The definition of quagmire

For all the happy talk, are things unraveling in Iraq? Cowed by the civilians in the Pentagon a year ago, only now is the call going out for more troops.

Will it be a few days or a few weeks before the June 30 date to transfer power is suddenly "revised" by Bremer and Bush?

PRESIDENT BUSH: I just met with Specialist Chris Hill's (ph) family from North Carolina.

You know, I told the family how much we appreciated his sacrifice -- he was killed in Iraq -- and assured him that we would stay the course, that a free Iraq was very important for peace in the world, long-term peace, and that we're being challenged in Iraq because there are people there that hate freedom.

But the family was pleased to hear that that, you know, that we would -- that their son would not have died in vain. And that's an important message that I wanted to share with you today.

Let me ask a couple of question. Who's the AP person?

QUESTION: I am.

BUSH: You are. Well, ask it.

QUESTION: Sir, in regard to...

BUSH: Who are you talking to?

QUESTION: Mr. President, in regard to the June 30th deadline, is there a chance that that would be moved back?

BUSH: No, the intention is to make sure the deadline remains the same. I believe we can transfer authority by June 30th. We're working toward that date.

Obviously, constantly in touch with Jerry Bremer on the transfer of sovereignty.

The United Nations is over there now, United Nations representative is there now to work on the -- on to whom we transfer sovereignty. I mean, in other words, it's one thing to decide to transfer, we are now in the process of deciding what the entity will look like to whom we will transfer sovereignty. But, no, the date remains firm.

Stretch?

They still don't know to whom they will be transferring power in less than three months. But even more disturbing is that Bush continues with his "they hate freedom" nonsense. It seems to me that in Iraq, it's not freedom they hate, it is -- increasingly -- the occupiers they hate. And if Bush and his advisors can't recognize that, can't understand what is motivating the attacks on coalition forces, then we are in for a truly long, hard slog.

For instance,

BUSH: My judgment is, is that the closer we come to the deadline, the more likely it is people will challenge our will. In other words, it provides a convenient excuse to attack.

In this particular incident with Sadr, this is one person who is deciding that rather than allow democracy to flourish, he's going to exercise force. And we just can't let it stand. As I understand, the CPA today announced the warrant for his arrest.

This is one person -- or this is a person and followers who are trying to say, "We don't want democracy. As a matter of fact, we'll decide the course of democracy by the use of force." And that is the opposite of democracy.

Huh? Although Sadr may be the leader of the latest resistance, what is going on in Fallujah, Baghdad, and elsewhere in recent days point to more than "one person." But Bush believes that if they can just nab the "evil doer," all his problems will magically disappear.

That is not a plan, and as Mark Twain once said, "You can't pray a lie."