Today's question over on MSNBC is:
Should a timetable be set for the withdrawal of U.S. troops in Iraq?
My vote was yes. Yet last night on the Cobert Report, former Senator Bob Kerry was saying that we should not and that it sends a sign of weakness. The Bush administration says that the insurgents would then know when we were leaving and all hell would break out after we were gone, or something to that effect.
So as I am thinking about this question past the vote that I cast, I am wondering about a possible good scenerio of results.
More on the flip
1. First of all, we would get our troops out of harm's way.
That we can all agree upon as this was a needless war brought on by neocons with broad ambitions. At the same time, we do not want to look weak as to be running away from a dangerous situation. Especially one in which we created. A Timetable with a gradual percentage reduction would help with the weakness problem. It says we are leaving but not all at once and we are not running away from the danger. It is just time for the Iraqi's to take control over their own destiny in their 'new democracy'. What they do with it will be their democratic choice.
2. Buy us some time.
This is a maybe. But according to the anti troop removal people, if we give a timetable, the insurgents will wait until we leave. So what if this was true. Wouldn't that buy us some time to really shore up the Iraqi Army without it getting blown up everyday? Or maybe we could do some good for the innocent people who are now in harm's way themself? Because of us? We broke it, we own it? Although personally 'I' would like some of that free healthcare myself. Over here. With nickle gas also.
3. Using that 'we broke it, we own it' theory, if we set the gradual troop withdrawal timeline, wouldn't we be slowly giving the people back a new and yes, a glued together piece of pottery, but one that was theirs? In our hearts, deep down, we are all skeptical that this new government will succeed without any bumps. GW likes to point out about our own Democracy and the time it took to bring it all together. But, they were delivering communications on horseback. And at the same time, France, who was very instrumental in our winning our freedom with money and their Navy, did not overstay their welcome and did not try to influence how our government was going to work. They were about to have their own revolution at home. Broke from sending over to much money to the colonies and leaving them with cake. Hmmmmm, history repeating itself?
Having said all that, I am now wondering how we are going to deal with a new terrorist country we created. Woe de me. And yes, I know I did not want the war, but the President, cough cough, choke choke, got us into it and we need to tell him how to fix the problem. It might be our country, but he is the turkey at the top.
So what are your thoughts about a timetable? Please offer other viewpoints of why it should happen or not happen and especially why my logic is flawed. The way we are doing it now is sure not working.