Replies

I think the insurgents have a pretty good idea of how things are going. They see that people are turning them in. They are getting into fights over strategy with the terrorists from outside the country. But the insurgents are not the one's we need to convince.

We will leave when the Iraqi's turn to us and say "We're ready. We believe in ourselves. We're not going to get discouraged." When they feel they have the strength, the training and the "ownership" of what they have built for their own future. When that happens, we will shake their hands, thank them for being allies and walk away. They may be physically prepared to fight long before they are mentally prepared. That is what we are waiting for.

President Bush said we aren't going to announce when we are going to leave because they will sit back and wait. They are not waiting for us—they know we could sweep right back in and crush them. They want the Iraqis themselves to be vulnerable, not hardened by the fight and honed by experience. By not announcing our "exit date" we make our intentions clear: We're going to be here until they fight as well as we do.

Just remember, we are just now winding down in Germany and Japan. Why? Because the nature of our enemies have changed and with that our relationship. I don't think this will take as long. But I would suspect we will have similar installations in the ME for years to come. Not as enemies, but as allies.

But I would suspect we will have similar installations in the ME for years to come. Not as enemies, but as allies.

That would be correct.

I have no idea how any of that related to my post.

But the insurgents are not the one's we need to convince.

I think my point was the bad guys are going to know far in advance when we are winding down operations and preparing to pull out. It wont be a secret.