Digby and Josh Marshall both criticized Democrats for their response to this Republican trash talk, the erroneous "cut and run" refrain that media have hyped on behalf of the Bush Administration. Yes, to reiterate Digby's insight, Democrats do need to get more aggressive on Bush's non-plan for Iraq by "telling the American people there is no end in sight and there is nothing they can do about it." In an earlier post, Digby quoted a Gene Lyons column on how this cut-and-run business hasn't historically been a Democratic affair (Dick Cheney agrees).
But...
What can Democrats do about the Republican microphone super-glued to the snouts of media lapdogs? Murtha's stay and pay has a nice counterattack ring for Democrats, however, would such a response break through the froth of Pravda-esque swill? I think not. Not while Big Brother Bush, Inc., lurks. Jamison Foser provides this week's wrap-up on how the con-apparatchiki united in their high-pitched whinnies. Also, The Horse's Mouth records daily the loud neighing from the corral.
I see the recent media fanfare on Bush's alleged bounce as the harbinger of a secret withdrawal plan that will officially surface around a holiday–July 4th or Labor Day–with Bush claiming victory in announcing a phased pull-out of Iraq. Democrats need to recognize what's afoot. And move fast.
In the Republican tradition of cut and run–which is steal the other team's plan while smearing their foresight, assisted by compliant news networks–Bush will withdraw approximately 30,000 troops or more this year in time to impact the midterm elections as I speculated previously. Iraq's national security advisor, Mowaffak Al-Rubaie, said so:
We envisage the U.S. troop presence by year's end to be under 100,000, with most of the remaining troops to return home by the end of 2007.
Don't miss this overlooked tidbit buried in an AP story about the Iraqi security crackdown backed by U.S. troops from yesterday. Via the San Francisco Chronicle (with emphasis):
On the political front, a key politician said the Iraqi government will present a 28-point national reconciliation plan to parliament Sunday that would grant some insurgents amnesty and ask for approval of a series of steps for Iraqis to take over security from U.S. troops.
Kurdish politician Mahmoud Othman said the plan to be presented on Sunday also would include a timeline for preparing Iraqi forces to take over the security from U.S. forces in the country.
That would fit with the overall U.S.-led coalition strategy to hand over security in certain regions while withdrawing to larger regional bases to stand ready to in case of emergency. [Sounds like Murtha's plan for redeployment to me!] A final stage would involve the drawdown of U.S. troops from those bases. No specific timeline would be involved in that plan.
Ah, to keep their berths on the U.S. taxpayer gravy train, the new Iraqi government will let the U.S. preznit proclaim the specific timeline, which won't be spun as a timetable for fear of appearing to flip-flop. To paraphrase the Talking Codpiece, the Iraqis will begin standing up so U.S. troops can step down...in time to convince midterm swing voters of the innate Republican national security talent. Bwah-ha!
"There is no finite and UN-approved timeline for the withdrawal of foreign troops, but there is a timeline to accomplish the readiness of Iraqi security forces to take over security in the country," Othman said.
So let me lay out the Bush-a-palooza hidden in the message: There is a timeline for Iraqi troops to take over but none on U.S. troop redeployment. And I bet Bush's super-duper secret visit to Iraq has nothing to do with these stunning developments. Yeah, sure. Wink, wink. It's a secret.
POST MORTEM UPDATE: Dumbest post I've ever written rivaled by this howler. Sheeeeesh. When I swing and miss, I do it with gusto. But alas, enthusiasm doesn't affect batting average.
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