President Bush had hoped to shape America’s military presence in Iraq for years after his departure from the White House by negotiating a long-term status-of-forces agreement, but a number of sticking points indicate there will be a much shorter time frame. U.S. negotiators have agreed to a kind of timetable for withdrawal, as demanded by the Iraqis, but are holding out over legal immunity for American forces.

The chief argument for staying in Iraq is that the country will fall apart if the U.S. withdraws, so it’s instructive that Iraqis themselves seem to look forward to that day. One U.S. official told The Washington Post that Iraqi politicians were adamant that some kind of withdrawal timetable be included. Otherwise they would not be able to sell the agreement to the people. Imagine that.