Back in the 1990s, many people jumped into business hoping to capitalize on the euphoria of the World Wide Web. The dot-com business model, which traded substance for mere symbolism by not offering tangible products or services, failed miserably. When it all went belly-up we said “We’ll never do that again!” Unfortunately, symbolism over substance has returned — only this time it is the plan for bringing democracy to Iraq.

The plan (or dot-com business model) is called “Support the Troops” and for the same reasons as its predecessor, it is doomed to failure.

Peddlers of the new dot-com product focus heavily on this troop support, as if support from thousands of miles away is the defining element of a solid “business plan” to pacify Iraq. It’s ridiculous.

The troops can have all the moral support in the world, but it just plain doesn’t matter unless they have a solid plan to accomplish their mission. We saw this mentality in the dot-com bust, where entrepreneurs rushed to make a profit without first considering basic economics.

In Thursday’s debate, President Bush said that “the biggest disaster that could happen is that we not succeed in Iraq. We will succeed. We’ve got a plan to do so.” He then went into his “plan,” stating that he had visited with Prime Minister Allawi. “He’s a strong, courageous leader,” Bush explained.

Wow, this plan is foolproof. Could it possibly get any better? Bush continued, “He doesn’t want U.S. leadership, however, to send mixed signals, to not stand with the Iraqi people.”

That, of course, is not a plan. It is a description of how Allawi feels and is about as far from tangible as possible. Bush then stated that the Iraqi security forces “need the help to be trained.” That sounds like a reasonable component at first, at least until coupled with the fact that the U.S. military — the strongest and best equipped in the world — has failed to quell the insurgency. The insurgency targets any individual or group working with the occupation, and this will continue after we leave. In other words, after the United States pulls out, Iraqi forces will be seen by the insurgency as the new primary enemy.

Bush essentially seeks to trade in our current dot-com plan of securing Iraq for something even less likely to return a “profit.” Such a plan is a sure shot for bankruptcy. Bush then mentioned January elections, but the Sunnis would be largely left out due to the chronic lack of security in cities like Fallujah. Rumsfeld has said that would be acceptable, but the last thing Iraq needs is a religious civil war.

Finally, Bush said that “We’re spending reconstruction money,” but he can’t expect to fool us. First of all, simply stating that we’re spending money doesn’t equate to having a plan for pacifying Iraq. Secondly, the administration is far behind on the reconstruction project. Can you guess how far?

We have spent only about 6 percent of the reconstruction money allocated by Congress — and one has to wonder how much of that money was lost in bureaucratic channels.

Even worse is the fact that Bush now wants to reallocate reconstruction money to military operations to address the crumbling security situation. As the insurgency grows and reconstruction slows, we are pushed further and further away from bringing stability and democracy to Iraq. With this in mind, it comes as no surprise that congressional leaders are speaking up in disgust.

Regarding the virtually halted pace of reconstruction, Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel described it as “beyond pitiful, it’s beyond embarrassing, it is now in the zone of dangerous.” Republican Senator Richard Lugar, the same day, said, “The lack of planning is apparent.”

Bush’s plan, whatever it is, clearly isn’t working. It’s almost as if he measures success by the number of body bags and maimed soldiers coming home or by the increasing size and strength of the insurgency. Kerry said that he doesn’t know if Bush realizes what is happening in Iraq, “but it’s getting worse by the day. More soldiers killed in June than before. More in July than June. More in August than July. More in September than August.”

Beyond pitiful, indeed. More than 1,000 U.S. soldiers have died in this war, and they are dying at an ever-increasing rate. More than 7,000 have been wounded, and more than 10,000 Iraqi civilians have died.

Without a solid plan, staying the course, supporting the troops and being “resolute” will put us out of business.