Bush's handling of the war reminds me of a football analogy.
The home team needs a win to be eligible for a bowl game, so they schedule a game against really weak team in another league. They quickly run up a few touchdowns and the band and cheerleaders are having a great time at the expense of the hapless visiting team.
Then something starts happening...
The visitors don't realize their role is to lay down and allow the home team to enjoy the victory. They start getting a few first downs and score a touchdown. Then they score again. The home team coach says, "not to worry. We have this game in hand. Let's keep playing the same way and our superior talent will win out."
Late in the game, the score is far too close for comfort and the home team fans are starting to get nervous. They can see how the last part of the game is going and they don't like it a bit. The coach calls time out and tells his team the fans are worried but the team should not. "Our game plan is great and the other team can't win if we keep doing the same things we are doing now."
The fourth quarter draws to a close and the home team has a very small lead . The visitors have the ball and are almost to the the goal. The home team's fans are calling for the coach to do something different, but he says, "the fans are giving the visiting team confidence by not backing the team. If we lose now it will be their fault."
The visiting team scores and wins the game. The coach tells his players they were great and the game plan was great. "The media guys in the press box kept telling the fans that the visitors were scoring touchdowns. If they had just kept their mouths shut we would have won."
The media has not set any IEDs in Iraq or sent any suicide bombers into Bagdad. It's the Iraqis who have yet to understand that Bush has already accomplished his mission in their country and they should go back to their homes and accept defeat like gentlemen. No wonder the American people think we are losing this war. The scoreboard is still working.