A trio to NY Times articles focus importantly on the war in Iraq and its consequences

Richard Clarke, now the Bushies' nemesis, discusses the strains on the U.S. military, a theme that attentive readers have seen here for months. The army is strained to the breaking point. Although generals are careful to speak only in code about the problem, it is no secret that the army could not signficantly increase its deployment to Iraq or meet a serious challenge elsewhere (rhymes with N. Korea). Clarke raises the topic of a draft, still political poison, but one solution to the wo/manpower crisis.
War and Weakness - New York Times
Iraq has become the jihad superbowl. A small but growing percentage of insurgents are from outside of Iraq, as far away as Africa (e.g., Algeria and the Sudan).
Bush admits as much when he says:

Some may disagree with my decision to remove Saddam Hussein from power, but all of us can agree that the world's terrorists have now made Iraq a central front in the war on terror. This mission isn't easy, and it will not be accomplished overnight.

Notwithstanding, periodic comments about turning corners, breaking the back of the insurgency, and simply stabilizing Iraq, the insurgency has not cooled and it is as virulent today as a year ago as this piece by John Burns observes, citing the Chair of the Joint Chiefs.
This past week the introduction of a resolution in Congress calling for withdrawal planning is yet just another sign that support for the war in Iraq has turned south. You won't hear it from the Bushies, but you can be sure that withdrawal strategies are much on people's minds in Washington.