Because ... http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11572-2003Nov24_2.html . . . Bush's five-hour trip to one of the nation's hardest-hit military communities was part of the administration's effort to preserve the invasion of Iraq as a political asset for Bush at a time when it could become a vulnerability, with guerrilla attacks escalating and polls showing increasing public doubts about the occupation. . . . Bush's intention to rely on the war on terror as a centerpiece of his reelection strategy is clear in a Republican National Committee ad that began running in Iowa on Sunday, warning that "some call for us to retreat." Democrats lashed back, calling it an effort to stifle dissent. . . .