I agree it's extremely frustrating. I'd like to see more cards on the table, too. The White House hasn't figured out how to deal with an electorate so completely plugged-in and informed as we are. They can't slip anything by just because the MSM isn't paying attention.
That said, I would venture that historically speaking, government strategy has never been a matter for public consumption because it simply couldn't be verified or contradicted by other sources outside of the mainstream press. This is why we didn't make a stink about the ports being in foreign control as they are today - we didn't know about it and it was too hard to investigate. Today, we can Google just about anything and have a general understanding of who, what, where, when, and why these ports are being operated by foreign interests.
So, on the one hand, I understand the government's desire to keep certain things from the public. On the other hand, in this day and age, doing so deserves criticism since it appears the gov't is condescending and telling us "you can't handle the truth". And frankly, Bush needs to wipe out his communications staff and get some adults in there.
The time is coming where the public is going to completely turn off the "War on Terror" rhetoric, whether that's right or wrong. The WH needs to stem this by not engaging in vague, damning transactions that defy reasonable explanation, and then start showing a willingness to seal our borders. Plain and simple.
Maybe he is just simply out of the loop?
You know I have felt that way since the day Mrs Bush went to that stupid morning show to cut us down for not supporting Mier's nomination. That told me, there are a bunch of idiots over there. BUT, knowing the president... he will never do that. BUT, we, on the other hand, CAN AND SHOULD voice our disagreement when confronted with a situation such as this one. Maybe the White House will figure us out sooner or later.. that is to be seen.
I know not everyone in FR agrees with my position and that is fine, but I feel compelled to raise my voice when something like this happens
Clue: for me this is not JUST about the ports... it has do do with the "inconsistency" of having people dying in Iraq in the name or SECURITY, when the president has demonstrated - clearly to me - for whatever reason, he does not have will or desire to secure the borders FIRSTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!... and then, deal with the rest of Immigration problem.