Taking the White House at its word

Here's a novel concept. I don't know if he's being serious or sarcastic but William M. Arkin has a good column in the WaPo today. It takes an interesting tack, calling on a measured withdrawal from Iraq based on taking the neo-cons' rosy assertions as fact. The idea made me kind of queasy but it's a good point and well made. Here's the gist.

I'm not saying abandon Iraq. Set a meaningful timetable. Leave a strike force to pursue al Qaeda. But remove the bases and the traffic and the contractor opportunist class as much as possible.

...I believe our military and government officials when they say things are really going better and that it is up to the Iraqis to make their own future.

By their own criteria, Iraq can now be declared "won" as long as the country manages to elect a government in December. No reason to stick around after that. Let them exercise the sovereignty we "gave" them over a year ago.