×
THE PLAN. Obama's plan seems reasonable enough to me. As Matt points out, there's little reason to get tied up on symbolic differences. Jason Sigger writes:
Obama is creating a carefully crafted congressional bill that could actually succeed because 1) it doesn't screw with the president's commander-in-chief responsibilities, 2) exercises Congress's actual responsibilities to participate in foreign policy and national security matters, and 3) counters the president's (and Republican party's) claims that there is no reasonable alternative to "staying the course." It just might work. It at least showcases Obama's leadership abilities in the Senate. I like it.The plus for us is that this creates a real, on-the-table alternative to the "surge" nonsense. It won't stop pundits from blathering about how the Dems don't have a plan, or that a retreat from Iraq means isolationism, but it does provide a quick, easy answer to those assertions. It's also a big plus for Obama, as any plan coming from another candidate has to stake out a smaller section of turf.
--Robert Farley
