NOTE TO STUDENTS:  The article and questions are long, but important to understand.  This issue is especially significant to the 2008 presidential election.  Who the new president is will dictate future Iraq policy.  Learn the facts and know where you stand.  Note that almost all Democrats are against President Bush's plan, with the exception of Democrat turned Independent Sen. Joe Lieberman, while most Republicans support the plan. Among Republicans presidential hopefuls, Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas opposes the plan, while Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Gov. Mitt Romney and Sen. John McCain support sending more troops.

1.  a) How many additional troops will be sent to Iraq?
b) What did President Bush say will be the troops' mission?

2.  a) What failure did President Bush admit to in his speech? 
b) For what two reasons did efforts to secure Baghdad fail?

3.  On whom did President Bush place the blame for the current situation in Iraq?

4.  a) What is "sectarian violence?"
b) Where does 80% of the sectarian violence in Iraq occur?

5.  President Bush acknowledged that many Americans might ask why the new plan will work when earlier ones did not.  What two reasons did he give for saying the new plan will work?

6.  How did President Bush address critics' concerns that Iraqis are not "stepping up to the plate?"

7.  a) What warning did the President give about violence in Iraq?  b) How was he also optimistic about the future of violence in Iraq?

8.  Re-read what the Iraqi government will do, and what the U.S. government will do under the new plan, listed in paragraphs 20 and 21.
What do you think about these plans? (For a fact sheet on the new strategy for Iraq presented by President Bush, go to WhiteHouse.gov.)

9.  Not mentioned in this article was President Bush's statements that American forces in Iraq would "disrupt" attacks from Syria- and Iran-backed terrorists, "interrupt" the supply lines reaching back to those countries, and "seek out and destroy the networks providing advanced weaponry and training to our enemies in Iraq." That last sentence is the closest Mr. Bush has come to announcing attacks on Iranian territory, where American intelligence and military leaders have said the most destructive improvised explosives used against American convoys are made.
Do you agree with the President's tough stance on Iran and Syria?  Explain your answer.  [Information for this question taken from Eli Lake's 1/11 article at nysun.com]

10. In your opinion, what was the tone of the President's speech?  (Not President Bush's tone of voice, but what was the tone of what he said - his words?)
(Watch or read President Bush's entire speech at WhiteHouse.gov.)