Balance of Power

The weirdest part of Obama’s announcement today is the seeming lack of any criticism from leading with Republicans. John McCain, Obama’s rival for the presidency, had nice things to say about the Iraq plan today, as did Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. Even House Minority Leader John A. Boehner called Obama’s plan a “responsible approach.”

But Cantor is more of a bellwether of how the most partisan rank-and-file Republicans are likely to react to the plan. That was clear in an amusing way during Obama’s sort-of State of the Union address Tuesday night. Cantor stayed seated during most of the applause lines, and only stood when Boehner did first. Even then, Cantor refused to stand when Obama declared that 95 percent of Americans would get a tax cut under his budget, leaving Boehner standing alone.

So why are all the Republicans failing to repeat all the blistering criticisms they made of Obama’s Iraq strategy during the presidential campaign? It could have something to do with the 35,000 to 50,000 troops Obama says he’ll leave in Iraq temporarily to train, equip, and advise Iraqi security forces — and the fact that Obama says he’ll “proceed carefully” and keep in touch with military commanders to adjust the withdrawal plans if necessary.

Instead, it’s the Democrats and anti-war groups who are wondering if Obama is leaving too many troops in harm’s way. Tom Andrews, national director of Win Without War, said the group was “concerned that fifty thousand troops will remain in Iraq after the combat mission has concluded.”

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made the point more subtly in her statement: “The remaining missions given to our remaining forces must be clearly defined and narrowly focused so that the number of troops needed to perform them is as small as possible.”

Still, no one should forget the bottom line: Obama says all U.S. troops will be out of Iraq by the end of 2011. At least for the moment, that seems to be a goal both parties can share.