Confusion on Iraq

CNN:

President Bush on November 19 rejected Democratic calls to begin steps to withdraw U.S. forces from Iraq, in part because Iraqi forces are not yet able to defend the country on their own.

From the AP:

The Bush administration and military leaders are sounding optimistic notes about scaling back U.S. troops in Iraq next year, as public opposition to the war and congressional demands for withdrawal get louder.

Contingency plans for a phased withdrawal include proposals to further postpone or cancel the deployment of a Fort Riley, Kan., brigade and an option to put a combat brigade in nearby Kuwait in case it is needed, said a senior Pentagon official.

While military leaders would not confirm the size of possible withdrawals, conversations with defense officials and analysts suggest troop levels could drop below 100,000 next year, contingent on the progress of the Iraqi government and its security forces. There are currently about 155,000 U.S. troops in Iraq.

The official, who asked not to be identified because plans are not final, said stresses on the National Guard and Reserves are also factors.

Does Bush not know what the rest of his administration is doing, or does he choose to willfully ignore it altogether? And I still have to wonder how this administration, without a signifcant signpost, is going to convince America that they waited for the right moment to pull out the troops as opposed to any moment at all.

Will they just say one day that we won, and expect the country to believe it, even if there has been no noticibale change?