In Or Out

Twelve more phony soldiers, former Captains who served in Iraq, write in The Washington Post that we have two viable options in Iraq, either "abandon our volunteer military for compulsory service" which will put us in a position where "we might be able to succeed in Iraq." Alternatively, and in the option they clearly favor, "our best option is to leave Iraq immediately."

Their point is that while plans to withdraw very, very slowly may help politicians who don't want to admit defeat, that such protracted phase-downs do nothing to actually help Iraq and a great deal to endanger the troops left behind. These are schemes that amount to asking soldiers to risk their lives not to achieve any strategic objectives of national importance, but for the vainglory of politicians whose egos are salved by anything that lets them avoid admitting error or the need for dramatic change.