OK, Maybe I Take It Back (plus a few other things)

I refer to calling out those spineless Democrats for not taking Bush head-on by tying funding to troop withdrawal deadlines. Suddenly Harry Reid (a leader, even) is sounding hardline about those keeping those deadlines in. Interesting sentence in the article: "Democrats are in a box on the Iraq war debate, lacking the votes to pass legislation ordering troops home but tied to a support base that wants nothing less."

Novel concept. Support what your support base wants you to do, even if it won't win. I know, we're supposed to seek common ground, compromise, be nice. Democrats have given in, again and again, trying to accomplish something. But I think the time for all of the above is long past because it hasn't accomplished anything in Iraq. No Democracy, no subjugation, no peace. Am I missing any objectives, beyond making America safe?

Despite Petraeus' week of media kiss-up to the contrary, most of the tangible facts point to a country that is mired in civil war. And our presence seems to be a catalyst for more fighting, not less. We've given Bush's solution plenty of time to work, which was a nicety in itself since it was destined to fail from the beginning. Shoving Democracy down a country's throat seems an oxymoron. How often has it worked? Don't republics or democracies usually come from the inside, through revolution?

Add in the challenges of dealing with different religious and cultural sects that, mostly, have no interest in working together and you've got a vinegar and oil soup that no amount of stirring will blend--and no one will swallow even if you could.

Anyone have a good book to recommend on the subject?

So it's time to get out. Will it stop the civil war? No. But at least we won't be killing people. And Americans won't be getting killed. And I think those are two worthwhile objectives.

Did you catch the weird thing with John McCain saying he's a Baptist? He was an Episcopalian the last time around.

Nice to see Barack step up and speak for the middle class. “Our free market was never meant to be a free license to take whatever you can get, however you can get it,” Mr. Obama said. “And so from time to time, we have put in place certain rules of the road to make competition fair and open and honest.” Great.

He mentioned Walmart in passing, saying that some workers have to take minimum wage jobs at Walmart because other jobs are going overseas. But I'd like to see him propose some new rules of the road to impinge on Walmart's freedom to make money at all costs by sending manufacturing jobs overseas and overpowering small businesses.

Liz