The Political Chase

Rhetoric and nothing else

I’ll believe it when I see it.  

The top American commander in Iraq, Gen. David H. Petraeus, has recommended that decisions on the contentious issue of reducing the main body of the American troops in Iraq be put off for six months, American officials said Sunday.

General Petraeus, whose long-awaited testimony before Congress will begin Monday, has informed President Bush that troop cuts may begin in mid-December, with the withdrawal of an American combat brigade, about 4,000 troops. By mid-July, the American force in Iraq might be down to 15 combat brigades, the force level in Iraq before Mr. Bush’s troop reinforcement plan.

Bringing any amount of troops home is indeed a great thing, but 4,000 troops means nothing in terms of future strategy or policy. Bush and Petraeus are throwing Congress and Americans a bone.

Late Update: I just noticed who wrote this article — Michael Gordon. Never mind.