Cut and Run

Since the United States is divided on the issue, it was inevitable that politics would be played even with the life and death situation in Iraq. Obviously, the Democrats are taking advantage of the situation the Republicans have created for themselves and the rest of us and are pushing for various forms of withdrawal from the fray. But the Republican counter attack boggles the mind; at least through the November election their mantra will be to stay the course and to call the Democrats weak on national security. In GOP parlance, the Democrats are advocating `cutting and running.’

Sadly, all thinking people realize that ultimately we will pull out of Iraq and that all casualties taken in the name of staying the course simply in hopes of retaining majorities in both houses of Congress are based on a completely cynical view of the world and are the ultimate in `dirty tricks.’ Deaths and wounds resulting from this naked political sliming will be on the heads of the cynics. Clearly, the administration is readying to draw down our forces as soon as the commanders in the field can say with straight faces that the Iraqis security forces are ready to defend the new government and the nation from enemies inside and out of the country and that the forces are under the control of the government.

No matter when this certification of readiness is rendered by our commanders, our withdrawal will be a leap of faith that the Iraqi leaders will work together to stabilize the country. To postpone the day of reckoning until after the election for partisan gain is nothing more than an effort to stir the few remaining faithful who buy into the ever rolling reasons for this fools’ errand. This ever shrinking pool of lame brained loyalists is being manipulated for one last time in hopes of maintaining control of the Hill and policy direction in the country. Naturally, if this unbelievable strategy were to work, it would be abandoned in the months following without a much as a single look backward.

`Cut and Run’ is not strategy unique to Democrats. To his credit, Gerald Ford ultimately got us out of Vietnam after Lyndon Johnson and, to a lesser degree, Richard Nixon stood obdurately in the way of withdrawal until long after the nation lost faith in that misbegotten venture. Ronald Reagan quickly withdrew our forces from Somalia when a murderous blast demonstrated to the president that our involvement was an error. Dwight Eisenhower cut and ran in Korea after the voters soured on that far more valiant effort. And the nation went on after each of these strategic withdrawals.

We must no be fooled by this cynical manipulation by Karl Rove and Republican political strategists. The president and his key advisors know full well that we must cut and run after a modest demonstration of support for the Iraqi government, and they have been preparing for this exit for many months. The Republicans must be punished at the polls for this great debacle. That they would attempt to go the well of ignorance still again speaks volumes about the patriotism. They must be turned out in November and in 2008.

Had enough? Vote Democratic!

Blog on!

Wild Bill