Profiles in Courage.......Not!

The Democrats in the Senate are once again pressing for timetables for withdrawal in Iraq. The funny thing is, their rhetoric doesn't match the particulars of the proposal. The "plan" as Harry Reid described it, call for troop reductions leading up to "total withdrawal by next May, except for troops needed for force protection, training of Iraqi troops, chasing al-Qaeda, and border security.

In addition to the fact that these guys are so desperate for a US defeat in Iraq to gain political advantage over the GOP, they seem to have overlooked the fact that their "total withdrawal" requires somewhere between 40,000 and 70,000 US troops to remain to fulfill the remaining tasks. I wonder how their base will react to that definition of ending the war and bringing our troops home?

Not to be outdone, we have more "principled" Republican senators "concluding" that we need to change course in Iraq. Its funny though, it seems that the only Republicans who are "principled" about Iraq are those running for re-election next year. The only conclusion these guys have come to is that their electoral chances are being harmed by continuing to support the war effort. As such, they join the Dems in determining that all is lost two months before the commanding general in Iraq reports on the progress of his strategy.

Someone should tell Senators Lugar and Domenici that the Republic may just possibly survive even without their virtually indispensable presence in the Senate. And someone should tell Harry Reid and his Democrat colleagues that, now and then, their proposals and votes should be based upon sound policy grounds not simply political benefit.

Seriously, can someone in Washington explain the policy basis for withdrawal from Iraq without defeating al-Qaeda and without leaving a capable Iraqi government in place? Can the opponents of the war seriously believe that a premature pull-out won't lead to an emboldened enemy, more determined than ever to attack us?

Is there anyone left in Washington who is willing to act on principle rather than political expediency? I'm truly beginning to wonder.