A secret plan for Iraq?

Conrad Burns says Bush has one.

Published October 18, 2006 6:42PM (EDT)

In a debate with Jon Tester Tuesday night, Montana Sen. Conrad Burns acknowledged for what appears to be the first time that the war in Iraq isn't going as well as it might. But not to worry, Burns said: He's just sure the president has a plan for making things better.

So what's the plan? Burns wouldn't say. "I think [the president has] got one," Burns said. "He's not going to tell everyone in the world."

Tester pushed, but Burns has said before that "speaking before thinking" is his greatest weakness, and he wasn't about to be tricked into sinking any ships this time. "We're not going to tell you what our plan is, Jon, because youre just going to go out and blow it," he explained.

After the debate ended, Burns spokesman Jason Klindt told the Billings Gazette that the president has no secret plan for Iraq. Not that he'd know -- and not that he could tell you if he did.


By Tim Grieve

Tim Grieve is a senior writer and the author of Salon's War Room blog.

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