No immediate US Iraq withdrawal: Downer (Australia)

[struggle4progress]

November 12, 2006 - 3:29PM

.. Foreign Minister Alexander Downer says ... "The Democrats aren't saying that they want to immediately surrender in Iraq or an instant withdrawal," ....

"This suggestion by some people that the defeat of the Republicans in the US Congress is a victory for terrorists and a victory for people who want to drive America into defeat in Iraq, they're wrong.

"That's not the view of the Democrats at all."

Mr Downer and Prime Minister John Howard will meet Mr Bush and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at an APEC meeting in Vietnam next week ....

http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/No-immediate-US-Iraq-withdrawal-Downer/2006/11/12/1163266403716.html

The Howard government, in Bush's pocket, is apparently eager to stay the course ...

[aquart]

1. That's a downer indeed.

[daleo]

2. What would he know?

Congress can't do much more than cut off money anyway. But that will happen in due course, I believe.

[struggle4progress]

3. He'll know what Howard told him at BushCo's direction, I think

Blair and Howard have moved in lock-step with Bush, which bespeaks some careful coordination.

And if BushCo is headed down under pronto then there's been quite a lot of recent communication, which means Howard knows what the BushCo spin on the elections and Iraq is.

BushCo, of course, wants to continue as if all is smooth sailing. And here we have the Ozzies echoing the "no major change" meme.

[rodeodance]

4. at least he is gettting the story straight.

[MGD]

5. I think we should pull back to a strong defensive line & let them have their little civil war.

The last Iraqi standing wins I guess. In the mean time, we're close enough to prevent Iran from exerting too much influence on the situation but far enough back to avoid wasting too much blood and money on a situation that is now well beyond our control. And, when they've finished throwing themselves into the meat grinder, we can move in all the more easily. I don't see retreat to within our borders as being a good option.

[Bear down under]

6. Downer is an antipodean Bush wannabe

trying to prove he's better than his father but without his father's ability or integrity.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Downer,_Sr.