Every day we seem to enter a new frontier in American politics. One day it's ex-presidents breaking age-old protocol to attack a sitting president. Next it might be an ex bureau chief writing a book or articles blaming their former associates. On another it might be United States Senators making claims that a sitting president lied to them, followed by the sitting Vice President firing back in kind. Or another Senator blasting his brethren. Meanwhile our troops remain in harm's way, scratching their heads as the bullets whiz past. What's up with the near-WWE style politics?
Perhaps Bin Laden figured way back that secular western governments will fail when pressed due to their open democracies and secular tendencies balanced against a need for security. The WoT is more a conflict between two opposing ways of life rather than just suicide bombers or cruise missiles. Sept 11 exposed some cracks in our off-battlefield armor. But is our current political climate unhealthy?
I certainly can't excuse myself from participating in the daily Iraq war smack downs. This is the biggest story of our times, and I don't understand those who can simply ignore it. Then again, I do. The decorum was already deteriorating before the war, now it's nearly over the top. Many people have simply tuned out to preserve their sanity. Unfortunately that works in the terrorists' favor.
Both Bin Laden and Saddam knew that winning a war with America revolved around hitting us in our achilles heel. Our will to fight can be--Americans have always been reluctant warriors. Keep us from winning quick and easy on the battlefield and you've got a chance. Maybe they checked with the Vietnamese.
Are the democrats doing their part in that process? Politically speaking, they are wandering well out onto a thin limb by voicing things like "lied" and "withdrawal" at this point. For example, if by some chance we find that WMDs were present but moved out of Iraq before the invasion while they are simultaneously still yelling 'Bush lied', their party will go down in a flameball worse than the Hindenberg.
On the other hand, if correct they'll take power for years to come, so I guess they might feel the reward is worth the risk. Thing is, the risk for the American people is much greater. The democrats need to be very careful here. They need to convince everyone using solid evidence, not ramblings. Look at history and study the ramifications of our leaving war zones due to political pressure. It ain't good. Add to that the WoT is a new frontier featuring a new breed of terrorists who don't fear death and are determined to win with any weapon possible and who possess unsufferable patience.
In the end, Bush will lose Iraq if he does nothing from here on. Stump speeches are nothing but preaching to the choir. The democrats are backing him into a political corner for their own self aggrandizement and the terrorists are licking their chops, while his fellow republicans are getting weaker-kneed. Something has to be done by someone. Even if the democrats are successful in bringing down Bush it's a zero sum game for America, since a retreat from Iraq only causes more problems by emboldening our enemies. The question is, what can Bush do?
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