Stand Up, Stand Down

The strategy, of course, is that as the Iraqi security forces stand up, American forces will be able to stand down, providing not for a precipitous withdrawal, but rather a slow-but-steady drawdown of the US military presence in Iraq as victory is achieved. Except, as Jim Henley notes, our troop strength in Iraq is somehow back up to 150,000, right in the neighborhood of the peak level. It's almost as if the administration's strategy for Iraq is a horrible failure, a plan for perpetual war. But that couldn't be right, could it?

Well, of course it could. After all, "the only defeat is leaving", according to Bush. Meaning that "winning" just means continuing to do what we're doing -- staying in Iraq -- for as long as it takes for us to . . . keep on staying in Iraq.

Comments

Don't forget, they redefined SU/SD:

Q That's the proposition that the White House put out there, that as they stood up, violence would come down, and we'd stand down.

MR. SNOW: As part of our constant adjustment, let me just add that apparently, the terrorists have also decided not to stand down. They've got to stand down.

Posted by P O'Neill | October 31, 2006 10:01 AM

If our opponents knew what it is we're there for, they'd adapt what they're doing to get us to leave.

Posted by Jeffrey Davis | October 31, 2006 10:19 AM

Here's what's going to happen: If the Dems take the House every single problem, misstep, war death, budget snafu, policy failure, crashed airplane and auto safety recall will be their fault starting November 8th. If they also take the Senate the above will become retroactive to, oh, year 1892. Bush will claim if not for divided government he could lead but now with Dems in (partial?) power all is lost. Rove will tee up on the situation and hit a home run in 2008. By then the sheeple, trolls, zombies, wingnuts and evangelicals will be convinced Democrats are Satan's spawn and let the pogroms begin. Since the above groups make up most of the electorate it'll be Brownback or Frist or some other whackjob measuring for the drapes.

Posted by steve duncan | October 31, 2006 10:23 AM

Better to take the blame, Steve, for pulling on the reins of a runaway administration than to just let it keep screwing up. Democrats will take the blame whether they win or lose. If they don't win, they'll be blamed for not winning and keeping these yahoos in check.

Personally, I'd rather they fight that message from a position of strength than one of powerlessness.

Posted by TJ | October 31, 2006 10:35 AM

Here's what's going to happen: If the Dems take the House every single problem, misstep, war death, budget snafu, policy failure, crashed airplane and auto safety recall will be their fault starting November 8th.

I don't see why. Obviously, the GOP strategy will be to try and make that the perception, but the Democratic task will be to prevent that perception. Politics will continue and the Dems will need to try and win. This is why well-run investigations are going to be important -- if handled properly they'll keep the public view on the real sources of these problems.

Posted by Matthew Yglesias | October 31, 2006 10:54 AM

We're staying in Iraq until the job's done, GWB's job that is. In January 2009.

Posted by Wren | October 31, 2006 10:57 AM

GWB has 2 years to complete his job. But there is only one major institution he has yet to use as his tool, suck dry and leave for dead: the GOP. I don't think that's going to take 2 years at the current run rate.

Posted by hoi polloi | October 31, 2006 11:54 AM

I understand now, the 'they' in 'they stand down' refered to the insurgents.

Posted by daveNYC | October 31, 2006 12:09 PM

TJ, I agree it'll be better to be in an enhanced position of power. Democrats need to brace themselves for the Republican thrashing about that goes with being wounded. I don't want to hear any pissing and moaning about how unfair it is for Dems to be tagged with the failure in Iraq, a budget crash, pedophiles in Congressional cloakrooms and every other problem in the world. Starting November 8th EVERYTHING, EVERY PROBLEM, is the Democrats' fault and responsibility to fix. The Katrina cleanup? Dem's fault for slowness, underfunding and being behind and incomplete. That future spike in Iraq war casualties? Dem's fault. On November 8th Bush washes his hands of everything. Accept it and don't be surprised or bitch about it.

Posted by steve duncan | October 31, 2006 12:26 PM

"Obviously, the GOP strategy will be to try and make that the perception, but the Democratic task will be to prevent that perception."

Posted by: Matthew Yglesias on October 31, 2006 10:54 AM

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Matt, you're rather sanguine about the Democrat's ability to project or control the perception of events. I don't think responding to my scenario with "Well, we just won't let them spin it that way" is going to work. The roughly 1/2 of the electorate that votes Republican thinks A) Bush walks on water, and B) Democrats are godless baby murdering terrorist sympathizers. Sure, Bush is not showing 50% support in the polls right now. Once under assualt by a bunch of evil obstructionists his support will return to the fold. I stand by my predictions.

Posted by steve duncan | October 31, 2006 12:37 PM

Steve, I think you're right that the media will get to go back to harping on those do-nothing Democrats who were supposed to fix everything. Reminders that this was Bush's mess will sound like "Bush-hating" that the Democrats should just "get over." And, I think it's possible that the next two years could make the Democratic candidate's chances of gaining the presidency more difficult.

But, but, but, how long should the left have to wait for a sympathetic media and public? I'm guessing this is a chicken-egg thing. Until the left shows spine and results despite being hobbled, they'll earn no respect. It's a handicap, but at least we know it's there now and can start to find ways to short-circuit it.

Posted by TJ | October 31, 2006 12:55 PM