On the Times op-ed page, Anthony Cordesman offers a devastating reality check on the Bush speech — made all the more withering for its even-handed calm.
Too bad that, in the print version, the type is so tiny; and in the online version, the critique is literally hidden from view until you click. This material should be highlighted, not buried.
The president’s speech offered the administration’s first grudging admission, after four years, that things aren’t as they should be in Iraq. But the phrasing was classic CEO buck-avoidance:
“Where mistakes have been made, the responsibility rests with me.”
Consider the different emotional impact of applying a simple Strunk and White transformation to the statement:
“We made mistakes, and I’m responsible for them.”
[tags]president bush, iraq, new york times, language, usage[/tags]
Post Revisions:
There are no revisions for this post.