Bush sends new Iraq budget request

Bush sends new Iraq budget request to US Congress. : "'With his veto threat, the President offers only an open-ended commitment to a war without end that dangerously ignores the repeated warnings of military leaders ... that the conflict cannot be resolved militarily,' she said."

It's true. This has to be solved differently and the plan put forward by President Bush could use up to 30,000 more troops. That is a lot of people to put at stake for a vague outcome. $3 billion is a lot less than the $100 billion that he asked for...but still, $3 billion spent on your own schools, health care and amenities would make such a difference in your own country. I have been trying to work out why President Bush is so determined to stick with something everyone who ought to know is saying is not he best way of going about it. I think it's because he is a man of the land at heart. Whenever he goes away , he goes away to his ranch in Texas. Whenever you hear of his being happy and relaxed, he is on his ranch in Texas. Whenever he really wants to honour someone, he takes them to his ranch in Texas. The land is in his heart and the slow rhythm of the land beats inside of him. So I am thinking he is probably applying country logic and expertise to his problems. To survive on the land, you not only have to be prepared to work long and hard hours, you have to be prepared to put everything on the line to keep your property going. You cannot just walk off because the crops failed. You can't have a hissy fit and chuck in the towel because no one wants to buy beef this year. Our farmers are still out there trying to battle our disgusting drought. They are putting in hours of time and lots of money to try and keep their farms viable. They are toughing it out. They are hanging in there and they are getting what help they can to keep their properties going because it is not only their livelihood, it is our food. Our grape growers are looking at burned and dried up grapes. It's heart breaking but they have not given in. These people are very special and they can manage a challenge past all challenges. So I am thinking this must be how President Bush is seeing the situation in Iraq. He is applying his tough country logic. He is thinking if he quits , then it's like on your farm...you have let nature and/or market forces beat you and you have let your crops and animals down. Farmers all over the world battle tough conditions to get their land into condition and their properties thriving. They don't just give up because it's hard. So it makes better sense to me now where he is coming from, I think. I think he thinks if you just keep working at it, it'll turn right around. Iraq is not a farm and it's not organic. It has become severe and extremely broken. It is a black hole for money and life. It will take some tough thinking to turn it around...but it needs to be tough thinking which can solve this particular crisis. Money and military are not the answer. Sociology, diplomacy, education, psychology...there's a lot to be considered.