Bush in Reverse

The LATimes reports the following: President Bush plans what is being billed as a major speech on Iraq for Wednesday amid signs that the administration is changing course. Aides told the Los Angeles Times that the president is expected to say at the Naval Academy in Annapolis that Iraqi troops are close to being able to operate on their own. Has there been a dramatic increase in the effectiveness of the Iraqi troops or is the administration tailoring their assessment because of domestic political realities? The news from Iraq suggests the latter.