Kennedy is Right!

I can't believe I just typed those words, but here's what the senior senator from Massachusetts said:

At least 12,000 American troops and probably more should leave at once, to send a stronger signal about our intentions and to ease the pervasive sense of occupation.

Well, that's the plan, bud:

Current plans are to reduce the 150,000 troops, requested by U.S. Central Command chief Gen. John Abizaid, back to current levels of less than 140,000 by mid-March.

Kennedy goes on to say:

America’s goal should be to complete our military withdrawal as early as possible in 2006.

And:

Finally, we need to train and equip an effective Iraqi security force. We have a year to do so before the election of the permanent Iraqi government.

Just like Kerry during the campaign, Kennedy is criticizing Bush for... DOING EXACTLY WHAT HE WOULD DO!! The effort to wrap my mind around the Democrats' positions gives me a headache...

Okay, there's no set date for a pullout, which is as it should be. But 2006 sounds about right. Kennedy's just throwing a number out there.

That's it for Kennedy being right. The rest of his speech is blather about the UN coming in with a security force, imparting legitimacy, blah blah blah. No one seriously expects that would work, given the sordid history between the UN and Iraq. Then there are the Vietnam comparisons, which I addressed here.

Once the new government is up and running in Iraq, they may very well ask us to leave. We have indicated we would do so. But we'll drive off that bridge when we come to it (sorry, couldn't resist!).