Meanwhile in the parallel universe of conservative
bed-time history for right-wing raised kiddies... 

From the New York Times 

Bush Discusses Iraq With Top War
Commanders ….. 

CAMP DAVID, Md. (AP) -- President
Bush declared Monday to a nation weary of war that democracy in the Middle
East is worth the high price to the United States. He also said Iraq's
neighbours should be doing more to help.

Beginning a two-day strategy
session on Iraq at Camp David, Bush said nations inside and outside the
Middle East have pledged $13 billion for Iraq reconstruction and the United
States expects them to back their financial commitments. 

''We discussed that today, as to
how to continue to rally not only the neighbourhood and Iraq's neighbours
to the cause of the new democracy, but how to help others who have made a
pledge to honor their pledge,'' Bush said.

Now in its fourth year, the war
also was an issue on Capitol Hill. 

The Senate opened debate on a
military policy bill, and John Kerry, D-Mass., intended to offer a plan to withdraw
U.S. combat troops from Iraq by the end of the year. The White House has
long opposed setting deadlines in Iraq, and Kerry's amendment is expected
to be defeated when voted on later this week.

Senate Democratic leader Harry
Reid said in a speech in Washington that Americans ''deserve a plan from
the president, one that provides our troops with an exit strategy from
this seemingly intractable conflict.'' He said, ''It is no longer
sufficient to say 'we will stand down as the Iraqis stand up.''' 

The Camp David meeting came as
the Bush administration was trying to capitalize on momentum from last week's
swearing-in of key Iraqi national security officials and from the U.S.
airstrike that killed Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, al-Qaida's leader in Iraq.

Al-Qaida named a successor Monday
to al-Zarqawi and said he would stick to the slain leader's path - attacks
on Shiites as well as on U.S. and Iraqi forces. 

''I think the successor to
Zarqawi is going to be on our list to bring to justice,'' Bush said, standing
outside a cabin at the secluded, wooded presidential retreat with his
national security team and members of his Cabinet.

''The best way to win this war
against an insurgency is to stand up a unity government which is capable
of defending itself but also providing tangible benefits to the people,''
he said. 

The war is weighing down Bush's
approval rating at home, and Republicans are worried about losing control
of Congress in November's midterm elections. Only a third of respondents
to an Associated Press-Ipsos poll in early June supported Bush's
handling of the situation - an all-time low. 

''I keep reminding the American
people that the stakes are worth it,'' Bush said. ''It is worth it to help
Iraq succeed. It is worth it to have a democracy in the Middle East. It is
worth it to show other reformers and people who want to live in a free
society what is possible.'

read more at the NYT

-------------------------------------------

Sure, Gus agrees with Bonsai on having a bit more "democracy" in
the middle-east but the way our Bushaiolo is going on about it is definitely
not the way to go .… the gumboot diplomacy has sunk any hope of a gradual
or of any improvement to this end. We have a mess that more big gun
diplomacy won't fix... 

Dubya soils the meaning of the
word "justice" every time he uses it.  

Unfortunate …..