Bill Richardson and NY Times Editorial on Withdrawing from Iraq
Earlier today the New York Times published an editorial calling on the Bush Administration to withdraw our forces from Iraq:
Continuing to sacrifice the lives and limbs of American soldiers is wrong. The war is sapping the strength of the nation’s alliances and its military forces. It is a dangerous diversion from the life-and-death struggle against terrorists. It is an increasing burden on American taxpayers, and it is a betrayal of a world that needs the wise application of American power and principles. A majority of Americans reached these conclusions months ago.
This is a significant development in the effort to end our occupation of Iraq. In reading the editorial, I was struck by how similar the editorial is with Governor Richardson’s plan for Iraq. Governor Richardson has the experience and expertise to lead the diplomatic offensive that will be necessary when we withdraw our troops to seek stability and peace in the region.
I highly doubt that U.S. forces will be removed from Iraq prior January 2009. Despite the November 2006 elections, we have seen an increase in the number of U.S. forces deployed in Iraq. For an excellent summary of the disaster the Iraq War has been, and the failure of President Bush and his administration to provide leadership, I encourage everyone to watch the recent Frontline documentary entitled “Endgame.”