Deceptive or delusional, or both?

First, I'd like to note that two of the seven soldiers who three weeks ago had an op-ed featured in the New York Times saying that they did not see the progress in Iraq that is being touted by the administration have died in a vehicle accident.

Meanwhile, Fred Kaplan finds President Bush's Iraq speech to have been attrocious.

President Bush's TV address tonight was the worst speech he's ever given on the war in Iraq, and that's saying a lot. Every premise, every proposal, nearly every substantive point was sheer fiction. The only question is whether he was being deceptive or delusional.

My vote is with both - he's deceptive and delusional. I would guess he believes he can be deceptive in the service of a greater truth (that we're going to prevail in Iraq, his "gut" tells him so.)

And I have to say, I am getting pretty damn tired of seeing White House front group Freedoms Watch's commercial where wounded Iraq vets say that we can't withdraw troops from Iraq because "they" (as in al Qaeda and Iraq) attacked us on 9/11.

Al Qaeda, the branch that is now holed up in Pakistan and which is distinct from the Iraq franchise that formed after the United States invaded in March of 2003, is who attacked us on September 11, 2001 - not Iraq. Have the propagandists no shame whatsoever? Is truth of so low regard to these folks that they are willing to sacrifice it on the alter of George W. Bush.

Update: The Center for Media and Democracy's John Stauber has more on the White House p.r. campaign to link 9/11 and Iraq.

Update II: The excerpt from the Daily Show with Jon Stewart featured in the interview with Stauber linked above demonstrates quite succinctly how transparent is General Petraeus's shilling for the White House.

JON STEWART: The general raises a key point. We keep hearing from President Bush how the surge is meeting its military objectives, but we need more time. Well, yesterday, the good general was whistling a different tune.

GEN. DAVID PETRAEUS: The military objectives of the surge are, in large measure, being met. It will take time.

JON STEWART: My god! The President’s been right the whole time! Even down to the details.

PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH: US Marines and Special Operation forces have been striking terrible blows against al-Qaeda.

GEN. DAVID PETRAEUS: Coalition and Iraqi forces have dealt significant blows to al-Qaeda.

PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH: Anbar province was al-Qaeda's base in Iraq and was written off by many as lost.

GEN. DAVID PETRAEUS: A year ago the province was assessed as lost.

PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH: The consequences of withdrawal would be disastrous.

GEN. DAVID PETRAEUS: A premature drawdown of our forces would likely have devastating consequences.

JON STEWART: Wow! I bet they’re friends on MySpace.