Early Withdrawal

I'm ambivalent about this story.

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's transitional prime minister called Wednesday for a speedy withdrawal of U.S. troops and the top U.S. commander here said he believed a "fairly substantial" pullout could begin next spring and summer.

Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari said at a joint news conference with Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld that the time has arrived to plan a coordinated transition from American to Iraqi military control throughout the country.

Asked how soon a U.S. withdrawal should happen, he said no exact timetable had been set. "But we confirm and we desire speed in that regard," he said, speaking through a translator. "And this fast pace has two aspects."

First, there must be a quickening of the pace of U.S. training of Iraqi security forces, and second there must be closely coordinated planning between the U.S.-led military coalition and the emerging Iraq government on a security transition, he said.

"We do not want to be surprised by a withdrawal that is not in connection with our Iraqi timing,"' he said.

I don't think that a quick withdrawal is the right way to go about ending the coalition presence in Iraq; to be honest, I foresee a coalition military presence in Iraq into the foreseeable future, along the lines of our presence in such places as England, South Korea, Japan, and Germany. I think that a quick withdrawal sends the wrong message, and essentially negates an ordered transition. I think that the best chance for continued stability in Iraq is an ordered, controlled transition, giving the Iraqi troops responsibility for taking charge of their own security as they're able. There are some excellent Iraqi units out there, that are kicking terrorist ass and taking names. I'm not confident that the Iraqi government/military will be ready for a near-total coalition withdrawal by next Spring.

It may not be a popular opinion, but it's mine, and I think that it's informed. Disagree? Tell me why.