The Mahablog: Exits and Strategies

Gen. Wes Clark's op ed about Iraq in today's Washington Post may, at least, help broker some peace between the "immediate-withdrawal" and "attempt to establish stability before withdrawal" factions of the Left. See, for example, reactions from Armando of Kos and Mark Kleiman.

Clark provides a brief overview of some of the ways the Bushies have screwed the pooch and suggests practical ways in which some goals might yet be achieved. But, as Armando says, Bushie mismanagement "has placed us on the brink in Iraq leaving us this close from having no options but to withdraw." Our debates over gradual versus immediate withdrawal may prove to be naught but exercises in rhetoric.