Finally - Some Democratic Backbone

The voters sent a message about the Iraq war last November but the Democratic leadership in Congress still seemed afraid to put in motion legislation that would serve as a clear response to the Bush Adminstration. The time arrived today. Republicans kept asking for the Democratic plan - here it is: Withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from Iraq by the fall of 2008. That is more than enough time for the Iraq government to get their act together and secure their country. Let the terrorists fall back and wait for us to pull out. That will give the Iraq military and police infratstructure enough time to thwart any terrorist reawakening. House Repubican Leader John Boehmer comment that this would telegraph to our enemy a timetable is laughable. We are telegraphing to the Iraqi government that we are running out of patience with their failure to step up to the plate. The "enemy" will try and wait us out no matter how long we stay. If Iraq can't secure their country within this timeframe, they will never be able to. The interim milestones set by Congress are also reasonable. George Bush has had sufficient time to get Iraq under control. He is being given almost two more years to establish success in Iraq. America does not have unlimited resources to stay in Iraq forever. Nonetheless, even if Bush manages to sabotage the Democratic plan, he will be out of office on January 19, 2009. At that time with a Democratic president in office, we will start the Iraq withdrawal. This plan will cost yet more American lives, but fewer than the infinite plan that Bush favors.