TIME TO PLAN OUR IRAQ EXIT

In the New York Times, this op-ed piece by a retired British General makes an interesting point about how the British Empire actually benefited from finally deciding to give up trying to subdue the American colonists. Clearly, he is making a parallel argument about our efforts in Iraq. It coincides with some thinking I have been doing on the subject over these last few months. As it is clear to me, based on American political history after World War II, that support for the war domestically has dropped to a level that makes it certain our leaders will withdraw our troops from Iraq, probably sometime in 2009, whether or not stability is achieved there, then it makes sense to think about the post-Iraq War world. Just as many in Britain, especially King George III, believed that failure in America would lead to dire consequences for their country, so, too, do many here in the United States believe that failure in Iraq will lead to dire consequences for us. But there is something to be said for that perfectly sensible military tactic of withdrawing to more defensible lines. By giving up America, the British had time to re-build their armed forces to face the inevitable final showdown with the French. If we give up Iraq, we will still be able to prosecute the war against al Qaeda world-wide and in Afghanistan and, most importantly, re-build our armed forces for the inevitable showdown with Iran. Just as Britain was in 1783, we will become temporarily weakened in order to get stronger in the long run. Just as Britain did in 1783, we have all the advantages over our foes, including a more flexible political system that is more desirable to the greater masses of people over time, an economy that grows stronger as it transitions to the next level, and a military power that is second-t0-none, but that needs some breathing space to get back into top form.

Therefore, it seems to me, it is time to get on with the business of planning our exit from Iraq. I hope the eventual Republican presidential nominee will embrace that position (otherwise, we will certainly have a Democratic president in January of 2009). I know it will be difficult, and will result in short-term losses. But, in the end, I believe we are the stronger, and will prevail.