It's About Iraq The Economy Iraq AND The Economy

Pity the presidential candidates who must constantly multi-task by seizing the political issue du jour. While Condi is busy praising progress in Iraq, the Iraqi defense minister is indicating that country will be unable to defend its borders without (our) help until 2018 -- at least.

Those comments from the minister, Abdul Qadir, were among the most specific public projections of a timeline for the American commitment in Iraq by officials in either Washington or Baghdad. And they suggested a longer commitment than either government had previously indicated.

[...]

Mr. Qadir’s comments are likely to become a factor in political debate over the war. All of the Democratic presidential candidates have promised a swift American withdrawal, while the leading Republican candidates have generally supported President Bush’s plan. Now that rough dates have been attached to his formula, they will certainly come under scrutiny from both sides.

I've been concerned that focus on Iraq as a political issue had been dwindling too much in recent weeks, and while the economy is certainly a major issue -- and should be -- we can't take pressure off the candidates to declare their positions on our withdrawal from that quagmire.

If we are already having economic issues worthy of being the focus of attention right now in 2008, imagine the impact another 10-12 years of major US military occupation of Iraq will have on our economy, sucking away hundreds of billions more.