Tonight on MSNBC's Countdown, Keith Olbermann and Dana Milbank from the Washington Post were discussing Bush's decision yesterday to do an internal review of Iraq policy, despite the Iraq Survey Group's upcoming report that everyone in Washington seems to be waiting for. Milbank posited that the internal White House group was formed so that when the Baker group's report comes out, they will come to the same conclusion, and the White House can say they weren't forced into a decision by outsiders, that they made their own decision. Political cover, in other words. Gawd knows these people love them some political cover. But I disagree with this theory. I think the White House group will be just another excuse to draw out the current policy of staying the course. Once the Baker group is done, the WH can say, 'wait, we haven't heard from all parties yet,' and draw it out longer. Then their own group can say, officially, staying the course is the best way. It's more long term time-wise, but it's also better political cover.