Keeping Iraq on the path to a stable democracy may well require our new president to break his campaign promise to withdraw all combat troops within 16 months.
His military commanders (they're his now) continue warn against to abrupt a withdraw of troops and counsel that facts on the ground should determine the pace of rotating out troops.
Money Qs:
"This is a potential win-win for Mr. Obama. If Iraq emerges from 2009 as a stronger democracy, the White House could then reduce troop levels with little risk of relapse. The President, who prospered in the Democratic primaries thanks to his antiwar stance, will reap the strategic benefit. Let historians appreciate the irony."
"Here's the lose-lose scenario: Allow Iraq to deteriorate by withdrawing too soon and push into Afghanistan without a better strategy. Mr. Obama has inherited a victory in Iraq that he can't afford to squander."
"Let historians appreciate the irony."... and let historians also not forget the quotes on the campaign trail that got him elected. Let historians also not forget the "anti-war" voters who were so against the "pro-war" George W Bush and John McCain and within two months became very tolerant of President Obama's war in Iraq.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing how easy it is to govern when you can do no wrong...