LIE OF THE WEEK: 01-12-2007

President Bush on his new strategy for the Iraq war:

" It is clear that we need to change our strategy in Iraq. So my national security team, military commanders, and diplomats conducted a comprehensive review. We consulted members of Congress from both parties, our allies abroad, and distinguished outside experts. We benefited from the thoughtful recommendations of the Iraq Study Group, a bipartisan panel led by former Secretary of State James Baker and former Congressman Lee Hamilton"

THE TRUTH: Judging from the reaction of the military commanders, diplomats, members of Congress from both parties, our allies abroad and the members of the Iraq Study Group, it is clear that this new strategy for Iraq was developed by the same arrogant members of this administration who have devised most of their policies behind closed doors without any deference to the views of the American people or their representatives. If the new policy was clearly developed in a vacuum while clearly ignoring the good advice of the bipartisan Iraq Study Group, lying about that fact will surely not increase support for the strategy and is in fact guaranteed to do the opposite.