Whatever...

The President's announcement on Friday that all US troops will be withdrawn from Iraq by the close of the year will not be accompanied with celebrations of victory, nor with recriminations that almost invariably follow defeat, nor even with the enduring frustrations that typically attend similar standoffs.  Instead, both the announcement yesterday and, I suspect, the departure of the last soldier at year's end will be marked only with the equivalent of a collective, national shrug of the shoulders. 

And after 4,400 killed, thousands more wounded, nearly $2 billion spent.

For God's sake, what has happened to us?

Anyway, as for the country, without a president to lead it, to make the case for continued sacrifice and to do so with conviction, it is frankly unreasonable to expect anything but an understandable war-weariness to overwhelm all other considerations.
As they saw no meaningful purpose for our initial invasion of Iraq over eight years ago, neither the President, nor most of the congressional Democrats can discern any serious reason to remain, so why not withdraw now?

The Republicans, as things stand, are powerless to do much of anything save make the reasonable case for perseverance, but make it in just that way, steadfastly and patiently.  A shrill tone will not be heard.  A steady voice, however, will not only be heard, it will be remembered, and rewarded.

Which begs the question: Will our withdrawal cost us?  I suspect that it will, but just how soon is any one's guess.

As they say, "We'll see."

Until then, as they also say, dispiritedly, disgustingly, "Whatever..."