Gonna Walk (Before They Make Us Run)

Per the Times, the latest Admin plan for Iraq:

WASHINGTON, Aug. 17 — The White House plans to use a report next month assessing progress  in Iraq to outline a plan for gradual troop reductions beginning next year that would fall far short of the drawdown demanded by Congressional opponents of the war, according to administration and military officials.

One administration official made it clear that the goal of the planned announcement was to counter public pressure for a more rapid reduction and to try to win support for a plan that could keep American involvement in Iraq on “a sustainable footing” at least through the end of the Bush presidency.

The officials said the White House would portray its approach as a new strategy for Iraq, a message aimed primarily at the growing numbers of Congressional Republicans who have criticized President Bush’s handling of the war. Many Republicans have urged Mr. Bush to unveil a new strategy, and even to propose a gradual reduction of American troops to the levels before this year’s troop increase — about 130,000 — or even lower to head off Democratic-led efforts to force the withdrawal of all combat forces by early next year.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of their reluctance to discuss internal White House deliberations publicly.

Hmm.  The worry about Congress calling for a complete withdrawal seems real but exaggerated.  And just last week the Times assured us that the leading Presidential candidates were prepared for a long stay:

DES MOINES, Aug. 11 — Even as they call for an end to the war and pledge to bring the troops home, the Democratic presidential candidates are setting out positions that could leave the United States engaged in Iraq for years.

John Edwards, the former North Carolina senator, would keep troops in the region to intervene in an Iraqi genocide and be prepared for military action if violence spills into other countries. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York would leave residual forces to fight terrorism and to stabilize the Kurdish region in the north. And Senator Barack Obama of Illinois would leave a military presence of as-yet unspecified size in Iraq to provide security for American personnel, fight terrorism and train Iraqis.

These positions and those of some rivals suggest that the Democratic bumper-sticker message of a quick end to the conflict — however much it appeals to primary voters — oversimplifies the problems likely to be inherited by the next commander in chief. Antiwar advocates have raised little challenge to such positions by Democrats.

I am pretty sure the leading Dems want Bush to declare defeat so they don't have to.  And presumably Bush has a slower drawdown then they would prefer, but who knows?

Comments

[PeterUK]

Rick,
The Sunni gained power in Iraq the same way as AQ does,killing and intimidation,birds of a feather so to speak.Why have a dog and bark yourself?

[Rick Ballard]

Peter,

True, but the oily princes in Riyadh had wound up with a plethora of "meddlesome priests" by 1990 (including Saddam). Now all they have to worry about are annoying Persians - and they're working on that one.

Inbreeding will still finish 'em off. By and by, to be sure, but a "family pole" just isn't as strong as a "family tree".

[PeterUK]

If the meddlesomes had not been more pliant and less mouth frothing,the West would have probably let them bump the OPs off.

[Rick Ballard]

OT,

The Beavis and Buttslapper saga has come to an agreeable end. The only thing dumber than a 13 year old boy is a 14 year old boy - or a DA.

[Sue]

Rick,

Good lord. Somebody needs their butts spanked. I can only imagine what the principal of my school would have done had that happened in the era I attended. And don't even get me started about the punishment at home for getting into trouble at school. Sheesh.

[Rick Ballard]

Sue,

A 13 year old boy can be a true marvel of stupidity (you saw the Jackass reference?), spanking won't cut it (I think 7-8 is the effective cut off on that) but isolation coupled with work does a fair job. Instead, the DA filed felony charges that would have saddled those two with sex offender status - for the rest of their lives.

What is a bit sad is that there was no "hero" involved, bouncing the tweaks off of lockers. It wouldn't have taken administrative intervention to straighten those two dweebs out when I was in junior high.

[PeterUK]

The one on the right has the makings of "Important Hair"?

[Rick Ballard]

Does anyone know why Bush is preparing to punish the Yucatanians?

Are they closet Democrats?

[Bill in AZ]

Yucatan? Rove is prolly running the hurricane machine since Bush is on "vacation". His hand slipped while thinking about all the things he could be doing besides answering idiotic contempt of congress nonsense by morons like leaky leahy.

[Rick Ballard]

I dunno, Bill. Rove always runs the hurricanes. I figure this might be a mockup for the Cat 6 "Demobuster" that he's selling for the '08 election. It will hover off the east coast with a storm track that'll scare every Blue from Boston to Philadelphia into motel rooms in Indiana on election day.

[Rick Ballard]

Bipartisan statement by Carl Levin (W)easel - MI and John Warner (W)easel/2nd class VA

We believe that the recent high-level meetings among Iraqi political leaders could be the last chance for this government to solve the Iraqi political crisis, and should it fail, we believe, the Iraqi Council of Representatives and the Iraqi people need to judge the Government of Iraq’s record and determine what actions should be taken -- consistent with the Iraqi Constitution -- to form a true unity government to meet those responsibilities.

It's midnight, Maliki, and the coach just turned into a pumpkin.

[Jane]

Given Carl Levin's record on this war, he is hardly credible.

[hit and run]

Rick:
A 13 year old boy can be a true marvel of stupidity (you saw the Jackass reference?), spanking won't cut it (I think 7-8 is the effective cut off on that) but isolation coupled with work does a fair job.

Paddling worked quite effectively in my jr high - in the athletic dept. The fear of a big burly coach, taking you into the showers, making you drop your drawers and taking a good swing at your behind with a well-worn, finely-tuned instrument of pain, while everyone gathered around clamoring to see the well-worn, finely-tuned event of shame (the more important component) was a very good means of dissuasion.

For the most part, you would see one or two a year and that was enough to keep everyone on their p's and q's and minding their toes, or whatever. Though, there was occasionally the particularly adventuresome young lad who seemed to relish the attention given by such a spectacle.

No. That wasn't me. And I resent you asking.

And yes, I know that such practices could in no way still be used today.

[Neo]

The Joint Inquiry charged that US policymakers had wanted Usama Bin Ladin killed as early as August 1998 and believed CIA personnel understood that. However, the government had not removed the ban on assassination and did not provide clear direction or authorization for CIA to kill Bin Ladin or make covert attacks against al-Qa'ida **deleted** The JI said that the CIA was reluctant to seek authority to assassinate Bin Ladin and averse to taking advantage of ambiguities in the authorities it did receive that might have allowed it more flexibility. page xxi

[kim]

Maybe that's what Berger got, discussion of this issue?
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