you are pulling a quote from 2003.... that was when Bush HAD no plan and was FUBAR'ing the situation.
I am talking about the game plan once Petraeus took over and requested the surge that Bush then approved.
All credit to the surge, then.
But seriously - trying to "brag" about the surge from the then-admin's point of view would be like me taking a carton of milk, intentionally spilling it all over the floor and then trumpeting the fact that I was the one who purchased paper towels.