So many Republicans and conservative pundits have been saying that the Democrats want a "precipitous" withdrawl that it must have been the September talking point.

Since every Senate Democrat voted to keep a limited presence in Iraq, even after the vast majority were pulled out, then Stephanopoulos should know that.

"Some" Democrats is misleading. It doesn't seem all that hard to share the facts with his audience.

The facts?  Hmmm.....the facts you say?  A novel approach but I like it! 

Hallelujah! The tide of TRUTH is affecting even the propagandists of our Rightwing "Mainstream" Media.

So, now it's a "Precipitous withdrawal" ... irresponsible in its haste and speed and completeness ... that has the Democrats labelled as UnAmerican.

That's quite an improvement over "Defeatocrats", "cut and runners", being "invested in failure", and only "interested in surrender".

To abandon those powerful images, the tide of public opinion must be showing the rightwing that their over-the-top, radical LYING about the positions of their opponents is just not working. They've had to "fine tune" their criticisms to lies that are a bit more believable.

That's progress, I say. 

Well, given the fact that most of the GOP base won't know what "precipitous" means, I think they'll go back to "cut and run" any day now.

This is sort of what is upsetting to me , many Democrats do not want to withdraw. I wish we had total withdrawl from Iraq. We need to end this occupation now before more Americans and Iraqis are killed innocently.

This is why people should NOT be voting Democrat or Republican come '08. Both parties are intent on continuing the occupation and killing Iraqis. Even the Democrats have called on the Iraqi government to sign that odious oil law that hands their natural resources over to foreign (read US) corporations. Democrats show that they too are war criminals only interested in stealing Iraq's oil.

I can't believe that MD isn't going to do a story on the fact that Wolf Blitzer had the third-highest ranking member of the Cuban Government on Late Edition this morning, and Blitzer practically BEGGED him to endorse Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama for President.  Seriously- Blitzer asked this guy THREE TIMES to make an endorsement.  The Cuban official, completely bewildered by Blitzer's obsession, to his credit refused.

So I guess the "Castro Endorsed Hillary-Obama" pseudo-smear hasn't died yet- at least, Blitzer is trying to give it life support. 

SAVE DEMOCRACY, VOTE FOR A DEMOCRAT!!

Gates: What we have in mind?? 

Protracted military occupation of the oil rich Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, and if Cheney gets his way, Iran, is there end goal!! The extension of the occupation of Iraq into the next Presidential term insures that a draft will be necessary to restore normal troop levels for current deployment requirements that include NATO and normal treaty obligations! The numbers will catch us like it, or not! 

A strategic strike force withdrawal to the Kurdish Provinces in force say to Kirkuk and north; where the oil is in serious dispute with the Kurds and Sunnis, not to mention the Turks just itching to put an end to Kurdish independence, allows a welcoming presence from at least 3 of the 4 factions, that being the Kurds, Shia, and Turks! 

Of cource the South of Basra and the Swamps between Iran and Iraq require a US Naval Force Protection with an effective element of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary at ready standby along with a Carrier Group Force in the Gulf.

Anbar would be possible to make alliances, opposed to force presence other than the above-mentioned forces that could be quickly deployed as required to maintain an Al Qaeda free Province, Sunnis have been in control of the region for 8 centuries plus, no reason to believe we couldn’t help that trend to our favor!

Their a plan to redeploy, and reduce force protection levels of say 30-50 thousand flexible forces, meaning if another region flares up we will be available, while being able to build up Afghanistan’s forces to levels that can put an end to Al Qaeda!

Happy Thoughts;

Dan Grady

This may be off topic, slightly, but I think it's relevant. Has anyone seen Ari Fleischer's "Freedom Watch" propaganda ads urging us to "Stay the course" in Iraq? They're absolutely obscene and dishonest. They've chosen to use a disabled Iraq vet to recite their propaganda points. I guess they think this will innoculate them from the criticism they deserve. These people have no shame...but we already knew that.

Nerzog, yeah I've seen the and they are unbelievable. I did hear that CNBC and  MSNBC will not run the ads however Fox and CNN will.

I saw one this morning on Fox- "It would be terrible to give up now that we are making progress, my son is in Iraq, he doesn't want to surrender..." and most obscenely "we've already had one 9/11, we don't need another one."  Totally dishonest, totally disgusting.  Propaganda at it's worst.

Ari Fleischer came to the admin from a far-right Zionist organization. He's working on behalf of the Israel lobby.