Liberal Talk Radio

Maybe it’s just Friday, and I can’t think straight, but I’m puzzled. There’s all this talk about the various Democratic senators’ evolving positions on the Iraq war will position them for a Presidential run in ’08. Hillary and Biden say “stay the course,” but otherwise keep their mouth shut. Feingold (and now Kerry) argue for a phased withdrawal by the end of 2006.

Two obvious questions:

1. Why are we even debating this when the military generals on the ground agree that we’ll be mostly gone by the end of ’06? Given the logistical issues of extracting nearly a quarter-million military and support personnel, the difference between “staying the course” and “cutting and running” seems to amount to whether the last troop will leave in late November or early December of next year.

2. Given that, why are these guys even bothering to get this specific? They won’t have to start campaigning in earnest until early- to mid-2007, so why even stake out a position and get bogged down in a quagmire? My gut says that this is what Hillary’s more or less decided to do. See how events play out, and don’t go on record with too many criticisms. I understand that there’s early left-wing support to be had by speaking out, and that may be a prime motivator. But we all know Kerry’s going to run again in ’08, so he really doesn’t have anything to prove. So why not just sit back, let events unfold, and play it as it lies?