Broder thinks endgame near

Here's a link to an interesting piece by Washington Pst and syndicated columnist David Broder. And to the transcript of an online discussion. He believes that when it comes to the Iraq war, "the end is coming into view -- not soon enough to spare every precious life, but sooner than President Bush and Vice President Cheney may wish. The dynamic in Congress has been set in motion that will bring this war to an end -- or at least reduce the scale of American involvement and redefine the mission of U.S. troops."

Broder believes Gen. Petraeus' report in September will trigger a more substantive debate than has occurred to date. Regarding that, "just below the surface, the GOP ground is beginning to shift. Few if any Republicans want to go into the election with 150,000 American troops still under attack in Iraq. Mitch McConnell, the supremely realistic Senate Republican leader, told reporters that 'the handwriting is on the wall that we are going in a different direction in the fall, and I expect the president to lead it.'"

David Broder is hardly a radical, almost the semi-official keeper of the conventional political wisdom -- but few people know more about how the political system actually operates on the ground in Washington. If he thinks "the policy will change. I think that time is coming soon," he's worth paying some attention to.