Remember Senator George Aiken (R Vt). At one of the low points in Vietnam, he urged that the American administration declare victory and withdraw its troops.
The President and his General of the moment have said that things are going well enough to allow the beginning of troop reductions, and the transfer of greater responsibility to the Iraqis. However, Iraqi political leaders must move with increased diligence toward the consensus required for democratic nation-building.
By starting to withdraw American troops, the President is saying that the Iraqis must take responsibility for their country. Someday, it will be all theirs.
Other ranking military officers, as well as prominent Democrats, and run of the mill skeptics are expressing their doubts.
(See, for example, http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/14/washington/14military.html)
Among their points are that American troops are already under great pressure to accomplish their tasks amidst the violence directed against them and among the Iraqis. Reducing their numbers will make their tasks impossible. Beyond these tactical problems, there may be no way that American leadership, or American prompting of Iraqis currently in key positions, can produce what the President wants. Sunnis and Shiites, along with Kurds and others have been at one another for centuries. They are not about to kiss and make friends at American urging, especially when financed, armed, and stirred to action by supporters and exploiters from Iran and Syria, with additional sources in the wilds of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Lebanon, and Sudan. The Turks are on alert for what may be coming their way. And who knows what the North Koreans are contributing to the brew?
I am reluctant to depart from my usual modesty to put myself in the middle of world events, but there are small lessons from two of my recent letters. One chided Rabbi Ovadia Yosef for his remarks about Jews and others outside of his ultra-Orthodox community. It brought forth a Jewish Kulturkampf. Arrayed against those who view the Rabbi as an unfortunate remnant of the Dark Ages, are those who feel that his critics do not comprehend the Talmud and other holy sources.
A subsequent letter closed with the line that we should not rush the Messiah. This is an expression meant to urge that we do not act rashly. For some readers, it was an opening to greater things. They wrote about the Messiah and the Devil, the true reading of the Book of Revelations, and the fate of Jews and others who do not comprehend what the Almighty has been doing for all these years, and what will occur from here onwards.
(See http://blogcentral.jpost.com/index.php?blog_id=30)
As others have said before me, the Middle East is not the Middle West. And the Middle West might not be all that peaceful for those opening an abortion clinic, or parading in behalf of gays and lesbians. My own efforts to understand events have revealed a bit of the tinder that can be ignited.
In the era of blogging, Jews and Christians exited by faith, or the lack thereof, can make their points via computer keyboards. Intense Muslims use rocket propelled grenades, roadside bombs, and cars loaded with explosives.
We must not forget 9-11. The President did not initiate his country's problems with the Middle East. The United States acquired great responsibilities long before he sought to lead it. Now he is stuck with awesome tasks. Until the end of days, historians will be pondering if he made things worse, or did something right.