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Democrats' Dilemma in Iraq
Washington Times | Frontpagemagazine ^ | June 27, 2008 | William Rusher

Posted on 06/27/2008 5:06:51 AM PDT by SJackson

The Democrats now find themselves in a thoroughly uncomfortable dilemma over Iraq.

Back in the early days of the American invasion, when things were going relatively badly, Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced the war was "lost" and America's only recourse was to pull out. (This, of course, would have been an absolute political disaster for the Bush administration, as Mr. Reid no doubt knew and hoped.) In the subsequent months and years, when things there have gone substantially better, Mr. Reid has never retracted his highly premature conclusion but it is safe to say it is now "inoperative."

According to such sources as the New York Times, which can hardly be described as having been a cheerleader for the attack, the al Qaeda forces in Iraq are now thoroughly on the defensive, and Nouri al-Maliki's government is strengthening its grip on the country. It seems likely that George W. Bush will achieve his goal of stepping down as president with the Iraq problem well on its way to a solution.

That leaves the Democrats in a bit of a pickle. What, exactly, is their current policy on Iraq? It would be out of the question to insist, in the teeth of the good news from Iraq, that the United States should adopt the former Democratic policy and simply bug out. And, in purely political terms, it would be equally difficult for the Democrats to admit they were wrong, reverse their position and endorse the administration policy.

(Excerpt) Read more at frontpagemag.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: afghanistan; alqaeda; democrats; dilemma; hezbollah; iran; iraq; israel; lebanon; sadr; syria; taliban
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1 posted on 06/27/2008 5:06:51 AM PDT by SJackson
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To: SJackson
sources as the New York Times, which can hardly be described as having been a cheerleader for the attack

I know several US troops who came back after 15 - 18 months in both Iraq and Afghanistan, and they were shocked at the negative reports they heard on the news. Almost all of them said something to the effect of: "That must be a different war than we were in the past few months".

2 posted on 06/27/2008 5:12:57 AM PDT by Arrowhead1952 (A vote for any Democrat from BO on down the ticket is a vote for $10 a gallon gas.)
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To: SJackson
Dilemma with Iraq... dilemma with drilling... dilemma with nuclear power... dilemma with refineries... dilemma with coal... but have no fear, the DBM will “explain” how the greedy Republicans created this mess.
3 posted on 06/27/2008 5:20:30 AM PDT by johnny7 ("Duck I says... ")
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To: SJackson
(This, of course, would have been an absolute political disaster for the Bush administration, as Mr. Reid no doubt knew and hoped.)

What gets me about this is that the democrats are more than willing to let thousands of innocent Iraqis die if it gives their party a political talking point.

4 posted on 06/27/2008 6:03:23 AM PDT by tbpiper (NObama '08 - Unfit in any color)
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To: johnny7

“Dilemma with Iraq... dilemma with drilling... dilemma with nuclear power... dilemma with refineries... dilemma with coal...”

Democrats = the can’t do party

Obambi’s campaign slogan is really...no we can’t


5 posted on 06/27/2008 8:01:48 AM PDT by y6162
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To: y6162
Obambi’s campaign slogan is really...no we can’t

Photobucket

6 posted on 06/27/2008 8:06:15 AM PDT by johnny7 ("Duck I says... ")
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Comment #7 Removed by Moderator

To: SJackson
And there is this:

Sadr Becomes Traitor, Iranian Agent, Against Iraq

8 posted on 06/27/2008 10:53:50 AM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach (No Burkas for my Grandaughters!)
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To: Arrowhead1952

Ditto, Arrowhead.


9 posted on 06/27/2008 11:02:57 AM PDT by freema (MarineNiece,Daughter,Wife,Friend,Sister,Friend,Aunt,Friend,Mother,Friend,Cousin, FRiend)
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To: johnny7

Perfect. I can’t even stand to look at the creep. How dare this liar bloviate, pontificate, and imitate. He’s not even an empty suit, he’s a wolf in Kennedy’s clothing.


10 posted on 06/27/2008 11:09:32 AM PDT by freema (MarineNiece,Daughter,Wife,Friend,Sister,Friend,Aunt,Friend,Mother,Friend,Cousin, FRiend)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
This toon says it all...

Yes, it certainly does.

It's fun to watch the Dems twist and grimace over what to do about this darn Iraq success.

11 posted on 06/27/2008 11:41:38 AM PDT by Allegra (If you lived here, you'd be home by now.)
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To: SJackson
The smartest thing the Dems could do politically is to take this off the table altogether, making it a non-partisan issue. This makes them look statesmanlike (at least for anyone who can't remember their previous five years of reckless posturing) and gives Hussein his first foreign policy "decision" which is actually no decision at all.

It isn't likely, however, that the screaming netroots are going to lie down for that one. They want their withdrawal as a public repudiation of Bush and an affirmation that they were right about the war all along, no matter what it ends up costing. Hussein needs their passion and their connections (not to mention their money) and so the broad-minded statesman pose, although clearly the better option, may not be possible.

In point of fact, however, it's the one he's going to be stuck with should he get elected, because by then anything but the steady withdrawal that is actually the status quo is going to set him up for the blame for anything negative to come out of it at all. The MSM can only cover for him so much. If I were he I'd risk the nonpartisan pose, but I'm not and he won't. IMHO.

12 posted on 06/27/2008 11:50:03 AM PDT by Billthedrill
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To: RedRover; Lancey Howard; Girlene; brityank; jazusamo; smoothsailing; 4woodenboats; SJackson

I hadn’t really thought about it, but assume that Chessani & Wuterich get appealed for such a long time that the US decides its time in Iraq is over.

What impact would a US end to its major presence in Iraq have on the Haditha case?

Would it no longer be relevant due to decreased need to impress our Iraqi “friends” with how “just” we are in dealing with our own troops?


13 posted on 06/27/2008 11:53:58 AM PDT by xzins (Retired Army Chaplain -- Those denying the War was Necessary Do NOT Support the Troops!)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach; musicman; johnny7
Reminds me of an old blues song I vaguely remember:

I gotta big dilemma; bout my big legged Emma

and I shore don't know what to do????

14 posted on 06/27/2008 12:11:39 PM PDT by BOBTHENAILER (One by one, in small groups or in whole armies, we don't care how we do it, but we're gonna getcha)
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To: freema

15 posted on 06/27/2008 12:11:48 PM PDT by johnny7 ("Duck I says... ")
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To: BOBTHENAILER
Reminds me of an old blues song I vaguely remember: I gotta big dilemma; bout my big legged Emma and I shore don't know what to do????

Grab her by the ankles...

16 posted on 06/27/2008 12:22:43 PM PDT by johnny7 ("Duck I says... ")
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Comment #17 Removed by Moderator

To: johnny7

Damn I hate that chin up in the air, philosophical looker POS.


18 posted on 06/27/2008 2:41:29 PM PDT by freema (MarineNiece,Daughter,Wife,Friend,Sister,Friend,Aunt,Friend,Mother,Friend,Cousin, FRiend)
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To: musicman
Thanks, as always, musicman! BTW, we'll be voting for Best Of June after Monday's toons...


19 posted on 06/27/2008 2:48:47 PM PDT by pookie18 (Of course I'm voting for the Republican nominee!)
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To: freema
Me too dude... me too.


20 posted on 06/27/2008 4:29:05 PM PDT by johnny7 ("Duck I says... ")
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