Why the Petraeus Report Has Nothing to Do with How Long the Surge Lasts

The misnamed Petraeus Report is widely considered to be an analysis of the Iraq war and the Bush surge that will define just how long the surge and the war itself continues. In fact, this report-which will not be written by one of those generals in the field that Bush keeps telling us should be the people who make decisions, but rather by politicos inside the White House, hopefully none of whom possesses the utter lack of intellect that so far has been the norm of Bush's political favors masquerading as appointments-will have no effect on how much longer the surge will continue. If you'll recall, the influx of more Americans to be killed in a hopeless war against an idea was intended to be a temporary thing designed to create space in which the political situation in Iraq could be improved. Apparently, it was entirely successful because otherwise Iraq's politicians would not have followed George W. Bush's lead in taking the entire month of August off.

Or perhaps not.

Regardless of the how well the surge has done or not done what it was intended to, however, the fact is that it will have absolutely no bearing in the slightest on how long troops remain Iraq. Although touted by the Bush administration as a temporary solution, the earliest date at which the surge itself will end has already been officially and inexorably mandated. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates signed a piece of paper that extended the terms of duty of those assigned in Iraq to 15 months, the longest since World War II. Since the last troops involved in the surge didn't arrive until July that means that, according to the law of Gates' pen, they won't return home until...October 2008. Therefore, the surge that was only supposed to last six to nine months had already, in fact, been determined continue unabated for well over a year and a half.