By host Tom Ashbrook:

With his poll numbers down, again, to all-time lows, President Bush is standing up today with a big speech promising to outline a “National Strategy for Victory in Iraq.” Not an “exit strategy,” but a victory strategy, Don Rumsfeld said yesterday — a strategy for Iraqis, but also for Americans who, in ever-larger majority, have soured on the war.

In this hour, we will hear excerpts from the President’s speech and dig into the US strategy document made public today. We’ll hear from the Pentagon, from top military analysts, and from investigative reporter Seymour Hersh, who says we may see fewer American boots on the ground, but more US bombs from the air.

Guests:

Seymour Hersh, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and regular contributor to The New Yorker magazine. His article “Up in the Air: Where is the Iraq War Headed Next?” is in this week’s issue.

Patrick Clawson, Deputy Director for Research, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy

Robert Pape, Professor of political science, University of Chicago. He taught for three years at the Air Force’s School of Advanced Airpower Studies, in Alabama. He is author of “Dying to Win: The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism” and “Bombing to Win: Air Power and Coercion in War”

Mark Mazzetti, Pentagon reporter for The Los Angeles Times