As did many people, I listened to W.'s speech. IMO If it had of been shorter it would have been better.

W.'s statements that as Iraq stands up we will stand down, and that we will stay in Iraq as long as we are needed and not a day longer, were the best parts of it, along with his mention of the Suniis. But these points were lost in the rest of it. IMO, he could have shortened it by one third and it would have been a better speech. All that that unnecessary 33% is going to do is give the pundits somehting to play with, and it obscured his key message.

At points W.'s delivery drifted, and at points the speech did not recognize his immediate audience there at Bragg. The troops know damn well what is going on, and have paid a high price, and mentioning some flag waving stunt instead of thanking them and giving them some assurance of their earned benefits was poor judgement, again IMO.

IMO, W.'s now going to have to give the speech he should have given, the one that assures the country that all of our troops will be coming home just as soon as Iraq can defend itself.