A TPM reader had this opinion about withdrawing troops....

[kentuck]

www.talkingpointsmemo.com

<snip>

In your blog today... "More evidence that the administration has no plan in Iraq."

I disagree. I thought months ago, and wrote you, that they plan to begin a significant drawdown before the election this fall. Their strategy is to attempt to demonize any Democrat who calls for withdrawal so that Democrats will not end up with a unified, strong stance. If Republicans can say in Sept through Nov., "See, we've taken the lead on withdrawing the troops" this will help burnish their (false) image of strength, control etc., and will gather them credit. But, if it looks like Democrats forced the issue, it would be an admission that the whole Iraq enterprise was FUBAR and the administration has had to alter course, making them look weak.

The public has already decided the war was a mistake. The Republicans are trying prevent the public from giving credit for the planned withdrawal to Democrats, and unfortunately many Democrats appear too craven to position themselves squarely in the line of fire. Unless they do I predict the withdrawal of significant numbers of troops at summer's end will redound to Bush's credit. Democrats are playing this very unwisely.

[spindrifter]

1. This makes a lot of sense,

especially since we know that Maliki is talking withdrawal and timetable; the UN has a timetable that has been developed through negotiations (with whom, I don't know), and General Casey is talking timetable. You do not talk timetable at that level unless you have credible U.S. negotiators involved, even if only behind a curtain. And yes, Democratic Congresspeople need to wake up and smell the b.s. before it's too late to get out with a shovel.

[Auntie Bush]

3. So what stance should Dems take?

[kentuck]

4. They already blew it...

They should have taken the stance that Kerry and Feingold took.

[spindrifter]

6. It is time to establish a timetable

and stop enabling the continuing insurgency.

[Donna Zen]

2. General Clark has already predicted this on TV.

He was talking to senators the day before this vote, so he must have told them.

[ulysses]

5. yup.

[JDPriestly]

7. I agree comletely with the blogger.