Secert Iraqi Memo Leaked
Iraq's National Security Advisor Muwafaq al-Rubaie

We returned from Washington convinced we need to determine if President Bush is both willing and able to rise above the neoconservative agenda being promoted by others in his party. Do we and President Bush share the same vision for Iraq? If so, is he able to curb those who seek US hegemony? The answers to these questions are key in determining whether we have the right strategy in Iraq.

Bush reiterated a vision of Shia, Sunni, and Kurdish partnership, and in my one-on-one meeting with him, he impressed me as a leader who wanted to be strong but was having difficulty figuring out how to do so. Bush pointed to incidents, such as increase in forces and the lifting of the blockade of Sadr City to demonstrate his even hand. Perhaps because he is frustrated over his limited ability to make progress against terrorists and insurgents, Bush has been trying to show strength by standing up to the Democrats. Hence the public spats with us over benchmarks and the Sadr City roadblocks.

Despite Bush’s reassuring words, repeated reports from our ambassador contributed to our concerns about Bush’s government ...

While there does seem to be an aggressive push to consolidate US policy and influence, it is less clear whether Bush is a witting participant. The information he receives is undoubtedly skewed by his small circle of advisers, coloring his actions and interpretation of reality. His intentions seem good when he talks with Iraqis, and sensitive reporting suggests he is trying to stand up to the neoconservatives and force positive change. But the reality on the streets of Baghdad suggests Bush is either ignorant of what is going on, misrepresenting his intentions, or that his capabilities are not yet sufficient to turn his good intentions into action.