No options left

There are no options left in Iraq for the US. Unfortunately those still calling the shots won't or can't admit that.
Matthew Yglesias

A frighteningly large number of people seem to be counting on the idea that the war will be mostly over and the troops mostly withdrawn by 2008. But then again, people said Bush would "declare victory and go home" in time for the '06 midterms. And they said he would do it in time for the '04 election. But it's not going to happen. The troops will leave if and only if a new political leader is elected and that leader wants to withdraw the troops.

Atrios

Indeed. I don't know why it seems like inhabitants of a certain corner of the blogosphere seem be the only ones who understand this, though I suppose people are finally starting to get it. I imagine Bayh dropped out in part because he recognized that the Iraq bed isn't going to unshit itself. While I've been rather disappointed in Obama's leadership on the subject, he did at least call for the beginning of troop withdrawal in a few months (the question is what he says when that doesn't happen). That of course leaves Clinton who is busy protecting us from violent video games.

I think they are both right, Bush won't pull out of Iraq because of domestic pressure, but I'm still think there is a very good possibility that we will be driven out before 2008. We have the Iranians supporting the Shi'a and the Saudis supporting the Sunnis. In essence a proxy war between the Saudis and the Iranians with the US stuck in the middle.

There is no good outcome possible in Iraq - a given. Any presidential hopeful, Democrat or Republican, who will not come right out and say this within the next couple of months will not get my support or vote in 2008. Anyone who, for political or delusional reasons, who will not face the reality of what Bush/Cheney have done in Mesopotamia can't be trusted anymore than George W. Bush.