Amir Taheri makes some important observations about the "waiting" strategy being played out by America's implacable foes in the Middle East. Their assumption: President Bush is an aberration in U.S. politics, and his successor will be considerably less decisive.
It is not only in Tehran and Damascus that the game of "waiting Bush out" is played with determination. In recent visits to several regional capitals, this writer was struck by the popularity of this new game from Islamabad to Rabat. The general assumption is that Mr. Bush's plan to help democratize the heartland of Islam is fading under an avalanche of partisan attacks inside the U.S. The effect of this assumption can be witnessed everywhere.
Taheri remains optimistic that America will not falter after Bush. I'm not so sure, and that's why the lack so far of a clear-cut victory in Iraq may be so high. Who else will step up to lead?
Read the whole thing.
Posted by Alan at March 29, 2006 06:39 AM