3 years the right move?

Saddam should have been squeezed dry for information, then thrown into a basement room filled with the wives of his (now-deceased) political opponents.

"Are there enough troops to carry out the strategy I set?"

Can't speak to manpower levels--if the Generals on the ground need more men, then they should say so.

"Have we dealt with Iran and Syria in the right manner?"

Can't speak to Iran and Syria--a great deal is going on that we--the public--can't possibly know.

"Is the al--Maliki govt reliable? or are they in Tehran's pocket?"

The jury's still out on Maliki and his government--but a good general rule is that adherents of Islam can never be trusted, under any circumstances. Trust their instinct for self-preservation, and remember that the Iranians are most emphatically not Arabs. The Iraqis, Shia and Sunni alike, loathe the Persians even more than they loathe one another.

"Is Maliki on my side?"

See above.

"Was an immediate transition to democracy the right approach?"

Yes, the rapid transition to an electoral political model was the right thing to do. For one thing, the American public would not abide the establishment of a 'transitional' authoritarian government. 'Transitional' governments of that type have a way of becoming permanent fixtures.

"Did we underestimate the depth of sunni-shiite violence and hatreds and have we adapted to it effectively?"

Yes, we underestimated the animosity between Shia and Sunni--who could fully know the hatred these two groups feel for each other? Even the Irish at their fratricidal worst never displayed this kind of socio-suicidal eagerness. But yes, we have been dealing with it. An Army buddy of mine is a retired Sergeant Major with enormous experience in the Middle East, Iraq particularly. According to him, we're working wonders, but it's going to take time.

But here's the rub: it is ultimately Iraqis themselves need to pull this off. We can take them to the well--even build the well--but we can't make them drink.

That's my take on things, anyway.