General William Odom tells Senate that the solution to the Iraq war is a quick withdrawal.

The only sensible strategy is to withdraw rapidly but in good order. Only that step can break the paralysis now gripping USstrategy in the region. The next step is to choose a new aim, regionalstability, not a meaningless victory in Iraq. And progress toward thatgoal requires revising our policy toward Iran. If the president merelyrenounced his threat of regime change by force, that could promptIran to lessen its support to Taliban groups in Afghanistan. Irandetests the Taliban and supports them only because they will killmore Americans in Afghanistan as retaliation in event of a US attackon Iran. Iran’s policy toward Iraq would also have to change radically as we withdraw. It cannot want instability there. Iraqi Shiites are Arabs, and they know that Persians look down on them. Cooperation between them has its limits.

Ultimately there is nothing we can do that will ensure that there is no eruption of violence when the U.S. leaves Iraq. But the idea that it will be substantially worse the it is now seems almost absurd.

I applaud the frank honesty that General Odom is demonstrating and I certainly hope that there are some in the Senate who are listening to what he is saying.