If President Bush can start a preemptive war with Iraq, I can do some preemptive Iraq framing. According to the New York Times today, the White House is going to offer the American people a new strategy for Iraq in September. (What number strategy are we on? I think I’ve lost count.) Reportedly, that strategy won’t be to dig ourselves in deeper with a further “surge,” but to offer some (gasp!) troop reductions. Hooray! The troops are coming home!

Well, not so fast.

General Odierno said the five additional brigades added this year under the president’s troop increase were likely to be withdrawn on a timeline parallel to their arrival in Iraq. Under this timeline, which is not yet the official plan, the troop increase would end by April with the five brigades leaving Iraq one each month, with American force levels returning to the troop levels existing before the increase by next August, he said.

So while troop levels will be reduced, we’re basically just talking about reversing the surge, not the beginning of a permanent withdrawal. That’s not enough to hang my hat on. However, White House spin on the situation will be coming fast and furious, so anti-war advocates and the Democratic Party must be ready. In fact, the stated goal of these troop “reductions” are political:

One administration official made it clear that the goal of the planned announcement was to counter public pressure for a more rapid reduction and to try to win support for a plan that could keep American involvement in Iraq on “a sustainable footing” at least through the end of the Bush presidency.

So, Democrats and anti-war peoples, how are you going to turn this in your favor?

It’s all about momentum. If troops are coming home, no matter how few, that’s momentum in the right direction. We need to acknowledge that things are moving in the right direction and push for more. America will be happy to see soldiers coming home. We need to remind them that the surge has failed, that troops are still suffering and dying in Iraq, and that for the good of all Americans, every single soldier must come home. Keep feeding that momentum, pushing this stone faster and faster downhill. Basically, acknowledge that these reductions are a step in the right direction, then every time that is said, follow it with a quick and forceful “but…”

Let me show you what I mean.

“The White House’s signs of ‘progress’ in Iraq are a poor excuse for real change. We’re glad that President Bush has decided to draw down the misguided surge. But we need to do more, and now is the time! America needs to continue its withdrawal so every American soldier can come home and the Iraqis can finally take full responsibility for their country.”

“With this new strategy in Iraq, the White House thinks they are listening to what the American people want. But America doesn’t want just a small troop reduction, they want an end to this war. Now is the time to redouble our efforts. America wants to be a peaceful and secure nation again, and so more troops must come home.”

“We congratulate President Bush for starting to come around to the folly of a continued war in Iraq. We will work to make sure he continues to see the light by realizing that every day our army spends in the Iraqi desert is making America less safe and less respected.”

“The President has finally admitted that his strategies have been a failure in Iraq. By starting to bring the troops home, America is becoming safe and responsible again. Now, we will work twice as hard to ensure he goes all the way and completely withdraws from Iraq quickly, for the sake of the Iraqi people, American security, and the wellbeing of our brave soldiers.”

These statements are ones of strength. They capitalize on forward momentum. They show that the left has been with the American people on Iraq all along, and Bush is just now seeing that reality. They congratulate Bush on his revelation and they pledge to push twice as hard to secure a real end to this war. By playing Bush as a Johnny-come-lately, the Democrats can cement their position as the party of the majority. Combined with a sincere push to end the war via the power of the purse in Congress after General Petraeus’s no doubt lackluster performance report, the Democrats can increase the momentum Bush is planning to create and bring and end to our national nightmare.

Once the troop numbers start to go down, it is the beginning of the end. It is our job to make sure they continue to go down quickly and permanently.

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