All week long on the "NewsHour with Jim Lehrer" (PBS; 7:00 p.m. in NYC market) there will be segments with interviews of various principals in the Iraq debate. I was very gratified to have heard last night's moderator, Judy Woodruff, ask last night's guest, Sen. Carl Levin, D. MI, "what will Iraq look like after a U.S. withdrawal?" Levin never did get around to providing a straight answer to that question, or, more accurately, a course of frank discussion about it. When pressed at one point about "America's moral obligation to the Iraqi people," Levin took the moment as "tee time," that is, occasion to blast your PowerFlite (the Bush Administration) with your most "devastating" driver -- a stance that is both justified and helpful in the right context, but was avoidant here. What, indeed, will happen to the average, innocent Iraqis? Stay tuned. Levin dodged and danced, and was unconvincing. Without adequate analysis and discussion on that point, I (big deal, I know) will not be able to support the initiative co-sponsored by him and Sen. Reed.
