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Thursday, May 03, 2007

What If Bush Gave the Dems What They Want?

Washington, DC (TLS). For just a brief moment in time, cast aside all of your statesmanship in order to play with me a little game of political strategist...not that all political strategists are bereft of statesmanship, but after all, it is not their job to tell candidates what's best for America. Their job is to tell their clients how to get elected.

Regardless of what you or I might think of the grave danger the situation in Iraq poses for the world and for the United States, for a few moments let's consider some harsh political realities.

Americans are increasingly getting very tired of the war, so much so that all of the latest indicators point to a massive Republican blood-fest in 2008. Internal polling numbers suggest that if we stay on the present course, not only will Democrats pick up even more seats in Congress than they did in 2006, but they will gain the White House as well.

The single issue that is driving voters away from the GOP is the war.

Thus, as political strategists our job is to devise a method for our clients, in this case the Republicans, to regain control of Congress and to keep the White House.

How can we best go about this?

Remember, the end game is to win. We must, at least for a season, put our best sensitivities as Americans on the back burner.

Winning in 2008 involves a straightforward two-pronged strategy. First, we cater to the electorate. We tell them that we did, indeed, succeed in Iraq by deposing an evil dictator and providing the means for a totalitarian state to hold its first democratic elections...with a democratically-crafted Constitution to boot. We then admit that we blew it after that. We miscalculated the strength of the insurgency, and we simply did not have the troop strength on the ground to do the rest of the job.

We tell them, 'We heard your voices. You are weary of our continued presence in Iraq, and you want the boys to come home now.'

And then we bring them home. Just like that.

Second, we send a message to Democrats. We are giving you what you said you wanted. The American people obviously agreed with you that our mission in Iraq is finished. So, whatever consequences arise as a result of our withdrawal will be entirely on your shoulders.

If the entirety of the fledgling Iraqi government falls apart, so be it.
If Iran seizes the government in Iraq, so be it.
If there is mass genocide, murder, and carnage, so be it.
If terrorists find a new safe haven, not only in Iran but also in Iraq, so be it.
If terrorists are emboldened around the world, so be it.
If they go on the offensive again, against our embassies, our aircraft carriers, etc, so be it.
If they send a nuclear bomb to Israel, so be it.
If they decide to attack America on our own soil....

A wise man from the past said, 'In a democracy, the people usually get the government they deserve.'

The question is, are the Democrats prepared to accept full responsibility for whatever calamity befalls the region, our nation, and the world as a result of our departure from Iraq?

Remember, there will be nobody left to blame when the chickens come home to roost.

Are Americans willing to accept whatever consequences occur in the wake of our departure from Iraq?

Remember, in a dangerous world full of terrorists and Islamo-fascists who are intent on either converting the whole world to Islam or killing the infidels who refuse to convert, there are no second chances. If we get this wrong, it may be the very last mistake we make as a free society before the oppressive heavy hand of Muslim extremists make the nation over in the image of Allah.

My friends, every ounce of political shrewdness in my body wants to urge the President to pull out and give the Dems what they want. That way, if calamity befalls the world, there will be no one to blame but them. Yet every ounce of common decency and concern for the future of the world in my body wants to urge the President not only to stay in Iraq but drastically increase the military fire power, including air and sea (i.e., bombs...the big ones).

I suppose it all boils down to this: is this war worth losing the Presidency and more seats in Congress? If not, then it is time to bring 'em home and let the chips fall where they may. But if what we are doing is worth that kind of loss, then it is time to fight this war like the super-power we are. We need to stop playing footsies with the enemy like a bunch of wussies. Fighting to win is not a place for the politically correct.

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