Don't announce we're leaving, set any dates. Just gradually start packing and leave. Wait for them to figure it out and beg us to stay, then make demands and set deadlines for things they must accomplish.

And if/when they don't, pack up some more troops and ship them home. Repeat until Iraq gets its act together, or all our troops are out.

It certainly jives with my not anouncing anything proposal, though I would have surged rather than retreated without fanfare.

The problem is nothing is secret. If Bush farts it isn't ten minutes before Juan, Justin and Joshua aren't on the net complaining about the smell.

I think it's literally impossible to do that.

At some point it woulnd't be a secret but it would save face for both sides.

If they don't ask - we had their permission.

If they do ask - we have their request to stay.

They don't get their pride interupted by being told how it's going to be, and we get to leave at their request which gets us off the hook.

shrub can claim that as his definition of Liberty and success all along, and maybee Republicans will get elected again in some distant future.