Kerry on Iraq today
I didn't hear it, but the speech as prepared is a good read. Hammering home the theme that Bush/Cheney refuse to tell the truth about Iraq, both the reason for going and the present state, is a strong one. He must stay with it. Surrogates must pound and pound it until it starts to sink in. The President deserves to be on the defensive about Iraq, and Kerry has to put him there.

Here's part of the conclusion:

On May 1 of last year, President Bush stood in front of a now infamous banner that read “Mission Accomplished.” He declared to the American people: “In the battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed.” In fact, the worst part of the war was just beginning, with the greatest number of American casualties still to come. The president misled, miscalculated, and mismanaged every aspect of this undertaking and he has made the achievement of our objective – a stable Iraq, secure within its borders, with a representative government, harder to achieve.

In Iraq, this administration’s record is filled with bad predictions, inaccurate cost estimates, deceptive statements and errors of judgment of historic proportions.

At every critical juncture in Iraq, and in the war on terrorism, the President has made the wrong choice. I have a plan to make America stronger.

The President often says that in a post 9-11 world, we can’t hesitate to act. I agree. But we should not act just for the sake of acting. I believe we have to act wisely and responsibly.

George Bush has no strategy for Iraq. I do.

George Bush has not told the truth to the American people about why we went to war and how the war is going. I have and I will continue to do so.

He offers 4 steps he thinks the President should take right now, and that he will pursue as President as part of his plan for Iraq. Why any American would want to continue on the course we're on now is beyond me.