Trent Lott's Iraq Time Line

As I have said here before there is an Iraq time line - set by the November, 2008 election. That's basically what Senate Republican Whip Trent Lott said today.
GOP senator: Patience on Iraq is limited

WASHINGTON - Senate Republican Whip Trent Lott (news, bio, voting record) said Monday that President Bush's new strategy in Iraq has until about fall before GOP members will need to see results.

Lott's comment put a fine point on what Senate Republican stalwarts have been discussing quietly for weeks. It also echoed remarks made this weekend by House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, indicating the GOP's limited patience on the war.

"I do think this fall we have to see some significant changes on the ground, in Baghdad and other surrounding areas," Lott, R-Miss., told reporters.

Lott declined to say what he thinks should happen if Congress does not see improvement in the security situation by then. But he said lawmakers have time before they must decide.

Now I suspect that both Lott and Boehner know that there won't be any "significant changes on the ground" between now and the Fall unless it's for the worse. With the Iraqi legislature taking the summer off there certainly won't be any change in the political situation. Boehner and Lott are sending Bush a time table.