Spring Break
President Bush needs to get serious about withdrawal
Sean Reed
Issue date: 7/23/08 Section: Opinion
Apparently, it's not just the presidential candidates that are pandering to voters this election season.
On Friday, President Bush released a statement announcing an agreement between the U.S. and Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Kamal Al-Maliki to "a general timeline" for the withdrawal of U.S. troops in Iraq.
For years now, Bush has resisted calls from Democrats and some Republican groups for a pullout timeline citing fragile progress and the dangers of leaving prematurely.
Because of his previous attitude, many in the media, including the usually accurate New York Times, are calling this move a "shift" in Bush Iraq policy, but, in reality, it is nothing more than continuation of previous policy in a more election season friendly frame.
Now, to give Bush credit, the fact that he is willing to even entertain considering a troop withdrawal is a huge step in the right direction. But the problem is, this move is all rhetoric and no action.
While the White House is telling the nation it is willing to "allow for the agreements now under negotiation to include a general time horizon for meeting aspirational goals such as … the further reduction of U.S. combat forces from Iraq," there has been no information released on what the "time horizon" in question will look like.
In addition, White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe made clear the primary focus of any timeline will be to hand over security duties to Iraqi forces, and not necessarily to get U.S. soldiers out of Iraq.
The problem here, of course, is that without the added pressure of a deadline for troop withdrawal, the result of handing over new duties to Iraqi forces is likely to end in failure as it did in the past.
I like to think of it in terms of teaching a child to ride a bicycle. At first, you need to stand beside your child to steady the bars. But eventually, you have to step back and let them balance for themselves.
Is your kid going to fall? Sure. But they're also going to learn from that fall. The same is true of the Iraqi forces.
On Friday, President Bush released a statement announcing an agreement between the U.S. and Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Kamal Al-Maliki to "a general timeline" for the withdrawal of U.S. troops in Iraq.
For years now, Bush has resisted calls from Democrats and some Republican groups for a pullout timeline citing fragile progress and the dangers of leaving prematurely.
Because of his previous attitude, many in the media, including the usually accurate New York Times, are calling this move a "shift" in Bush Iraq policy, but, in reality, it is nothing more than continuation of previous policy in a more election season friendly frame.
Now, to give Bush credit, the fact that he is willing to even entertain considering a troop withdrawal is a huge step in the right direction. But the problem is, this move is all rhetoric and no action.
While the White House is telling the nation it is willing to "allow for the agreements now under negotiation to include a general time horizon for meeting aspirational goals such as … the further reduction of U.S. combat forces from Iraq," there has been no information released on what the "time horizon" in question will look like.
In addition, White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe made clear the primary focus of any timeline will be to hand over security duties to Iraqi forces, and not necessarily to get U.S. soldiers out of Iraq.
The problem here, of course, is that without the added pressure of a deadline for troop withdrawal, the result of handing over new duties to Iraqi forces is likely to end in failure as it did in the past.
I like to think of it in terms of teaching a child to ride a bicycle. At first, you need to stand beside your child to steady the bars. But eventually, you have to step back and let them balance for themselves.
Is your kid going to fall? Sure. But they're also going to learn from that fall. The same is true of the Iraqi forces.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 73
Anti-Fact Consensus
posted 7/24/08 @ 5:46 PM MST
At some point, Democrats decided that facts didn't matter anymore in Iraq. And they nominated just the man to reflect the party's new anti-factual consensus on the war, a Barack Obama who has fixedly ignored changing conditions on the ground. (Continued…)
Captain Pete Hegseth
posted 7/24/08 @ 5:49 PM MST
Five months ago, I returned to Iraq as an embedded journalist, some 18 months after I had completed a combat tour there. It was a worthwhile trip. I returned to Iraq to cover the progress the U. (Continued…)
Drilling Without Oil, Tax Cuts Without Growth
posted 7/25/08 @ 3:38 PM MST
Senator McCain is in the unenviable position of running on the track record of a president with the worst economic performance since Herbert Hoover. He has adopted the strategy of ignoring the record while embracing his predecessor's policies. (Continued…)
Dr. Ayad Allawi
posted 7/25/08 @ 3:40 PM MST
Dr. Ayad Allawi, the former interim Iraqi prime minister previously referred to even by US Congress members as a "Bush puppet," voiced his strong support for a US withdrawal timeline during a Wednesday Congressional hearing. (Continued…)
Bdygard
Craig Hawley
posted 7/25/08 @ 4:07 PM MST
Ah Max putting his two cents in and hyper linking Allawi. LOL!
Once again Max puts his faith in others besides the commanders on the ground and people like Capt. (Continued…)
Vietnam Veterans Against John McCain
posted 7/27/08 @ 11:04 AM MST
Vietnam Veterans Against John McCain was formed to dispel the myth of "Straight talkin", principled, maverick war hero" McCain. Through more than two decades of investigation of his behavior, through open-source documents, public statements of his colleagues, and personal conversations with other Vietnam POWs, we have come to the unavoidable conclusion that he is unfit by virtue of his temperament, character, dishonesty, and emotional instability to serve as President of the United States or in any other position of public trust. (Continued…)
Bdygard
Craig Hawley
posted 7/27/08 @ 11:44 AM MST
Another over hyper linked post brought to you by Max the scumbag 911 lunatic idiotarian.
The group was formed to slime McCain for the left. Remember General, Betrayus Max. (Continued…)
Chris Davis
posted 7/27/08 @ 2:02 PM MST
I hate to tell you this, Sean. You're just a punk with an opinion. You're not a reporter, let alone a national reporter. Please stick to local columns. (Continued…)
Craig Hawley
posted 7/27/08 @ 4:15 PM MST
Hey Chris I agree sometimes the Collegian blows assignments and stories , but somehow I doubt that calling him a punk is helpful.
Now I don't want to get into a fight with you , but could not one say that your just a punk Alum with an opinion. (Continued…)
McCain would start WWIV
posted 7/28/08 @ 9:02 AM MST
A former White House national security adviser says if John McCain becomes the next US president the world will move toward World War IV.
Former US President Jimmy Carter's national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski criticized US officials in Senator McCain's camp for pushing the presumptive Republican nominee toward a radical foreign policy on issues such as Iran. (Continued…)
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