PRES. BUSH USED A SPEECH to the Veterans of Foreign Wars as another opportunity to tell critics of the Iraq war that they are irresponsible and disloyal.

We face an added challenge in the months ahead: The campaign season will soon be upon us -- and that means our nation must carry on this war in an election year. There is a vigorous debate about the war in Iraq today, and we should not fear the debate. It's one of the great strengths of our democracy that we can discuss our differences openly and honestly -- even in times of war. Yet we must remember there is a difference between responsible and irresponsible debate -- and it's even more important to conduct this debate responsibly when American troops are risking their lives overseas.

The American people know the difference between responsible and irresponsible debate when they see it. They know the difference between honest critics who question the way the war is being prosecuted and partisan critics who claim that we acted in Iraq because of oil, or because of Israel, or because we misled the American people. And they know the difference between a loyal opposition that points out what is wrong, and defeatists who refuse to see that anything is right.

When our soldiers hear politicians in Washington question the mission they are risking their lives to accomplish, it hurts their morale. In a time of war, we have a responsibility to show that whatever our political differences at home, our nation is united and determined to prevail. And we have a responsibility to our men and women in uniform -- who deserve to know that once our politicians vote to send them into harm's way, our support will be with them in good days and in bad days -- and we will settle for nothing less than complete victory. (Applause.)

We also have an opportunity this year to show the Iraqi people what responsible debate in a democracy looks like. In a free society, there is only one check on political speech -- and that's the judgment of the people. So I ask all Americans to hold their elected leaders to account, and demand a debate that brings credit to our democracy -- not comfort to our adversaries.

There are so many mixed messages in just this small portion of Bush's speech -- so much hypocrisy and inconsistency.

He says Americans should not fear the "vigorous debate" that is taking place about the Iraq war -- but he wants to set the terms of that debate and delineate its boundaries. Anyone who chooses different terms or steps outside his boundaries is irresponsible, disloyal, and dishonest.

He wants Americans to "discuss our differences openly and honestly" -- but not too honestly, lest we be accused of being "irresponsible."

And how does Bush distinguish between "responsible" and "irresponsible" debate? Let's take another look at the second quoted paragraph above.

The American people know the difference between responsible and irresponsible debate when they see it. They know the difference between honest critics who question the way the war is being prosecuted and partisan critics who claim that we acted in Iraq because of oil, or because of Israel, or because we misled the American people. And they know the difference between a loyal opposition that points out what is wrong, and defeatists who refuse to see that anything is right.

Notice: "Responsible" debate questions the day-to-day conduct of the war, but does not question the war itself. "Responsible" debate questions "the way the war is being prosecuted," but does not question why the war is being prosecuted. "Responsible" debate questions the wisdom of Bush's decisions about the war, but never, ever, questions the truthfulness or accuracy of the justifications Bush gave Americans for the war. "Responsible" debate questions strategy, but does not, ever, question policy or motivations for policy.

Put another way, Bush is telling us he would rather his critics say that he's incompetent than that he's a heartless liar motivated only by greed and lust for power.

More commentary on Bush's speech:

John at AMERICAblog
Seeing the Forest
The Heretik
Hullabaloo (digby)