Retreat and Defeat

Democrats abandon withdrawal timetable. Like Nancy Pelosi, I don't really see what choice the leadership had, but I'm not happy about it:

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) was so disappointed with the outcome that she said she might vote against the Iraq portion of the package, which will be split into two parts when it comes before the House. "I'm not likely to vote for something that doesn't have a timetable," she said.

I think the GOP has made it clear that they don't intend to compromise or relent on this issue. They'll either pay a price in 2008 and pave the way for an end to the war, or else they won't; what they're not going to do, however, is end the war themselves.