Tick tock, the clock is winding down on Iraq

Although Bush strongly opposes setting an exit date for Iraq and Rumsfeld indicated that the war can last up to 12 years (a number he surely reached into his ass to grab), British troops plan to significantly withdraw from Iraq within the next 18 months.

John Reid, Britain's defense secretary said in a BBC interview this week that, "although Donald Rumsfeld may have said, correctly, that this may take years before it is finally completed, that did not imply that all that period will have to be led by the multi-national forces or the British forces... I personally think that within a year we could begin that transition to the Iraqi forces leading the effort themselves."

Air Chief Marshall Jock Stirrup, the current Royal Air Force commander who will become chief of the general staff next year, said more stable Iraqi provinces - including those under UK command - were likely to be handed over to local security forces more quickly than first thought. By next April, a best-case scenario would see current troops levels of 8,500 reduced to about 4,000-5,000, with a further cut in the period leading to the first quarter of 2007, when the British military presence is expected to fall to about 1,000 advisers and training personnel.

Where's your "coalition of the willing" now? Soon it will just be Occupation by the One.