Bush doing his thing

Back home, and what do I learn? Bush has done what Bush always does. He called in a bunch of people whom he knew already agreed with him to confirm him in his already fixed conclusions. Their advice: Ignore the Iraq Study Group. Blame the generals. Fire the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. Dam the torpedoes, full speed ahead.

President Bush heard a blunt and dismal assessment of his handling of Iraq from a group of military experts yesterday, but the advisers shared the White House's skeptical view of the recommendations made last week by the bipartisan Iraq Study Group, sources said.

The three retired generals and two academics disagreed in particular with the study group's plans to reduce the number of U.S. combat troops in Iraq and to reach out for help to Iran and Syria, according to sources familiar with the meeting, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the session was private.

... The group suggested the president shake up his national security team. "All of us said they have failed, that you need a new team," said one participant. That recommendation is likely to fuel Pentagon rumors that Bush and his new defense secretary, Robert M. Gates, may decide to replace Marine Gen. Peter Pace as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

What we really need to do is fire the President.