Crisis in Iraq: Bush Faces Re-Election Woes After Prisoner Abuse Revelations

The upcoming meeting between President Bush and his top military officials at the Pentagon will have little to do with the progress of the Iraq war, but rather the growing concern that the prisoner abuse scandal has irreparably damaged American political objectives for the region. Even some of Bush's strongest supporters are now acknowledging that their initial optimism has been shattered, and that the occupation authority's ability to transfer sovereignty and build a transitional government is now in doubt. The administration faces a daunting task in regaining legitimacy in the eyes of ordinary Iraqis, with Arab television stations broadcasting images of the abused prisoners and recruiting insurgents with each new revelation.

Key Takeaways:

• The prisoner abuse scandal has become a major liability for the administration's plans for remaking Iraq, with even the most ardent supporters conceding that their initial optimism has been shattered.
• The occupation authority is struggling to regain legitimacy in the eyes of ordinary Iraqis, with many unable to take the risk of backing an American-led plan.
• The administration faces a major public relations challenge in undoing the damage caused by the prisoner abuse revelations, with President Bush struggling to articulate a strategy to repair the damage.
• Senior officials admit that the facts are simply not in their favor, with one saying, "I'm not sure such a strategy is possible."
• The prisoner abuse scandal has become a rallying cry for insurgents, with some officials warning that it will become the symbolic image of the American occupation.
• The administration is now focused on regaining American political legitimacy, with officials acknowledging that the main issue is no longer the military challenges, but rather the perception of American involvement.
• Deputy Secretary of State Richard L. Armitage warned that the prisoner abuse revelations have created a major problem for the administration in the Arab world, with many viewing the abuse as tantamount to torture.

Statistics:

• The remarkable shift in the administration's optimism can be seen in the changing tone among officials, with some now expressing private doubts about the success of the occupation.
• The prisoner abuse scandal has become a major recruiting tool for insurgents, with officials warning that it will become a symbol of American oppression.
• The administration's efforts to articulate a strategy to undo the damage caused by the prisoner abuse revelations have been met with skepticism, with officials admitting that the facts are not in their favor.
• The occupation authority has struggled to regain legitimacy, with many ordinary Iraqis unable to trust an American-led plan.

Sources:

• "When President Bush travels to the Pentagon on Monday morning for a classified briefing on the Iraq war, the subtext of the conversation will have little to do with the commanders' latest assessments of whether insurgents can be routed from Falluja and Najaf." (Source: The New York Times)
• "Just weeks ago, some of these same officials expressed cautious confidence that once the insurgents were captured or killed, the occupation authority would somehow stumble through the next seven weeks, cobbling together a transitional Iraqi government and making the transfer of sovereignty the crowning symbol of how America liberated a nation from tyranny." (Source: The New York Times)
• "But now, they say, the main issue is regaining American political legitimacy as the power behind that transition." (Source: The New York Times)
• "Another senior official, insisting on anonymity, put the ugly turn in the American occupation more starkly." (Source: The New York Times)