Can we now say Bush is totally clueless?

One of the Preznit's tactics for justifying Situation FUBAR has been to compare it to invoke World War II and compare Iraq to the Axis nations. Why shouldn't 'Merica stay to help rebuild Iraq? We helped rebuild Germany and Japan after World War II, right? Okay, George, this one's a no-brainer: Germany and Japan were ethnically homogenous nations whose people hadn't been at each other's throats for centuries. They'd had at least a passing acquaintaince with democracy (Meiji Constitution anyone? Weimar Republic?), unlike Iraq, which has gone from colony to monarchy to crumbling wreck of a dictatorship.

And finally, George, we didn't launch a pre-emptive war against those countries. In fact, I believe Japan attacked us first. Well, those are just some reasons, but here's a final reason: Saddam Hussein, crazy evil dictator though he was, wasn't Hitler. Maybe Daddy should've spent some money on an American history tutor for you.

Well, it looks like the Preznit has tired of invoking World War II and has moved on to the the Korean War. Gee, wait 'til he gets to Vietnam.

President Bush envisions a long-term U.S. troop presence in Iraq similar to the one in South Korea where American forces have helped keep an uneasy peace for more than 50 years, the White House said Wednesday.

Ahem. Allow me to refer to an interview from three years ago. (Yeah, I'm linking to Faux, but for once it's worth it.)

President Bush says he doesn't envision a longtime presence of U.S. troops in Iraq similar to post-World War II deployments in Europe and South Korea that continue today.

"I think the Iraqi people want us to leave once we've helped them get on the path of stability and democracy and once we have trained their troops to do their own hard work," Bush said Monday in a wide-ranging interview with The Associated Press.

So, does he envision a long-term presence or not? Maybe it depends on what history book he's been reading.

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