All Wars End Eventually

Remember that war the Very Serious People convinced us to enter back in 2003 to topple the guy who helped to plot 9/11 who had WMDs that were an immanent threat against the nation, except none of that was even true, but we stayed around anyway to spread freedom and democracy? You know, the Iraq? Well it appears that adventure is finally drawing to a close. (I don't exactly trust Fox News, so take the report with an appropriately healthy grain of salt.)

The Obama administration has decided to drop the number of U.S. troops in Iraw at the end of the year down to 3,000, marking a major downgrade in force strength, multiple sources familiar with the inner workings and decisions on U.S. troop movements in Iraq told Fox News. 

Senior commanders are said to be livid at the decision, which has already been signed off by Defense Secretary Leon Panetta.

The generals on the ground had requested that the number of troops remaining in Iraq at the end of the year reach about 27,000. But, there was major pushback about "the cost and the political optics" of that decision that the number was then reduced to 10,000. 

The Very Serious People like Senator Droopy (I-CT) are not pleased with the news. They want war forever in the name of peace, freedom, and democracy. Something though in their logic doesn't quite add up. But alas, for the past 10 years they have dominated our national discourse about foreign (and largely domestic) affairs.

I am thrilled that the Administration is deciding to flip the Serious People the bird. Hopefully this is one sign of many that Obama is returning to his roots and his base. After all one of the primary reasons Obama is in power is because he was viewed as the only major candidate who was against the Iraq war in the Democratic primary. He hasn't been completely dominated by the Serious People who hang around him, even if at times it looks like he is.

Maybe this means we might spend some of the money we save on something like, I don't know, building this and creating jobs. Or at least fighting to do so.