Now, let's get this straight: centrists, moderates, Democrats and independent-thinking Republicans who posed tough questions about Iraq were guilty of undercutting the troops and wanted to "cut and run" while all of THIS is going on within the Bush administration:And Joe talks about the politics:Even as debate over the Iraq war continues to rage, signs are emerging of a convergence of opinion on how the Bush administration might begin to exit the conflict.
There are two issues here (1)the issue of withdrawal and (2)the fact that those who have suggested it's time to think about withdrawal have been demonized with the suggestion that they are in effect unpatriotic and don't care about the troops in the field while the adminstration is planning to do that right now but (the bottom line) for political reasons does not want to seem to be agreeing with its critics...so it has had high officials out on the hustings demonizing them.( emphasis is Joe's)Joe also points out that this story could not have been done without assistance from the administration; that is they wanted it out. Joe seems to agree with Jazz and I as to the significance:
What does this mean? Even if the administration pulls a large number of troops back next year, it will be a polarizing issue. The administration won't get credit on the left (since it appears to be planning the withdrawals amid southward polls and increasing loss of elite support) and the non-lock-step conservatives will be upset on the right (so much for doing whatever it takes to transform the Middle East).
And what happens if it's doing so amid great bloodshed in Iraq? Will some folks who genuinely believe the U.S. must stay in Iraq as long as necessary still stick with the adminstration or break with it — figuring it's an administration more attuned to political expediency than adhering to so firmly stated and so easily jettisoned?
withdrawal, Bush, Iraq
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