[The Decider]

Quote by: Scribbler1 Since I have known people who still believe Iraq was involved in 9/11 and that Bush has made Iraq a safer place for Iraqis to live, I'm of the opinion there are plenty of such sheep left. Besides, you don't have to LIKE Bush, or even support him to be scared. This report does nothing BUT serve to scare people.

I understand your point, I'm just questioning how much play Bush will get from ramping up fear this time. He has no alternative, I agree--his options are stay the course in Iraq or stay the course in Iraq. Yet his poll numbers on national security--his trump suit until 2005--have consistently declined. The growing AQ threat worldwide and the worsening situation in Iraq don't spell success. Again, maybe I'm wrong and a new AQ attack is just what Bush needs to convince nervous Americans that he was right in Iraq and the war on terror. I think that ship left port long ago, but we'll see. Bush has to give it a try or do the unthinkable--capitulate to the Democratic Congress.

Quote by: Scribbler1 And as for the bombings and foiled attacks in the UK go, that is THERE and the frightened sheep are HERE. We don't worry about what doesn't seem to directly affect us.

Well, I live in Boston and recently visited Washington D.C. On the northeastern seaboard, building and airport security has rarely been higher. True, these are more liberal areas of the US, but the higher security status has not helped the president or his party. In New Hampshire, a state with one of the highest US approval ratings of the Iraq War in 2003, public opinion has swung the opposite way (about 65% against) despite all the recent terror warnings.

The question remains--will NIE warnings alone turn that political situation around or does Bush need something more tangible--like an AQ attack on airports or shipping inside America? I don't know. In the shortterm, maybe Bush needs another AQ attack. Or maybe another AQ attack after 6 years of expensive and deadly war in Iraq and Afghanistan will expose Bush for what he really is--the most incompetent president ever to serve in that position. I hope we don't test these theories in real life.

Quote by: Scribbler1 Fear is a powerful motivator and that's all this does. Give it a little time for the fear to sink in. This is just the first inning, IMO.

Actually, I think we're in the later innings of this ballgame. We've seen Bush's strategy for six long innings and, despite early successes, he has a weak bullpen. Nothing is certain, of course, but Bush and his co-managers Karl Rove and Dick Cheney need some timely hitting and a strong closer. Maybe the ace in the bullpen is Osama bin Laden?