Politics, War and the Congressional Elections
by R. Madding

Well, it’s that time again. Time to play politics!

While most of the polls in late October (when this was written) still show the Democrats (liberals) favored in the upcoming House elections (lower body of Congress) and possibly doing well in the Senate (upper body) races, we’re seeing all the trump cards come into play.

First, for some magical reason, gasoline prices in the last month have fallen nearly to 2001 levels. We went from a high of well over $3 to a new low of under $2 in some areas!

The people, of course, have been blaming Government and the war in Iraq for all these high gas prices, which is largely untrue. Every summer gas prices go up for cars and ever winter oil prices go up for heating. This is a tradition!

The newest trump card is what looks like a time table for leaving Iraq. The powers that be are now saying that if things go well in one year well will be able to pull our troops out of Iraq and the Iraq Army and Police take over. This, to borrow is phrase, is Iraqanization (Nixon tried that in Vietnam, with Vietnamization, but it lasted for less than a month after we left). All year long President Bush has said no time table and used phrases like “we must stay the course” in Iraq. Now that phrase is no more and officials on our side and the Iraq side are now talking the possibility of us being out in a year. Some U.S. officials also say we may see some troop pull outs this year (maybe by the start of November, if we want another trump card)!

Of course, all this wonderful stuff could vanish come November 10th after the dust settles. We’ll have to wait and see.

We know for a fact that if the Democrats get a foothold in Congress they are going to make long term commitments far more difficult.

Anyone wishing to become President in 2008 is going to have to talk winding the war down, provided Bush doesn’t do that before November 2007, which is highly likely if he wants to see the Republicans have a shot at four more years in the White House. So look for that trump card between November 2006 and October 2007. I can almost assure you, that except for advisors and a small contingent of troops, we will, by and large, be out of Iraq by then!