The State of the Union speech by President Bush did not disclose any new developments or ideas. In spite of the opposition expressed by the majority of the people, by Congress and by the military establishment, President Bush took this opportunity to state emphatically that he will proceed with the "surge", or additional deployment of 21,000 troops in Iraq at once.

Going against popular opinion and against the ideas and reservations of key officials in the administration, is nothing new. In our history we have had countless situations where a stubborn president has ignored the dictates of the people. The score has always been negative.

Why does President Bush insist on pursuing his 'surge', when all indications, both political and military, point to a resounding failure? Does he know something the rest of us do not know?

"Georgie, are you sure you will not change your mind about your famous surge in the Iraq quagmire?"

"Not a chance, fair First Lady. Have you known me to give up on any project I have undertaken? Have you known me to hesitate, waver, wonder, and express doubt and fear? To become irresolute and uncertain when adopting a decision? I have not become a War President of this great nation, to disillusion its brave people and to darken the historical brilliance of my mandate, with expressions of weakness and doubt, as Condi is fond of saying?!"

She was full of doubts about the President's resolve not to be deterred by public and world opinion. She felt that the President would go ahead with his 'surge to victory' as his legitimate desire to bring relief to the noble people of Iraq, as Condi was fond of saying, Still, her fear for what appeared a certain failure urged her to reply:

"Yes, President, I have seen you doubt, pullback, retreat and fail many times. Remember that I have known you since you were in your twenties and the only positive and rewarding action you have taken in all those years was to say yes to the tipsy minister that married us!"

Our beloved President is not easily convinced and even less intimidated by facts. To him, not only the fate of Iraq is in his hands but also his own prestige and his historical legacy. His optimism has been one of his better qualities, even if many times it carried him beyond the limits of common sense, as in the case of the Iraq invasion. He said:

"We can not fail. I just want to see the faces of all those generals, War Committees, Democrats, turncoat Republicans, Hollywood scriptwriters, and Wal Mart associates when I announce few weeks from now the end of hostilities and declare that the mission has been accomplished!"

"George, your surge to victory sounds like a bad movie. At this point it would be so easy - and reasonable - to cut and run. Of course not in those terms but in a more poetic fashion like calling the turn tail action a managed withdrawal, or a strategic active reduction or a discretionary reverse involvement! Tony will probably have a dozen more handles"

"It is a matter of time my love. Soon the Iraqi government will consolidate its resources and begin a campaign to convince the three major contenders and subsidiary tribes that a stable and attractive arrangement is still possible. Now, with a couple of generals on my side and my new Secretary of Defense my Victory Plan is not far off, Lady!"

"Yeah, George but to be able to conceive and build a major consensus among those furious and intransigent insurgents, is going to require new leadership in the Baghdad Government"

"You think so?"

"Abso, George! You have to find a man that can maneuver in that foggy environment, where for about five thousand years neighbors have hated each other and resisted attempts to build friendly relationships and suitable accommodations among themselves Your man has to be a man that can employ the art of deception with great ease. He must employ tactics that will have to border on wickedness and evil. He must be an experience purveyor of dubious statements, cruel, incapable of listening to others, inexorable, unperturbed, cynical and must use dentures, and wear bifocals!"

" Who are you thinking of, First Lady?"

"Take your pick, President. Cheney or Rumsfeld?"