Will Democrats ever be happy?

[Jake]

The Exit Plan's been well defined.

1) Remove Saddam - Done

2) Secure Iraq - Succeeding

3) Transfer Power - Done

4) Hold Elections - Done

5) Write Constitution - Almost Done

6) Hold Elections - Planned

7) Wear down Insurgency - Succeeding

8 ) Train Iraqi Soldiers - Succeeding

9) Remove most soldiers - Planned

[Jake]

On the subject of tranining troops. When Iraq fell apart, there were no more troops left. America has spent the last almost two years training, equipping, recruiting, and deploying a brand new army complete with new officers, NCOs, and average ground pounders. I doubt anyone could build such an army faster than we are with a civil war raging all around you and a country that has been torn apart. Even considering that, we've trained tens of thousands of troops, with more being trained every day. Iraq is not an "easy" job. War never is. Course, we could always follow Cindy Sheehan's exit strategy - "Pull out immediately and hope they don't start fighting each other." That'd be a hell of alot easier, right?

[Jake]

Donald Rumsfeld is the single biggest impediment to victory in Iraq though he will never be replaced because Bush doesn't want to lose face to the far-left crowd.

[Jake]

Donald Rumsfeld is the single biggest impediment to victory in Iraq though he will never be replaced because Bush doesn't want to lose face to the far-left crowd.

You may be right.  I have my doubts about Rumsfeld.  It seems his theories on how many troops would be needed were wildly optimistic.  He was probably wildly optimistic about other things as well.

Mostly his micromanagement of the fighting, though also his failure to plan for an exit for Iraq before the fighting began.