OH - AT 10:52 P.M. ET:  There seems to be so much happening, that most Americans are unaware that U.S. forces in Iraq must withdraw from central cities by June 30th.  Now, though, there are second thoughts, as The Times of London reports:

There are fears that a premature departure will lead to a return of sectarian violence or allow al-Qaeda to re-establish itself. Many would like the Americans to remain until security is restored permanently.

“After you guys pull out from the city I don’t know what our enemies are going to do,Thaban Hassan said. The head of an Iraqi Army battalion in Baquba, he told the American soldiers gathered in his office that “safety is not 100 per cent . . . why are the Americans leaving?”

“If it was up to me,” a US army captain said, “we would stay in the city, take a more active role, even.”

COMMENT:  This is what happens when you establish arbitrary deadlines to satisfy political groups, including political groups in Iraq.  We can easily snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, as, in the opinion of many, we did in Vietnam.  There has been a major spike in terrorist violence in Iraq recently.  The Obamans don't seem very concerned.  If things start to unravel in the coming months, they'll just blame BUSH (!!).  But the excuse is wearing out.  We should have tactical flexibility in Iraq to save a fragile situation.

June 25,  2009