Nothing like a trip to Iraq to make one change their mind.

Warner: Bush should begin Iraq withdrawal

Republican senator says the president should set timetable, not Congress

NEW YORK - President Bush should announce on Sept. 15 a small initial pullout of U.S. troops from Iraq to spur the Iraqi government to take steps toward political reconciliation, an influential Republican senator said Thursday.

Virginia Sen. John Warner said Bush should “announce on the 15th that in consultation with our senior military commanders he has decided to initiate the first step in a withdrawal of our forces.”

Warner, a senior Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee who has pressed Bush to change his Iraq policy, suggested a withdrawal of “say 5,000″ troops, who could be home by Christmas in December of this year.

Warner said the United States needed “to show that we mean business” when it says its commitment to Iraq is not open ended.

Reuters

Source: MSNBC.com