Can you imagine the pure outrage if Bush actually withdrew from Iraq?

[Kagemusha]

No, seriously. We hear so much about the discretion of the President to wage war.. what if the President used that discretion to stop waging war? Can you imagine how the media and Congress would just EXPLODE in rage?

Just imagine the calls going out from AIPAC within five minutes of the announcement. Just imagine the vast network of right-wing columnists churning out article after article about how Bush has compromised his place in history. Joe Klein would say the President has ceased to be "serious". Bob Novak would write dark premonitions about how Bush is losing the base. Blue Dogs would be horrified and would urge the President to follow the voices of the generals who are serious and who know what they're talking about when they say the war should be continued until victory is achieved. Joe Lieberman would stand up and say that the country needs a President who is "strong on foreign policy". The media would be abuzz with speculation that the President has lost his mojo.

We'd have calls for Congress to fund the war no matter what Bush commands. We'd have "wise men" visiting the President to implore him to reconsider. There would even be calls for impeachment so that a "real" President can wage this vital and necessary war for America.

And finally, consultants would tell liberals to hurry and look more hawkish than the President lest they look as weak as he does. That's how it'd work, isn't it?

[eppur_se_muova]

1. I can well imagine the larger public asking "WTF are you complaining about"?

Seriously, the majority are just sick of the Iraq War. I don't think the RW saber-rattlers are going to get much electoral mileage out of continuing the occupation.

[wake.up.america]

2. Gee , what a great idea. Lots of lives safed and we would all be lot more secure.

[maxsolomon]

3. murkans think military victory is their birthright

certainly president narcissist does. when the realization that our power is limited, that we can't make our enemies love us by sending our "best & bravest" to kill them, dawns on our collective psyches, murka will experience a collective psychotic break.

since ww2, what have we 'won'? korea? vietnam? iraq?

oh yeah, grenada & panama. BFD.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

4. A scenario much to be hoped for. Alas, as unlikely as Shrub finding a brain.

[Rydz777]

5. On to something

Well, I think you're on to something. The Repubs already have talking points ready, and the pundits are adept at seamlessly shifting positions (e.g. "Bring it on! quickly becomes "I told you so!)

However, I think that the public now sees that this is nothing but a disaster, and that supporting the troops means bringing them home NOW.

[Kagemusha]

6. If I thought the public's view affected the media & politicians

I wouldn't have written a post like this.

Yes, the public would initially at least, support such a move... but would it matter? And would it even last for long, in the face of "Who Lost Iraq"?

[lectrobyte]

7. We won't leave Iraq until we have a place to replace the "enduring" bases,

see Saudi Arabia for a recent example. Or until the oil runs out, whichever happens first.

[jwirr]

8. I worked in an Iowa congressional office taking telephone calls.

The day we left Vietnam the only calls I remember getting were from parents who had an adoption in the process. They were asking to have their cases accelerated through immigrations. We finally got that okayed. Most of the country was just relieved to have it over with no matter which side they were on. The fight over the war was a very stressful time.