We Have a Timetable in Iraq

John Kerry is finally succinct and, to me, totally reasonable about the situation in Iraq. His op-ed piece in today's NY Times spells out the problem.

The reality is that the Bush administration's choices have made Iraq into what it wasn't before the war - a breeding ground for jihadists. Today there are 16,000 to 20,000 jihadists and the number is growing. The administration has put itself - and, tragically, our troops, who pay the price every day - in a box of its own making. Getting out of this box won't be easy, but we owe it to our soldiers to make our best effort.

Kerry then lays out what Bush should tell the American people about the situation and the steps needed to get "out of this box". A key point goes to the Administration's recent hysterics about the dangers of setting a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq.

If Iraqis adopt a constitution and hold elections as planned, support for the insurgency should fall and Iraqi security forces should be able to take on more responsibility. It will also set the stage for American forces to begin to come home.

There is already a political timetable in Iraq, and tying the handover of security to the Iraqi government, especially the one scheduled to be elected in December, is not only logical, but should be up to that government not ours.

John, John, John well said. It makes me think of what might have b..., oh never mind.