All Aboard the Anti-War Bandwagon

The New York Times, always an excellent indicator of establishment thinking, finally admits that the Iraq war cannot be won and that U.S. troops should be brought home as soon as possible. "Insist" being the operative word in grey editorialese. The Times' authority now allows squads of previously silent, minor congressional cowards to start nipping at the Tyrant's ankles. Evidently the Times considers this a necessary prelude to real action — either cutting off funding or impeachment — on the assumption that the administration can still be reasoned with. Well, it can't be, but by signaling a new phase in the anti-war struggle the Times implicitly puts limits on how long that phase may last. By late fall (perhaps earlier) it would not surprise me if, given no movement towards withdrawal and no progress on the ground, the Times ratchets up its complaints to a call for real political coercion. Hopefully, those in positions to make things happen in Congress will be prepared for the next phase of public outrage.