Reasons mount to set withdrawal timetable (Des Moines Register Editorial)

[struggle4progress]

Talk of setting a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq has gone on for years. In September 2004, White House candidate John Kerry's goal was to bring the troops home in his first term, while President Bush resisted setting deadlines. In the 2008 race, it's much the same: Barack Obama says it's possible to safely redeploy U.S. combat brigades in 16 months, while John McCain has steadfastly opposed scheduling a withdrawal, although he also has said that most American troops would be home by 2013.

What has changed is Iraq Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's new insistence on a timetable. It comes as the Bush administration seeks a deal with Iraq to formally authorize a wide-open, ongoing U.S. troop presence. Some sort of agreement is needed because the U.N. mandate for American-led military operations runs out at year's end.

The Bush administration should recognize that it has an obligation to outline a timetable for the orderly withdrawal of troops. The timetable can be adjusted if circumstances warrant, but the American public, the people of Iraq and their government deserve to know U.S. plans ...

... it's hard to see the purpose served by continuing to place U.S. soldiers in harm's way ...

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080718/OPINION03/807180354/1035/OPINION

[sourmilk]

1. With Iraqi elections this OCTOBER, they have little choice.

If you wanted to get elected as PM or as a rep. to the Parliament of the "Islamic Republic of Iraq," what would YOU be campaigning for?

US out, contractors out, military bases closed, no PSAs for oil, national control of production base, no Balkanization or partitioning...

That's the winning ticket for Iraq this October, and the LOSING ticket for McThuselah...

[indepat]

2. The purpose served by continuing to place US soldiers in harms way is to protect

Iraqi oil reserves which will inure to the benefit of big oil, hegemony, and provide a base of operations for other ventures in the region. See, that was not hard. :D

edited to add a word

[struggle4progress]

3. But in polite politics, only certain thoughts may be uttered aloud

We need not confine ourselves to only these polite thoughts, for the purposes of analyzing our situation in order to organize for change -- but it may be too much to expect accurate descriptions to come from Our Glorious Ruling Class, who seem to enjoy the idea that everyone else dwells in the Land of Make-Believe

The polite thoughts, that will be uttered aloud, can be predicted in advance, something like this: Our good intentions blah blah blah A few mistakes blah blah blah Our sacrifices blah blah blah Ungrateful them blah blah blah We suffered enough blah blah blah