Atrios is part right and part wrong on Iraq

Atrios is completely right that the main political pressure should be on Administration idiots who brought us to this disaster in Iraq. We can slightly reduce the disaster by getting a declaration that we will leave, entirely, some day from Iraq, and we will not have permanent bases there.

Where Atrios is wrong is in saying the reason some of us reject "getting out now" is that we're in favor of "getting out as soon as we can subject to things being better in some undefined way." I'm not at all convinced that things will get better in Iraq if we stay for an extended period. Rather, I currently think that things might get much worse if we leave within a short period, especially because I don't see a UN peacekeeping force materializing and taking charge in our absence. And unfortunately, the idea that things can't get much worse in Iraq is wrong. As bad as it is there, it can get worse, and until it's clear that the Iraqis want us out, we have to deal with this disaster created by the Bush Administration.

So back to Atrios' main point - part of limiting the disaster is promising to leave sometime, and that needs to be the emphasis.


key: politics, Iraq