What kind of message does withdrawing from Iraq say about how tough we'll be with Iran and Syria?
Are you kidding? Baker-Hamilton (which again, Gates partly wrote) calls for Bush to take a softer line with Syria and Iran, in order to beg their help in quelling the violence in Iraq. Even now, the U.S. presently has no anti-proliferation policy with regards to Iran. A nuclear Iran is inevitable and imminent.
Exactly, many people are not seeing this simple fact but most horrible nightmare.
There will be no dealing with Iran and Syria. If there hasn't been by now (when Bush was at his apex), there won't be now that he's a lame duck being abandoned in droves.