What's Left Unsaid

Today marks the three-year anniversary of the current Iraq invasion. We can all agree the current policy has been a disaster. The country is in a de facto state of civil war, and our soldiers are being killed and maimed daily. The Republicans seem unwilling to speak against the president's course; and for his part, President Bush answers anyone who says we should leave Iraq by announcing that he won't let insurgents dictate our timetable.

Fine. We all agree he's wrong, and we all think the troops should come home. But here's a question for you: What if Hillary won't promise to bring them home?

During the 2004 election, Kerry had plenty of chances to make that promise. He refused. He repeatedly dodged the question, explaining instead that we had to make sure Iraq had a stable government. And we know both Kerry and Hillary want to run in 2008; but so far, neither has offered the promise. For that matter, no Democrat has even suggested it. They're more open to discussing impeachment than troop withdrawal.

You'd think a vote for Hillary would be a vote against the Iraq war. She decries our current course and has no shortage of criticism for our president. Yet she stops short of guaranteeing that as president, she would bring our troops home. It's still early, and maybe she's saving that pronouncement for her formal campaign — but if not, you have to wonder why.