Mess o'potamia is still in the proverbial shitter, but a Bush Administration official said that part of what is good is that will astound you. Defense Secretary Gates actually credited the Democratic Congress on its push to leave Iraq, giving the Iraqis a big sign that we want to get the hell out of there. It is always funny to see someone on the other side realize that you were, well, right all along. I wonder if his boss will follow his Defense Secretary and stop bashing Democrats over a plan that is showing success?
From The Washington Post:
Toward that end, Gates said demands in the U.S. Congress for a timeline to withdraw American troops from Iraq are constructive because they exert pressure on Iraq's leaders to forge compromises.
"The debate in Congress . . . has been helpful in demonstrating to the Iraqis that American patience is limited," Gates told Pentagon reporters traveling with him in Jordan. "The strong feelings expressed in the Congress about the timetable probably has had a positive impact . . . in terms of communicating to the Iraqis that this is not an open-ended commitment."
I wonder if Bush approved those comments before Gates went out on his own. Bush we know is lying through his teeth the moment he gets on stage for his little pep rallies, but this cabinet member might just a few more honest bones than George. Gates was discussing Moqtada al-Sadr's move to have all of his supporters in the Iraqi cabinet walk out, suggesting the continuing crumble of the inept government over there.
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