Troops to stay in Iraq through '08

President Bush said Tuesday that American forces will remain in Iraq for years and it will be up to a future president to decide when to bring them all home. But defying critics and plunging polls, he declared, "I'm optimistic we'll succeed. If not, I'd pull our troops out."

And now, a totally obvious prediction: the US armed forces aren't going to see an upturn in recruitment levels in 2006. Which doesn't bode well for commanders' concerns that we're already stretched too thin.

The most troubling aspect is that Bush has now linked his administration so closely to Iraq that the worse things get, the more he has to dig in his heels and pursue his beloved failed policies. And that certainly isn't good for "those kids," as he describes them, trapped in an increasingly dangerous situation.