On June 28th George Bush delivered his first nationally broadcast speech on Iraq since his re-election, choosing the martial surroundings of Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The speech formally marked the first anniversary of the transfer of power to the Iraqi government. But it took place against a backdrop of unease about the war, thanks to a daily diet of suicide bombings, troop casualties and conflicting messages from the administration. Mr Bush's speech was an exercise in reeducating the public rather than changing policy. He pointedly failed to lay out a timetable for withdrawal (other than saying that "as the Iraqis stand up, we will stand down"). He said that he had no plans to send more troops to the region unless the commanders on the ground specifically requested them. And he ignored calls for the establishment of "benchmarks" to measure success or failure.
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