This really is the issue. Brazen it out, burn off men and money, not admit there's any real problem and then pass it off on the next guy who will take the blame.
The president lacks the courage to change course. The whole country is paralyzed by his cowardice.
This is true, but many other people are paralyzed by their own cowardice. It's apparently okay in official Washington for there to be a nation whose leader thinks words speak louder than actions, that an impudent comedian is more offensive than the ongoing slaughter in Iraq, and that 2-3 dead American troops per day is barely worthy of notice.
One keeps imagining that the grownups will finally wake up and try to change things, but if the last decade has taught us anything it's that if there are any grownups in Washington no one bothers to listen to them anymore.