"Good old Crafty Kerry"

[galatea]

Whereas in the NYT piece a deadline is set for getting combat troops out of Iraq by the end of 2006, this deadline is missing from the Senate resolution! Good old Crafty Kerry. It is left to Bush and the Iraqi government to come up with a schedule for withdrawal. Congress is only to be consulted and informed once Bush and the puppet Iraqi government have come up with whatever schedule they devise. This is nothing more than the same old crap, calling on Bush to devise "an exit strategy." Congress and Kerry avoid all responsibility for setting a date in this resolution.

Next Kerry explicitly states that the remaining troops will be "garrisoned" presumably in enduring garrisons. And more than that, the mission of the remaining forces is not to be simply for "training" as mentioned in the NYT piece but also for "security back-up (whatever that means) and "emergency response." No deadline. No complete withdrawal.

Is there any good news in the Kerry stance? Yes there is. Kerry is always looking out for the well-being of -- Kerry. (As we say in Massachusetts, John Kerry is always there for his friends ­ when he needs them.) The fact that he took this step at all is an indication that antiwar sentiment is wide, deep and enduring, according to the sophisticated polls he is no doubt running. This sentiment can be marshaled for presidential ambitions, and perhaps provides Kerry with the only way to outflank Hillary the Hawk. And so Crafty Kerry is front and center, reporting for duty.

http://www.counterpunch.com/walsh04072006.html