Kerry says 'bring them home'

Finally, a prominent Democrat argues not only that the troops should come home from Iraq, but that they should do so within a specific time frame.

John Kerry makes the case in a New York Times op-ed.

Iraqi politicians should be told that they have until May 15 to put together an effective unity government or we will immediately withdraw our military. If Iraqis aren't willing to build a unity government in the five months since the election, they're probably not willing to build one at all. The civil war will only get worse, and we will have no choice anyway but to leave.

If Iraq's leaders succeed in putting together a government, then we must agree on another deadline: a schedule for withdrawing American combat forces by year's end. Doing so will empower the new Iraqi leadership, put Iraqis in the position of running their own country and undermine support for the insurgency, which is fueled in large measure by the majority of Iraqis who want us to leave their country. Only troops essential to finishing the job of training Iraqi forces should remain.

This is pure, unadulterated common sense.

Of course, this will inspire rousing choruses of "cut and run" from the Bushies. Let them shout. As long as Kerry holds his ground, the stay-the-course folks will eventually be asked to explain what the course is. They will be asked to explain what the mission is in Iraq and what, exactly, would constitute completing it.

Kerry has taken the moral fight over Iraq to Bush. This is precisely what I was talking about when I argued that it is up to the Democrats to lead America out of this war.

Bush will pretend otherwise for a few days, but he and the Republican Party are now entirely on the defensive. They must now convince the American people that they have a better plan than the one Kerry just put forward. In fact, they have to convince us that they have a plan at all.