Mistakes, Mistakes, Mistakes ...

Anyone who truly understands or cares anything about Iraq, knows that bringing the troops home now — or beginning some withdrawal to a regional enclave — will not end the war. It will inflame the already hot war. If the troops are withdrawn to a regional enclave and the war boils over (as it would), they would ultimately have to move back into a far hotter environment than they are already in. Military planners and strategists who have to think decades ahead, have to consider such probabilities. Politicians, who rarely think beyond the next election, don’t.

Also, if we withdraw in the face of the enemy (or set a date for withdrawal), al Qaeda will claim a huge victory — and make no mistake, our withdrawing won’t be a hollow victory for al Qaeda: It will be an enormous and very real triumph for the terrorist network.

— A former U.S. Marine infantry leader, W. Thomas Smith Jr. writes about military issues and has covered war in the Balkans, on the West Bank, and in Iraq. Smith is the author of six books, and his articles appear in a variety of publications. He blogs at The Tank.

... meanwhile, Cong. John Boehner calls GOP defectors in the Senate WIMPS. I 've got news for ya, John, they're ALL WIMPS, along with ALL those in the Whitehouse, and ALL in the House; including you.

... public discussion of withdrawal plans by anyone in government is a MISTAKE, a dreadful one! These are the kind of leaders we have now! - DREADFUL!