Do The Right Thing

Yesterday TPM reported on how senior Democrats squashed a progressive resolution to tie any future Iraq War funding to withdrawal purposes only. Personally, I am getting pretty tired of the US Democratic Partys’ eternal hand-wringing on Iraq.

WHO CARES if the Repugs are going to blame you for losing the Iraq War? WHO CARES if they blamed you for losing the Vietnam War? The truth is that only a psycho nutjob would still consider either of those wars “win-able” from a US perspective. Look at the polls! Most US citizens already know this war is lost and they want you to stop it NOW. So just do it.

WHO CARES if the morally bankrupt 25% that still support this war will never vote Democrat again? Those hardcore Bush-loving rednecks will never vote Democrat anyway!

Just do the right thing, and have faith in ordinary decent people to respect you for it. People are still dying, day after day. Iraqis are still suffering. The USA’s reputation remains mired in the toilet. Somebody has to step up to the plate and fix this. You have been given the power to do something, so do it NOW. Force the Senate GOP to block withdrawal. Force them to block impeachment. Cut off funds.

What are you guys really afraid of?

Most thinking people around the world still believe the USA wants to keep its permanent military bases in Iraq and ensure that US-based Big Oil gets its hands (one way or another) on Iraq’s massive oil reserves. It’s no good just saying that this is not so: actions speak louder than words. For the moment, methinks the senior Democrat lady doth protest too much without actually DOING much at all.

The world is watching. If you just want show trials of GOP transgressions to pave the way to a Democratic Presidency in 2008, I guess that might work for you (although it may backfire too). Nobody expects a President Hillary, for example, to walk away from Iraq’s oil and those permanent bases. But the hard facts will remain: people will keep dying, Iraqis will keep suffering, and the USA’s reputation will remain mired in the toilet until the last US soldier departs Iraq.

If you respect the democratic wishes of the US people, withdraw now. If you care at all about the people of Iraq and the USA’s international reputation, withdraw now. Don’t just talk about it, do something.