Immediate Pullout from Iraq a Bad Idea

It's not all that often when I write a post to say that I agree with the president, but I must do so this evening. At a press availability this afternoon, Bush said

"... I also know there's a lot of folks here in the United States that are, you know, wondering about troop withdrawals. They're concerned about the violence and the death. They hear the stories about a loved one being lost to combat. And, you know, I grieve for every death. It breaks my heart to think about a family weeping over the loss of a loved one. I understand the anguish that some feel about the death that takes place.

I also have heard the voices of those saying, pull out now, and I've thought about their cry, and their sincere desire to reduce the loss of life by pulling our troops out. I just strongly disagree. Pulling the troops out would send a terrible signal to the enemy. Immediate withdrawal would say to the Zarqawis of the world, and the terrorists of the world, and the bombers who take innocent life around the world, you know, the United States is weak; and all we've got to do is intimidate and they'll leave."

He's right. Whatever your feelings about getting into the war, we all must recognize that we have a duty now to help the Iraqi people reach a stable point before we can withdraw our troops. That time has not yet come.