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On Deadlines

Do you remember your first high school term paper? Did you scramble at the end to get it done? Or in college? Pull an all-nighter?

Work on any big programming projects? Do those milestone dates and go-live dates keep the pressure on you to complete your work?

While the broadcast media has reporters standing in malls on the day after Thanksgiving to check the crowds, in fact for most retailers the weekend before Christmas is typically produces the biggest revenue.

The Post Office accomodates all those last minute tax filers by staying open until midnight April 15th. The public is sufficiently frightened of the IRS, fines, penalties, big brother, etc. that most all the returns are filed by that deadline. (Wesley Snipes notwithstanding).

What is the point of this you ask? It is time to change the debate from "Stay the Course" or "Cut and Run". It is time to set a deadline for withdrawal from Iraq. And one that will get attention. Sixty days or less. Enforce it by having the big military cargo plans start to line up on the runways.

If the Iraqis want to blow each other up in the market places, bomb each other in church, behead one another, well then, have at it. On the other hand, they've got sixty days to figure it out. No sissy two year plans, or one year plans. A year sounds like a long time off. Two months, or even six weeks would work for me, will focus your attention. In the U.S., W-2's, the key document most people need for their personal income tax, are issued by January 31st. Returns are due 75 days later.

Let's set a bold deadline and see if anyone rises to the occasion.

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