In a private session with lawmakers, ... Mr. Bush conceded the war is "sapping our soul," but he said he intended to pursue his plan to send more troops to Iraq.

When you search for "sapping our soul", Google asks in reply, "Did you mean: shaping our soul?" Yes, yes, that's it.

Iraq situation 'winnable,' official says

"Each time I travel outside the International Zone, I’m amazed that virtually every house in Baghdad has a satellite dish on the roof."

Taken on its own, you might be inclined to see this as an astute observation about the complexity of executing a "hearts and minds" campaign in the information age ... and the difficulty faced by the coalition in competing with other voices to be heard on the Iraqi 'street'.

But, no. To him, this is a "positive sign", evidence of a "post-Saddam boom". He seems to have no clue what they're watching ... how is that possible, when the material is so readily accessible? A sample, from a recent interview with Hassan Nasrallah:

I have said on several occasions that our [Zionist] enemy possesses some aspects that I wish we possessed - or that our countries or governments possessed. For example... I even praised Sharon once. I said that although this man is a criminal, a killer, a butcher, and a blood-shedder, there is something positive about the Zionists: They do not abandon their prisoners, and they do not abandon even their prisoners’ bodies, or their remains, even 50 or 60 years after their deaths. This is a positive aspect that you must respect in your enemy. That is why they continue to follow this issue. In Lebanon, for example, there were many prisoners, and nobody ever asked about them, and if you did ask about them, you would get punished. At any rate, this is a positive aspect about the enemy.

... We believe that the solution in Iraq begins with adopting the option of armed resistance - Jihad against the occupation forces. This is my opinion.

Defense Leaders: Iraq Debate Focuses Not on Whether to Win, But How

"It’s a very complex issue, and putting a bumper sticker on it really doesn’t help solve the problem,” Pace said. “The question is, ‘Where are we? Where should we be? And how do we get from where we are to where we’re supposed to be? And that is what the new plan is all about."

DoD News Briefing with Secretary Gates and Gen. Pace from Pentagon

Good morning. I am announcing today that I've recommended to the president two offic... [ Read More (0.3k in body) ]