BULLETIN No.174

President's Address to the Nation (text – video) Highlights of the Iraq Strategy Review (PDF) ---Fact Sheet: The New Way Forward in Iraq ---- Background Briefing by Senior Administration Officials
Democracy Arsenal 10 Fallacies of Bush's New Strategy
NYT Editorial The Real Disaster Wednesday night was President Bush’s chance to stop offering more fog and be honest with the nation about Iraq, and he did not take it.
Military Analysis: Bid to Secure Baghdad Relies on Troops and Iraqi Leaders By MICHAEL R. GORDON
Bush’s Strategy for Iraq Risks Confrontations President Bush is taking a calculated gamble that the American people will give him more time to turn around the war in Iraq.
To Counter Iran’s Role in Iraq, Bush Moves Beyond Diplomacy
WP Analysis: As He Touts a 'Way Forward,' Bush Admits Errors of the Past
Editorial Mr. Bush's Strategy The president raises the number of troops -- and the level of risk -- in Iraq.
Hadley's Role: Bush's New Plan for Iraq Echoes Key Parts of Earlier Memo
The Mess at State By Robert D. Novak, The judgment by thoughtful Republicans is that Condoleezza Rice has failed to manage world diplomacy.
McClatchy Bush outlines new tactics for Iraq, but faces big obstacles
Fred Kaplan What happens if the Iraqis fail again?
The President's Face Showed Fear - Howard Fineman, Newsweek
Wall Street Journal Two Alliances Bush has managed to divide and conquer the Middle East. By BY EDWARD N. LUTTWAK It was the hugely ambitious project of the Bush administration to transform the entire Middle East by remaking Iraq into an irresistible model of prosperous democracy. Having failed in that worthy purpose, another, more prosaic result has inadvertently been achieved: divide and rule, the classic formula for imperial power on the cheap.
Forward Sharon Warned BushThe Strategic Interest Yossi Alpher
Sometime prior to March 2003, then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told President Bush privately in no uncertain terms what he thought about the Iraq plan. Sharon’s words — revealed here for the first time — constituted a friendly but pointed warning to Bush. Read more
Independent Robert Fisk: Bush's new strategy
Patrick Cockburn: Man who now holds Iraq's future in his hands
UPI Intelligence Watch: Target on Iran? Is U.S. President George W. Bush contemplating a U.S. air strike on Iran or permitting Israel to attempt one?
IraqSlogger US Papers Thurs: New Strategy in Iraq
Iraqi Papers Thursday: Sistani Chimes In
Amer Araim What Is the Recipe for Ending the War in Iraq? San Francisco Chronicle
Tony Karon Bush’s New Iraq Plan: Bomb Tehran
Independent Robert Fisk: A dictator created then destroyed by America
Iraq: A Nation Soaked in Blood Tears Itself Apart by Patrick Cockburn
Iraq: What to Expect After Saddam Hussein's ExecutionStratfor
RFE/RL Iraq: What Impact Will Hussein's Death Have?
New York Times Plan Sets Series of Goals for Iraq Leaders
Bush Plan for Iraq Requests More Troops and More Jobs
Washington Post Critics Say 'Surge' Is More of The Same Past Troop Buildups Have Not Quelled Iraq - Criticism grows in and outside White House that proposed troop buildup, economic aid and political benchmarks will not do much to stabilize Iraq.
The Smart Surge: Diplomacy By Wesley K. Clark
War Against Time Once Again, a U.S. Plan for Iraq Envisions Months Where Years Are Required By Jackson Diehl,
War's Toll on Iraqis Tripled in Late 2006 In first six months, 5,640 Iraqi civilians and police were killed; 17,310 were killed in latter half, according to data provided by a health official.
Independent on Sunday Future of Iraq: The spoils of war Iraq's massive oil reserves, the third-largest in the world, are about to be thrown open for large-scale exploitation by Western oil companies under a controversial law which is expected to come before the Iraqi parliament within days
Blood and oil: How West will profit from Iraq's precious commodity
One last push and that’s you finished in Iraq, Mr President SİMON JENKİNS The idea that such a hellhole can be policed back to normality with extra troops is absurdNew York Times Getting the Middle East Back on Our Side By BRENT SCOWCROFT
The 'Surge Strategy': Political Arguments and Military Realities Stratfor By George Friedman
AEI Choosing Victory: A Plan for Success in Iraq Executive Summary+ Full Report (PDF; 3.6 MB)
Alon Liel: Saddam's hanging will ultimately embarrass the U.S.
End of Another Year in Iraq Riverbend
McClatchy Analysts doubt Bush will benefit from Saddam's pending execution
UPI Analysis: Saddam's execution badly timed
NYT Justice, but No Reckoning By NAJMALDIN KARIM It is a great shame that Saddam Hussein will not be held accountable for all of his crimes, and a far greater tragedy that he was allowed, sometimes with American complicity, to commit them in the first place.
Poll: 90% of Iraqis Say Worse Off Than Before Invasion
Pentagon Maps Plans for Iraq Surge
Few New Ideas in Army's Surge Options for Iraq
Military Poll: More Troops Unhappy With Bush’s Course in Iraq
Juan Cole Saddam: The death of a dictator
NYT Obituary The Defiant Despot Oppressed Iraq for More Than 30 Years
Analysts Doubt Bush Will Benefit From Saddam's Execution

William Arkin War With Syria and Iran = Peace With Iraq?
U.S. to step up offensive against Iranians, Syrians in Iraq
Peace without Golan Like Turks, Israel must show determination in dealings with Syria Ynetnews
Israel's dilemma over Syria Seattle Post Intelligencer
Working Syria, Iran Into Talks on Iraq By: Paul Richter Los Angeles TimesAlthough President Bush has rejected proposals for direct talks with Syria and Iran over the future of Iraq, officials in his administration are working to find a way to include those countries in negotiations in a way that might be acceptable to Bush.
Israeli, Syrian officials gather in Spain to mark historic 1991 meet
Russia backs Syria in probe request (Nicholas Kralev)
Sanctions Imposed on Iran, Syria Arms Suppliers By: Bill Gertz The Washington Times
Syria seen as moving away from Iran World Peace Herald

PINR "Lebanon: A Strained Political Stalemate" Full text of report
Hezbollah Widens Anti-Government Campaign Protest Opens Promised Phase of Daily Demonstrations in Lebanese Capital
Daily Star Lebanese need to understand that democracy is not a free ride
Michael J Totten Hezbollah's Christian Allies MI chief: Al-Qaida militants in Lebanon planning attacks
Israel Harel: Gaza pullout, Lebanon war were strategic failures

Ha’aretz Meshal: Hamas recongizes existence of State of Israel as established fact
Bar’el Hamas and Israel / Road map to recognition
Jerusalem Post Israel and Hamas downplay Mashaal's comments Israeli diplomat: "Saying Israel is an established fact is just a recognition of reality, it doesn't say they accept this fact."
Sunday Times Israel plans nuclear strike Air force squadrons are training to blow up Iran's uranium-enrichment facility using low-yield nuclear “bunker-busters”, according to several Israeli military sources
Leader A giant and scary leap Israel is planning an audacious attack on Iran's nuclear sites at Natanz, Isfahan, and Arak. How seriously should we take this threat of action?
Yedioth Ahronoth Is nuke attack realistic?
Analysis: Israel's numerous war wounds By ANSHEL PFEFFER
Beyond the long list of those killed and injured, what was the most serious damage the war caused us?
Dahlan to Haaretz: We proved to Hamas that Gaza is not theirs