Running Out the Clock

Bush embraces pause in troop cutbacks - 10 Apr 2008 at 9:08am - WASHINGTON -- Taking the advice of his top commander in Iraq, President Bush will not order additional troop drawdowns beyond July, leaving open the possibility that about 140,000 U.S. servicemen and women will still be in the war zone when the next president takes office.

Are we really so sure about who's advising whom?

So now we're back to exactly where we were before the "surge", with an intractable administration and Senate minority who can't or won't admit that every military objective in Iraq that's worth meeting has already been met. This is progress?

Another headline proclaims "Bush suspends summer troop pullouts from Iraq". I think I've mentioned this before, but I'm still puzzled: how is it possible to "suspend" that which you haven't yet begun, planned, or really, even given a moment's thought to?

Gates withdraws Iraq prediction - 10 Apr 2008 at 3:12pm - WASHINGTON -- Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday he has abandoned hope that troop levels in Iraq will drop to 100,000 by the end of the year.

Another indicator of the "success" of the surge.

Canadian film stars take fight against Bill C-10 to Ottawa - 10 Apr 2008 at 9:06am - Members of Canada's film and television industry will take centre stage on Parliament Hill Wednesday to voice their concerns over a proposed bill that would give the government the power to deny funding to productions it considers offensive.

Thought for the day:
If you would win a man to your cause, first convince him that you are his sincere friend. -Abraham Lincoln (1809 - 1865)