A pull-out by any other name

This evening, the Bush Administration announced that it may pull out three brigades from Iraq in early 2006. They coerced the decision into their "we'll stand down when they stand up" argument by suggesting that the Iraqi force has increased the number of soldiers capable of operating independently. This is rather strange given the embarassing revalation in front of Congress that the number of Iraqi brigades that are combat-ready has dropped from three to one. This suggests that the Bush team is trying to find a way to retreat from Iraq to placate growing anger by Americans at the rationale for war without being seen as "flip-flopping". I don't think it will work politically, as much as Americans will enjoy seeing some of the troops returning home, nor do I think it will do much to repair the armed forces which Bush has decimated. It marks the beginning of the end of a misguided invasion of Iraq. The American people have finally began to awke about the war in Iraq.