Iraq confidence looming, Bush admin considers early troop drawdown
 For years, many Americans have seen the government paralyzed by partisan politics and unable to implement a new direction in the Iraq war.
Iraq may now be making the choice for us.
Conflicting reports about the negotiations of long-term US troop levels in Iraq have rebounded between wire services and newspapers, some suggesting that the Bush administration may now withdraw additional soldiers as early as September.
But the president's change in attitude, which has long been to set no withdrawal time for US troops, is more a necessity stemming from the Iraq CBS' Bob Schieffergovernment's increasing demands for autonomy than a choice.
Bush has vowed that the United States would leave Iraq if asked to by the Iraqi leadership, but now that negotiations seem to be at a standstill because of Iraqi demands for a time table for withdrawal, Bush is in no hurry to exit, Agence France Presse reported.
The Iraqi's newfound confidence both pleases and worries US officials who wonder if Iraq is ready for independence from US forces and might opt for military rule once they are gone, the Associated Press reported.
The Washington Post reported that the two nations had quit talks for prolonged troop presence indefinitely and left the outcome of further US involvement in Iraq to the next president.
That report was rejected by Iraqi official Muwaffaq al-Rubaie, who said The Washington Post was "missing the point" on the protracted negotiations, and that talks would continue to try to achieve a pact.
CBS' Bob Schieffer interviewed Politico chief Roger Simon about the developments.
Wire services contributed to this report.
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