The whole Iraq affair has been timed for the greatest political advantage. When attacking Iraq was seen as popular and, therefore, hard for Democrats to oppose, it was rolled out right before the October 2002 midterm elections. Now the war is not so popular. So, according to the Washington Post, the US is looking to draw down its forces a couple of months before the 2006 mid-term elections.
And anyone who doubts the political connection should take note of this disagreement between the military commanders and the civilians:
The memo, posted on the newspaper's Web site, notes a debate between U.S. officials at the Pentagon and military leaders in Iraq, saying that officials in Washington favor "a relatively bold reduction in force numbers," differing with battlefield commanders, "whose approach is more cautious."
(Emphasis mine) Any cogressman looking to set a timetable for withdrawal is engaged in a redundant exercise, the election calendar has already done that.
Comments