Kowabunga

LIeberman, Blue Dogs, and Iraq

There are a couple of good pieces in the news today on the war in Iraq. The first is a piece on how firebrand Joe Lieberman is taking his formerly fellow Democrats in the Senate to task not just on the war in Iraq, but the Greater War on Terror as well.

From the Hill:

“I think either [Democrats] are, in my opinion, respectfully, naïve in thinking we can somehow defeat this enemy with talk, or they’re simply hesitant to use American power, including military power,” Lieberman said in a wide-ranging interview with The Hill.

“There is a very strong group within the party that I think doesn’t take the threat of Islamist terrorism seriously enough.”

Lieberman is, once again, proving that when it comes to the War on Terror and establishing democracy in the Middle East, he gets it, and the Dems in Senate do not.

He goes on to say that part of the problem is that many Democrats automatically take the attitude of anything Bush is for, then they will be against. This type of attitude brings out the worst in politics and is bad for the country. (Exception: if Hillary is in favor of something, then it may be that you should be against it.)

I don’t agree on every issue with Lieberman, but I am happy to say on this issue (and probably a few others) we are in agreement.

Meanwhile, House majority Whip James Clyburn, is advocating a wait and see strategy to see what Petraeus’ report will be like before continuing the push to surrender Iraq to the terrorists.

From the Washington Post:

Many Democrats have anticipated that, at best, Petraeus and U.S. ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker would present a mixed analysis of the success of the current troop surge strategy, given continued violence in Baghdad. But of late there have been signs that the commander of U.S. forces might be preparing something more generally positive. Clyburn said that would be “a real big problem for us.”

Clyburn’s comments came as House and Senate Democrats try to figure out their next steps in the legislative battle. Clyburn said he could foresee a circumstance in which House Democrats approve a measure without a timetable for withdrawing U.S. forces, which has been the consistent goal of the party throughout the months-long debate. But he said he could just as easily see Democrats continue to include a timetable.

With reports coming in that July had the lowest death rate of American troops in eight months, there could be strong indications that things are, in fact, turning around in Iraq. Granted, like everyone else, I would be much happier if the casualty rate in Iraq was zero. But getting the lowest in eight months, and with the surge only now having completed its first month of full operations, I think that is a good sign. I hope that a month form now we can claim the lowest death rate in a year, or more.

With 47 “Blue Dog” Democrats in the House who are likely to side with Republicans should things move in a positive direction vis-à-vis Iraq, it is possible we may stop hearing constant calls from Congress to “let the terrorists win.”

Things may well be looking up for the people of Iraq. Let’s hope so, as the price of failure will be very high, and it’s the people of Iraq who will be making the down payment for that failure.

Tags:

Iraq Blue Dog Congress War On Terror Lieberman