Political Strategy Extends Some Soldiers Stay

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced Monday that there could be a delay in the withdrawal of troops from Iraq.
Gates said after meeting with General David Patreaus, a delay was needed to enable the military to consolidate and evaluate the effect of the withdrawal will affect Iraqi security gains.
Does political strategy have to do with the timing of the withdrawal delay? While President Bush has the final say in the delay, it seems that as time closes in on the 2008 election there is a correlating emphasis on major political decisions While major security gains in the next few months would benefit the Republicans, many voters with family members in Iraq would be won over by the return of their loved one.
Some believe the withdrawal with cause a loss in the recent security gains while others believe the delay with add on the stress of extended and multiple combat tours.
With campaign promises ranging from McCain's "100 years in Iraq" to Obama's immediate withdrawal voters must look into their own ethics and morals. While so many uncertainties remain in the 2008 election, one thing remains devastatingly clear. The war is just another strategy played by politics with American troops as pawns. And the mess left by the dirty deed of war as a political tool will be left for the next elected president. Lets just hope that someone has the decency to realize American lives are not pawns in a game.