A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. The Bush Administration has changed it’s vocabulary in order to cast the current war in Iraq as a long-term. In a recent speech Rumsfeld dubbed the war “a global struggle against violent extremism” instead of the old-hat, “war on terror”.

The minions are out in force to justify the change. Administration and Pentagon officials say the revamped campaign has grown out of an evolution in Mr. Bush’s own thinking nearly four years after the Sept. 11 attacks.

Mr. Rumsfeld spoke in the new terms on Friday when he addressed an audience in Annapolis, Md., for the retirement ceremony of Adm. Vern Clark as chief of naval operations. Mr. Rumsfeld described America’s efforts as it “wages the global struggle against the enemies of freedom, the enemies of civilization.” Oddly enough the word “war” tickled his tongue during his speech in the place “struggle” should be

Gen. Richard B. Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the National Press Club on Monday that he had “objected to the use of the term ‘war on terrorism’ before”. That would be before Bush changed the spin. Myers also stated that future efforts require “all instruments of our national power, all instruments of the international communities’ national power.” The solution is “more diplomatic, more economic, more political than it is military,” he concluded.

Judging from Myers’ remarks, the Bush administration is in a position to beg the support of the world to help clean up the mess it made. In light of this, Bush sends a hardass like Bolton to represent the US to the United Nations. Another shrewd Bush maneuver, but I digress.

Perhaps this is just a typical knee-jerk reaction to new opinion polls that show Americans are increasing pessimistic about the expensive mission in Iraq. Rumors of disersion in the US forces put the dodgers at about 5,000. Those in the military have began complaining that only member of the armed forces are begin asked to sacrifice for the effort. The wealthy class of American has given nothing to the cause – even reaped tax breaks that could have been used to bullet-proof vests and life-saving truck armor.

Americans are also beginning to wake up to the fact that Iraq was not as closely linked to 9/11 as the Bush administration liked to imply. They are starting to realize with the London Bombings, that we need to get our troops home to guard our own soil. Sadly, the recent announcement that pullout will begin in the spring is just a political tactic to lock down the Senate as Republican this 2006 election.

The Bushies don’t give a damn about their country or it’s people, only their power.