Hedging bets

Let the equivocating begin!

Top U.S. defense officials told a Senate panel today that President Bush's plan to send more troops to Iraq to quell the country's violence can succeed only if the Iraqi government makes good on its military, political and economic commitments, and they held out the prospect that such an outcome could lead to U.S. troop withdrawals later in the year.

So if Bush's escalation fails, it's everyone's fault but his. Or worse.