Obama vs Odierno

Marc Lynch comments on the showdown and offers a smart and pragmatic solution of his own:

A "down payment" of a public, significant drawdown in the early spring would send the correct signals to all relevant actors, while allowing plenty of time for commanders in the field to assess the impact and adjust accordingly.   I hope that Obama is able to head off a battle with the military -- and the military, a battle with Obama -- by working together on such a strategy.