Picture of the Day - Petraeus in soft focus

Slowly, David Petraeus is eased out of focus as the White House unveils its "new plan" on Iraq which effectively returns the force to pre-surge levels.

Wasn't that their plan all along?

(By the way, it looks like they're going to pull it off. This plan would get troop levels back down to 130,000 by summer of 2008.

If it stands, that would mean that George Bush will leave likely leave office still claiming "progress" in Iraq.

Take a moment to appreciate that, because thousands of soldiers have died to make that legacy defending claim possible.)

(RAMADI, IRAQ - JULY 07: Gen. David Petraeus watches a slide at a briefing about the security situation in Ramadi and Anbar province July 7, 2007 at Camp Ramadi in Ramadi, Iraq. (Chris Hondros/Getty))