QandO

May 28, 2004

Cut and Run?
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Writing in The Nation, David Corn outlines the Kerry Campaign's thinking on Iraq.

There have been debates on Iraq within the campaign's foreign policy team. "For a while," says a senior Kerry foreign policy adviser, "the debate was whether it was better not to offer an Iraq plan. Now there's a continuing discussion on how to deal with the changing realities in Iraq." But there are no indications Kerry or his camp feels pressure to consider pulling out the troops. "It has been clear to everyone," this adviser says, "that cutting and running is not the right approach and that Iraq can't be an American-only operation, that we have to broaden the international role dramatically. But one question has been, how hard do you hit the president? And we also haven't engaged the issue of an exit date. That's politically difficult because it would look like cutting and running. Kerry has to establish he's steely enough to do the job."

Another foreign policy adviser to the campaign notes, "most of Kerry's advisers want to get US troops out as quickly as possible. The issue is how direct to be. Perhaps there will be more political pressure for a pullout. I disagreed with him over his vote to authorize the war, but I've come round to thinking he has rather good political instincts about these matters." And while several Democratic foreign policy wonks outside the campaign have advocated setting a deadline for removing US troops, Kerry has not endorsed a D Day for disengagement. "It means," says Holbrooke, "hardliners get harder and wait you out. A hard date increases the chances of civil war. It's irresponsible."

So, which is it, a troop pullout or not? And, while we're on the question, why is the the first option of the Democratic Party always retreat or surrender? Hasn't it occurred to them yet that this inclination is the main reason why the electorate is so cautious about electing Democrats when national security is at issue?

And let's say we do just pack up our little red wagon and go home. How will the Democrats prevent the 2010s from being a repeat of the 1970s, but with suicide bombs?

Do they think that the response of terrorists to a retreat in Iraq will be to leave us all alone, now that we've learned our lesson?

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