Hundreds of Iraqi soldiers are deserting.

Erratic pay, inadequate food and poor living conditions are driving several hundred Iraqi soldiers out of the army every month.

Lt. Moktat Uosef is a company commander in the 4th Brigade of the 7th Iraqi Army Division. U.S. Marines working with the brigade told Stars and Stripes, the U.S. armed forces newspaper, that its strength dropped from 2,200 soldiers in December to 1,400 in May.

"Many of my soldiers have not gotten paid in six months," Uosef said. "Sometimes, they don't eat for two or three days at a time. I tell my commander, but what else am I supposed to do?"

Desertions are a major problem in Anbar Province, the major stronghold of the insurgency. But officials say logistical problems are hurting morale far more than danger is.

In April, hundreds of soldiers staged what amounted to a short strike, refusing for two days to go on patrol. The job action strained their relationship with U.S. troops.

"We won't make any real progress until we stop hemorrhaging the personnel," said Lt. Col. Jeffrey Kenny, who commands the Marines working with the 2nd Brigade, 7th Army.

Permanent bases, a growing insurgency, deserting Iraqi soldiers, anybody still think that the Bush administration has any plans to get our troops out of Iraq?

I have no idea how this will ultimately play out but it seems clear that the concept of "we will stand down when the Iraqi's stand up" is a foolish measure of when we need to get the "hell out of Dodge"!

There will never be a "right" time to leave. Never.