Bush Vetoes War Funding

Earlier today the President delivered a speech explaining why he vetoed the emergency war funding bill passed by Congress. A full transcript of his address is available at nytimes.com.

Bush claims that this bill imposes an “artificial” timetable for withdrawal. Furthermore, he says that setting a timetable would signal to the enemy when to “mark their calendars and gather their strength and begin plotting how to overthrow the government and take control of the country of Iraq” , as if the insurgents aren't attacking with full force already.

The President failed to address the Democrat's argument for setting a timetable, that doing so would communicate to the Iraqi Government that our patience isn't limitless. Bush himself has spoken favorably of setting benchmarks. Why not actualize them into policy, rather than have them exist as mere rhetoric?

Bush has not learned from his past mistakes and instead continues to stubbornly “stay the course.” Ignoring his record-low approval rating and the increasing unpopularity of the war, Bush will continue to become more and more irrelevant. I wouldn't be surprised that if by the summer, the congressional leadership are able to muster enough votes to override his veto.