That's my translations of this ridiculous just-after-the-first-midterms dog and Iraqi show El Decider is holding at Camp David:

Casey described a "great shift" in responsibility from U.S. forces to the Iraqis over the past year. He said more Iraqis are taking the lead in the fight, although that does not mean they can operate without support such as logistics [Halliburton], intelligence and medical evacuations.

Yes, the pros always want to know about logistics. So where, one asks, will be logistics operations by based? Why, in our permanent bases, of course! And who, one asks, will the logistics contractor be? Why, Halliburton, of course!

OK, now that Halliburton's place at the government tit is taken care of, what about the next priority? That is, avoiding Democrats with subpoena power re-electing true conservatives?

But [Bush] has been careful not to signal any troop reductions yet, continuing to say he will make those decisions when commanders in the field advise him to do so.

Casey would not say whether he plans to advise Bush on a troop reduction plan Monday. But the general hinted the time soon may come for such a recommendation.

"I was waiting until we got a government seated before I gave the president another recommendation so we have some sense of what we've got," Casey said Sunday

Translation: When Bush gives Casey a nod and a wink--say, mid-October 2006--Casey will emit his recommendation for withdrawal. That way, they don't actually have to withdraw any more than a battalion or two for a photo op, and can do whatever they like after the election.

No reason, at this point, with these people, to think there's anything like strategic calculation going on--unless by that you mean (1) making sure your friends continue to loot the public purse, and (2) creating some good talking points for the next dirty election. Business as usual...