The More Things Change...

From Reuters:

BAGHDAD - A roadside bomb blast has killed three U.S. marines in Baghdad in the first reported fatal attack on U.S. forces in Iraq since the formal handover of sovereignty to an interim government.

A U.S. military spokesman said two marines were also wounded in the explosion that wrecked a Humvee vehicle escorting a convoy carrying engineering equipment.

"I don't know why the terrorists want to kill us. We just want to help Iraqis," said a marine at the scene on Tuesday.

...

Iraq's independent Al Mada newspaper said only time would tell how much freedom Iraqis would have to manage their affairs.

"It was a celebration with no marches, not one shot fired in joy, and in the streets everything remained as it was, with American patrols, Iraqi police checkpoints. Even the terrorist gangs that had warned Iraqis of hell carried out ordinary operations -- an explosion here and there and some shells at the Green Zone," it said in a front-page editorial.

The early transfer of power to the Iraqi government, in order to avoid potential terrorist attacks, is a pretty savvy move. However, the act itself, changing plans due to fear of terrorist activity, is inconsistent with everything President Bush has told the American public since 9-11. If anything, it is an admission that the President's earlier, cowboy-style rhetoric ("bring 'em on" anyone?) was a huge mistake.

How long can the President continue to campaign on his record while simultaneously contradicting himself?