Bush sets de-facto troop withdrawal date

After months of machismo about troop withdrawal, the Bush administration found a backdoor method to set a withdrawal dealine - the federal budget. By forecasting no expenditures beyond 2007 for either the Iraq or Afghanistan conflicts, the Bush administration budget is saying that all the troops should be home by Christmas '07.

Among other implicit policies: no more aid for New Orleans after 2006, no changes in the Alternative Minimum Tax, and no plans for handling skyrocketing Medicare costs (an unfunded liability topping $62 trillion).

But the deficit will be halved by 2009. And the troops will be home!