The antiwar faction of the Democratic party is festering over Hillary’s unwillingness to apologize for her Iraq vote. The NY Times reports that “several advisers, friends and donors said in interviews that they had urged her to call her vote a mistake in order to appease antiwar Democrats, who play a critical role in the nominating process.”

I don’t know what’s keeping Hillary from uttering the magic words, ‘I was wrong.’

I personally think the most important issue about Iraq at this point is ending the war, not dredging up the past over and over again. We can make a difference in the future by bringing an end to Bush’s ill-gotten war, but we can’t change the past. If she’s not willing to apologize, so be it. I noted here the other day that some feel it’s about integrity, Clinton not apologizing. That theme was resonated again the NY Times piece I referenced above. I personally think it takes more integrity to take responsibility for one’s actions, but again… so be it, if she won’t. She is however, making moves that show that she is willing to change the dialogue on Iraq and start talking about deadlines. On that level, she’s moving in the right direction in my book.

Hillary has a new webcast up on her website about Iraq. She’s calling for a “90-day deadline to start pulling American troops from Iraq,” and she’s talking about an international summit. If some of it sounds familiar, it should.

She is offering what she called “a roadmap out of Iraq.” She says in the video that her visit there last month had made her more determined to begin “a long overdue withdrawal.”

Clinton’s bill would cap the number of troops in Iraq at the January 1 level, prior to Bush’s decision to add 21,500 to the approximately 130,000 soldiers already there.

The buildup is part of a push to quell growing sectarian violence but comes as opinion polls show the majority of Americans disapprove of Bush’s decision to send more troops.

Clinton’s bill would require congressional authorization to exceed her proposed cap on U.S. soldiers in Iraq.

Watching Hillary’s webcast I thought to myself, between John Kerry’s Set a Deadline plan and Hillary’s plan, we might well be able to start hammering out a real viable solution in the Senate. We came close today, very close to a vote on Bush’s “surge.” Democrats have vowed to continue the debate, regardless and they will push it wherever they can.

I don’t really care right now about the politics of Hillary’s plan with regards to her running for president. I care about the politics of bringing our troops home, because when I read crap like this, my heart aches for the misery of brave men and women who are serving this nation and then being treated deplorably when they come home wounded. So let’s find a way to end this war… That’s what John Kerry is doing and quite frankly, I’m glad to see that Hillary has taken some of Kerry’s ideas because they are the best we’ve got.

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