This suggestion may be unpopular here, what with all the support for an immediate or near-immediate withdrawl from Iraq, but I don't think that advocating for withdrawl going into '06 is the right election strategy for Iraq, for Democratic national security appearances, or for terrorism
For one thing, in the current terms of the debate, withdrawl for most Americans means accepting defeat. Advocating for accepting defeat will not make Democrats look strong, but it will make Americans feel bad about themselves, and that's not a good way to win votes. Moreover, withdrawl at the current time will have far-reaching and poorly understood consequences for international terrorism and for stability in the Middle East. Iraq is a mess, and we made it that way, but rather than retreat, I think most Americans want a way out with our heads held high, Iraq stable and terrorism on the decline.
Below, I'll explain my positive ideas for re-framing the Iraq debacle, allowing us to withdraw troops and reduce casualties, without making us look defeatist.
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