Out of Iraq

 Obama has announced that American troops will be out of Iraq by the end of the year! For all those who have courageously and ably fought for America during the last nine years, that is good news.

However, one has to ask - why now? Did the insurgents all come in and lay down their arms? Was there a successful treaty negotiation? Has peace finally come to Iraq? Have the issues surrounding the U.S. withdrawal been resolved with the government of Iraq?

And the answers to the last four questions, in order, are no, no, no, and no, the talks actually have broken down. President Obama, it seems, set a December 31st deadline for withdrawing the troops. He is, he says now, honoring his 2008 pledge to end the war. Strange how that didn't happen right after he was elected in, or at the end of 2009, or anytime in 2010.

So, why now? If it's time to get out of Iraq at the end of 2011, and not in those earlier years, there must be a strategic reason. Well, take comfort; there is a good strategic reason. You see, the re-election campaign season is underway, and bringing the troops home makes for good campaign press, so this is the best time from a strategic point of view for the campaign....

Oh. Did you think there was a good reason from a military point of view? What's that got to do with anything Obama does?