Oversimplifying Iraq's challenges: Bush's Fort Bragg speech and americans' declining support for the war

This article puts in context why President of the United States of America George W. Bush has been unable to rally American support for his strategy to stabilize and transform Iraq. Since the summer of 2003, when Iraqis started to challenge the authority of the Anglo-American occupation, the White House has been on the defensive, while American support for post-war efforts has dwindled. While developments in Iraq have affected the strategy¿s execution, the main problem is the president¿s inclination to oversimplify the challenges American troops and diplomats are facing in Iraq, inviting criticism from journalists, experts on nation-building and lawmakers. In many ways, declining approval of Bush¿s handling of Iraq results in the public¿s lack of confidence that the president and his advisors will be able to accomplish its goals in Iraq. To test this argument, the article analyzes the president¿s address to the nation, delivered primetime on June 28, 2005, showing how Americans are not convinced of the soundness of Bush¿s strategy