Matt,
I think criticism of the administration on this front misses the mark. The Iraqis can’t even agree on a timeline, though they want one. We all want a deadline. The obvious deadline from a domestic political perspective is summer 2008.
The
problem is and always has been in setting an artificial deadline for
withdrawal before anyone can be sure the country is stable and
democratic. Demands for withdrawal are no more specific than the
administration’s, “We will stay as long as it takes to achieve those goals and no longer.”
Iraqi
parliamentary elections will take place next month. The elected
government can help decide when it’s time for US and other foreign
troops to leave. I can’t see any reason to believe we won’t respect
their decision.
