Preview Obama's Iraq Address: The always Sunny Sunni Awakening

In other words, there will be no credit given to Bush nor will there be an admission the surge worked:

In his interview with CNN, Gibbs suggested the improved conditions in Iraq were the result of more than the decision to add more troops in 2007.

"We knew that adding those men and women in there would improve the security situation, but the reason we are where we are today is because of an improved political situation," Gibbs said on CNN's American Morning.

"We know that the Sunni awakening, Sunni tribes in the western part of Iraq began not to fight with but to fight against al Qaeda. And all of those circumstances led to a point in which we're at today," he continued. "I will say this, john - I think many people believe that when the president made a commitment to end our combat mission in Iraq by August 31st, 2010, I am not sure many people believed that he could pull it off."

As Ed Morrissey notes, what exactly did Obama pull off:

 Obama will call George W. Bush today? I hadn’t heard that part of the clip while doing the show this morning. How will that conversation go, anyway? “Thanks, Mr. President, for leaving me a turnkey policy for Iraq that I managed not to screw up, and I’ll be sure to talk nice about you after the election is over.”

We all know that Obama lacks the political courage to admit he was wrong about the surge let alone admit that Bush deserves the credit.  Instead he will call Bush privately just before he goes on the air to take credit for ending the war in Iraq or something.  This is utterly and completely shameless.  At this point, however, should we really have expected anything else?

To add insult to injury, Obama is expected to subtly point out he would never have gone to Iraq period:

A large chunk of the speech will be taken up by the president's careful description of the sacrifices that a million U.S. soldiers and diplomats have made by their service in Iraq, and how 4,400 Americans did not come home.

Then, a pivot point: the Iraq drawdown has allowed the president to refocus attention on the threat from Al Qaeda worldwide, and he will mention that the terrorist network is degraded, albeit still capable of waging terrorist attacks and intending to do so.
He will note that the government will be able to reap a bit of a post-Iraq transition dividend, allowing the administration to invest more in job creation, health care, and education here at home. (Subtly, the point: Obama wouldn't have gone into Iraq, so we wouldn't have had to spend as much as we did.) It's time, he will say, to build our own nation.

Shall we continue building the nation in the style we've become accustomed to in the 19 months we have endured during the Obama administration? Please spare us.  Heaven knows what Obama might have done had he been dealt the same cards Bush was dealt early in his presidency.   Americans seem to have experienced their own Sunny Awakening since the heady days they bought into the Obama myth.  Only those who still see him capable of turning back the tide and healing the planet can imagine he would have spared the country from war while building a path to prosperity.  We've seen his health care and job creation; thanks but no thanks Mr. President.

Related:

Busted! Fox's Carlson Catches Gibbs In A Naked Lie--Asks 6 Times If Obama Will Credit Bush Tonight

 Troops yet to give Obama full salute Via Michelle Malkin


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