There is no buzz at all over this blockbuster story. I heard it on Rusty Humphries, or I would have totally missed it:
According to the Sun, which shines brightly through the dark clouds emanating from The New York Times building, Lt. Gen. Douglas Lute, the Iraq war tsar has “quietly announced that the American and Iraqi governments will start talks early next year to bring about an end to the allied occupation by the close of Mr. Bush’s presidency.”
To put it simply, what is in the works is an end to our occupation of Iraq, withdrawal of all but 50,000 U.S. troops in non-combat roles, all taking place next July, long before the November elections.
The Times, of course, could not find space to report this incredible breakthrough although it has to rate as the most important development in the long and dreary saga of the Iraq war.
Maybe it’s just me, but that seems like some important news. Something the New York Times would want to cover:
Speaking to reporters in the White House Monday, General Lute said, ‘The basic message here should be clear. Iraq is increasingly able to stand on its own. That’s very good news. But it won’t have to stand alone.’”
The key point here is that as of the summer of election year 2008, the Iraq war will cease to be the key issue in the presidential and congressional elections, the issue could be transformed from being a signal failure of the Bush administration to a substantial vindication of the Bush administration’s present war policy.
Not only that, but it also puts the Democrats on the wrong side of this war, meaning the side against victory in Iraq. They have put all their eggs in one basket, and that is probaly going to hurt them in ’08.
